Even though it’s known for cheesesteaks and pizza, Philadelphia is actually a really vegan-friendly city with a lot of great vegan restaurants. Here are my favorite go-to spots for vegan food and desserts in Philadelphia:
Vegan Pizza in Philadelphia: Earth Bread and Brewery (Mt. Airy)
Technically, Earth sells flatbreads, not pizza. But it’s probably the best vegan pizza I’ve ever had. They don’t have vegan cheeses – but they have great ingredients and combinations. And if you ask them, they can make pretty much any flat bread on the menu vegan. My favorites are The Seed and The Continental made vegan. As a bonus, they sell local craft brews and their very own kombucha.
They’re conveniently located to some of my favorite hikes in Philly also! Note: During the week they open at 4:30pm for dinner, but there are lunch hours on Saturday and Sunday.
For more information on hours, location and menu, see their website.
Vegan Popsicles in Philadelphia: Lil’ Pop Shop
From June through August, I’m obsessed with popsicles. Usually, we make a field trip at least a few times during the summer to Lil’ Pop Shop. This is also one of my favorite spots to bring out-of-town guests. Ice cream shops are fairly common… but popsicle shops?! Not so much.
Lil’ Pop Shop has a great selection of seasonal vegan flavors – Coconut Hibiscus was my favorite this past summer! But you can’t go wrong with any of them. There’s two locations – one in Rittenhouse Square and one in West Philly. If you visit the West Philly shop with kids, there’s a magnetic wall with alphabet magnets AND a super cute play popsicle stand with toy popsicles, which is STILL a hit with my son.
For current flavors and location, see their website.
Vegan Brunch in Philadelphia: Front Street Cafe (Fishtown)
This restaurant is not totally vegan – they serve dairy and meat. But what’s really cool about the menu is that everything is vegan unless stated otherwise. Which is essentially the opposite of all other menus. This makes ordering really easy.
I tried the French Onion Soup (made vegan), the Buffalo Cauliflower and the Tostada Grain Bowl. Everything was delicious.
For more information, see the Front Street Cafe website.
Best Gourmet Vegan: VStreet in Philadelphia
VStreet is owned by the same group that owns Vedge. My sister and I ate here and it was delicious. The only downside is the prices are high and the portions are small – so if you’re on a budget, I’d skip it.
But if you’re looking for an amazing dining experience and don’t mind splurging, definitely add it to your itinerary. We got two plates from each “course” and shared them, which was a good amount. Everything is AMAZING. The menu is constantly changing, so check before you go to make sure there’s something you’ll like!
For more on the menu, hours and location, see the VStreet website.
Vegan Takeout in Philadelphia: Moms Organic Market in Center City
I know, this is a grocery store. But they also serve DELICIOUS ORGANIC meals. My favorite is the loaded sweet potato, but the whole menu has a lot of great options. You can also purchase kombucha on tap. It’s good in a pinch, especially if you’re traveling with kids.
For location, hours and menu, click here to see MOMS’ website.
Vegan Restaurant in South Philly: Grindcore House:
This is a vegan coffee house and cafe in South Philadelphia. They have their own menu – with a pretty solid avocado toast – and they also sell pastries and doughnuts from local vendors. Whenever I go, I always end up spending extra money on the baked goods… because it’s SO rare to find a vegan doughnut!
For more, see the GrindCore House website.
Vegan Soft Pretzels in Philadelphia: Center City Pretzels
Soft pretzels are a Philadelphia staple and they are also vegan, by default. This spot on Washington Ave in South Philly opens at 4am to start selling pretzels – and their website states they are an egg and dairy-free facility. It’s near the Italian Market and not too far from South Street, so it makes for a great add-on to your Philly sightseeing!
For more, see the Center City Pretzel website.
Want more information on traveling to Philadelphia?
See my posts on:
- Top winter hikes to do in Philly
- My favorite things to do in Philadelphia with kids in the winter