5 Tampa Vegan Restaurants that Every Vegan/Non-Vegan Should Try
Tampa Vegan Restaurants are some of the finest plant-based establishments in Florida. Each site has a lot to offer to any food lover. Here are 5 Tampa Vegan restaurants that you must add to your bucket list!
1. Farmacy Vegan Kitchen + Bakery
There is a lot to unpack with this place! First of all, I would categorize this as one of the most extensive Vegan places since it’s a food joint, bakery, and grocery store all combined into one! This would add so much convenience for residents and visitors who don’t want to travel to different places to be able to purchase veggie products. The setup is also very easy: we have the bakery on one side, the grocery store (named Duckweed) on the other, and the full-service restaurant right in the middle so guests can easily locate each section.
The food over there is incredible as the selection is very wide. The restaurant offers super delectable comfort foods that are guaranteed to satisfy any junkie of junk food! On the menu, you can find burgers, Philly cheesesteaks, mac and cheese, and other fun fares. If you want to venture to the healthier side, there are healthy salads, wraps, and acai bowls you can enjoy. And if you are saving room for dessert, the bakery offers scrumptious fresh baked goods that you can indulge in. These include chocolate avocado brownies, whoopie pies, and other delicious classics.
Duckweed, the grocery store has it all. There is a produce section, vegan meat section, and other commodities! This section is designed to make it easy for any Tampa Vegan to shop so they don’t have to visit other markets.
2. Vegan International Co.
If you want to take your soul to the next level, then you must check out Vegan International Co. This establishment is rooted in the deep south so expect to be transported to the culture! There are also some world fares and classic comforts foods available.
I made a list of featured meals that stood out to me the most. One is the drumstick plate. A plate that has veggie chicken wings, collard greens, and mac and cheese. A southern specialty! Another plate that caught my eyes was the Impossible Kefta Dish. This contains veggie ground beef, basmati rice, a side salad, and a coconut-based tzatziki sauce! The last dish got me super confused but in a good way. So… has anyone heard of a pizza mac empanada? That’s right! They have an empanada with mac and cheese and pizza toppings inside. This will fulfill any junk food lover’s dream.
The desserts are out of this world too! They have delicacies such as red velvet cake jars, spiced coffee cake, German chocolate cake brownies, and a tres leches cake jar.
I am sure any Tampa Vegan/Non-Vegan would appreciate the extreme heights this establishment is taking their food to. And that pizza empanada will surely have people talking!
3. Ybor City Vegan Deli
If you are craving a local deli experience where you can order slices of meats and eat some fire sammies, Ybor City Vegan Deli is there to help! However, this establishment provides A LOT more than just a regular deli.
Let’s talk about the sandwiches. We got some classic cold cuts like the BLT. We also have a classic hot Cuban sandwich. But there are also some Ybor City exclusives such as the “Karen” that has veggie chicken, sauerkraut, and “wack” sauce. There is also a vegan version of the McMuffin, a cold-cut sub made with vegan roasted “pork,” and the craziest item on this restaurant: the BBQ crackaroni wrap! This wrap contains Korean BBQ veggie meat and spiced macaroni cheese! Isn’t that insane?
The non-sandwich specialties include salads that have a bunch of toppings, pizzas that also have insane toppings, and decadent desserts. One mad salad is the Cobb. And this salad does not skip out on all the fun stuff they add to the regular salads. The biggest components are there: vegan bacon, vegan egg bites, Colby jack “cheese.” One stupidly great pizza is the Brunch pizza that has sausage, bacon, vegan egg, green peppers, onions, and cheese. And do not skip out on desserts as you can indulge in cannolis, rainbow cookies, pound cakes, and much more!
4. Pure Kitchen
This Kitchen lives up to its name. Its food and mission are definitely pure. Meaning it’s genuine and is great for the planet, the body, and the animals. Something a Tampa Vegan can standby! They also use all organic ingredients. The type of food served tends to be on the healthier side, so if you are looking to cleanse from all the junk food eaten, Pure Kitchen can assist!
One interesting thing about this Vegan Tampa restaurant is the rotating menu. Most restaurants tend to have a solid selection that doesn’t change much. Pure Kitchen takes this concept and flips it upside down. The only way to see an updated menu is to check their Facebook post for a full list of dishes available for today. And as of the time I am writing this article, some of the dishes available are Moroccan chickpea stew, coconut black-eyed pea curry, lentil soup, and raw curry “chicken” pate. Now there is a lot more than I listed here but I just wanted to emphasize how amazing and otherworldy these meals sound!
There is also a huge list of dessert items. The ones that captivated me the most are the pina colada chia puddings, cafe con Leche cookies, Ube cookies, and the maple and butter cupcake. Even these desserts sound very pure and wholesome!
5. Ground Foods Cafe
Want to experience the classic Italian Restaurant vibes found any many places in the world? Ground Foods Cafe would take that experience and veganize it!
The menu is actually very simple since the food you find is very similar to what you will find in most Italian restaurants. There are four simple sections of the menu: starters, salads, pasta, and dessert. That’s it! The appetizers include bruschetta, meatballs, and tofu parmesan. For salads, we have simple ones like the caesar, but there is also a buffalo ranch salad and a maple mustard salad. Pastawise? We got penne all vodka, buffalo alfredo, and baked ziti (you can find more variations in the menu). For desserts, we have this interesting-sounding double chocolate cake olive oil cake, and a gluten-free brownie.
This Vegan Tampa establishment may not sound as adventurous as the other restaurants in the area, but it does commit to that classic Italian restaurant most people are familiar with. So if you or a loved one don’t want to try anything too crazy and prefer some good ol’ Italian eats, you know where to go!
