December 31, 2019 – For those looking to make a New Year’s resolution for 2020, limiting meat and dairy consumption or going vegetarian or vegan are great ways to not only eat healthier, but also cut back on personal carbon footprints.
Guests at the below restaurants and bars can dig into feel-good meals packed with plants. From vegan comfort food at Khyber Pass Pub to all-vegan beers at Philadelphia Brewing Company to multi-cultural vegan bites at The Bourse, it’s obvious that Philadelphia’s restaurant scene offers great alternatives to meat-heavy meals, boasting delicious vegetarian and vegan options even carnivores would love.
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Royal Tavern, the recently renovated and re-opened South Philly favorite, offers guests a wide variety of vegan fare with twists on classic bar foods, including Sweet Potato Mac ‘N’ Cheese ($11), a Vegan Burger ($15) made with Beyond Meat, and Braised Kabocha Squash ($17). More eclectic options include Kimchi Mashed Potatoes ($3), Charred Snap Peas ($6), and a Lemongrass Yuba Bahn Mi ($13).
937 East Passyunk Avenue | 215-389-6694 | https://www.royaltavern.com
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Khyber Pass Pub, the Southern-inspired restaurant, bar, and performance space in Old City, offers classic comfort food with vegan options sure to satisfy even the hungriest meat lovers. Options include Vegan BBQ Pulled Pork ($14), Vegan Chili ($7/$10), and Vegan Nachos ($9/$13). In additional to all-out vegan options, Khyber Pass Pub also allows vegetarians the options to customize dishes such as Nachos, Mac & Cheese, and Po-Boys.
56 S. 2nd Street | 215-238-5888 | http://www.khyberpasspub.com
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Philadelphia Brewing Company, one of Philadelphia’s oldest and largest breweries, had Philadelphia’s first-ever Vegan Beerfest this past July, marking it a vegan staple in Philadelphia’s food and beverage scene. Those looking to imbibe in vegan brews can take comfort knowing every beer from Philadelphia Brewing Company is vegan and purchases help support Duke, the almost-famous brewery cat.
2440 Frankford Avenue | 215-427-2739 | http://philadelphiabrewing.com
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Red Owl Tavern, the American tavern across from Independence Mall, offers lunch and dinner options for vegans and vegetarians from Executive Chef Jonathan Dearden. Inspired by his mother’s vegan diet, Dearden strives to add plant-based options to his menus. During lunch, guests can enjoy Smoked Tofu ($22) with black rice stir-fry, ginger, bok choy, pickled carrots, and garlic chips. For dinner, guests can dig into Impossible Meatballs ($22) over spaghetti with a house-made sauce, Fresno peppers, and optional parmesan on top. Guests can top-off their plant-based feast with a Vegan Panna Cotta ($9) made with strawberry passion fruit cremuex, glazed berries, and baby marigolds.
433 Chestnut Street | 215-923-2267 | https://redowltavern.com
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Rex 1516, Philadelphia’s go-to for elevated Southern cuisine, has created a creamy, delicious vegan risotto for guests to enjoy. Made with Carolina Gold Heirloom Rice, chicken-fried maitake mushrooms, smoked creminis, salt-roasted beets, and red beet puree, guests can enjoy Carolina Gold Risotto for $19 during dinner.
1516 South Street | 267-319-1366 | http://rex1516.com
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Café Ynez, the all-day Mexico City-inspired café in Point Breeze, offers herbivores a veggie-stuffed burrito, aptly named the Veggie Burrito ($10). Jam-packed with corn, black beans, baby spinach, avocado, quinoa, pico de gallo, garlic, and sautéed shallots, this vegan ode-to-Mexico is wrapped in a fluffy wheat flour tortilla.
2025 Washington Avenue | 215-278-7579 | http://cafeynez.com
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The Bourse, Old City’s food hall located across from Independence Mall, offers vegans and vegetarians a fast-casual haven of multi-cultural food choices.
- Lalo – seasonal vegan Filipino comfort food dishes, including Veggie Lumpia, Vegan Laing, and Vegan Kare-kare
- Baby’s Buns – The Impossible Burger with Impossible meat, vegan mayo, and lettuce with the option of a brioche bun or lettuce wrap
- Rebel Taco – customizable tacos, burritos, and nachos
- Abunai Poke – customizable poke bowls with tofu and toppings
- TaKorean – customizable tacos, rice bowls and slaw bowls
111 S. Independence Mall E | https://theboursephilly.com
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– Eleanor King