NC Triangle Area Vegan Food Guide

NC Triangle Area Vegan Food Guide

Updated: September 2022

If you don’t know by now, I’m a native of Durham, NC. After spending most of my childhood here, I moved away for a bit and somehow I’ve managed to find my way back. Durham has truly changed a lot since my days in high school. Every time I turn around, there’s another crane in sight. The city is definitely growing!

Along with its growth, the food scene has grown tremendously! Although I’m from here, I learn more and more about this city all the time. Don’t let your familiarity with a place keep you from exploring! An added benefit to living in this area is the ability to travel 20-30 minutes away (depending on what side of town you’re on) and end up in another budding major city.

Right next door there’s Raleigh (our state’s capital), Chapel Hill, and Cary. If you’re really in the mood for a mini road-trip, Charlotte is just 2 hours away.

As a food blogger I’m often asked about some of my favorite places to eat while I’m home. After getting this request many times, I thought it was time that I come up with a list of my favorite places to eat to be included in this Triangle Area Vegan Food Guide (listed in no particular order). Some of the places listed below serve only vegan food, while some are regular restaurants with vegan options. Check it out!


Unscripted Durham (The Patio)

202 Corcoran St, Durham, NC 27701 | Menu

Looking for a great place to hangout in downtown Durham and people-watch? Check out Unscripted! This hotel has a rooftop with a bar, pool and restaurant. I’ve been here a few times and the food is pretty good, I just wish it were consistent. I ordered the tacos on two separate occasions and once the tortillas were doubled and another time they weren’t, making them pretty messy. In any case, this is a great place to hang out with friends, enjoy some good eats and a few drinks if that’s your thing!

Chicken Vegan Tacos

Simon Says Dip This

117 W. Parrish St.Durham, NC 27701 | Menu

This is such a fun place for an indulgent treat! They have both vegan (oat-milk based) and non-vegan options, and I love that all of the vegan dips are together on the right side of the menu. I ordered the cookie butter made with biscoff cookies and it was delish! Be forewarned that it’s A LOT of ice cream!

Creamy Vegan Chocolate and Vanilla Ice -cream Cornetto

Epic Vegan Food Truck

Everywhere in the triangle area! | Website

This is a great black-owned food truck that travels mostly around the triangle area and occasionally to events elsewhere. The menu rotates, but you’re guaranteed vegan comfort food every time! My favorite things so far include the vegan ribs (amazinggggg) and the doughnuts.

Epic Vegan Food Truck

Meatless Grease

Everywhere in the triangle area! | Instagram

I’ll start by saying that I’m going to make it my mission to try everything on the menu! I ordered the tacos and they were amazing! My husband ordered the burger and it was really good and flavorful. My only complaint were the fries. When I had them the texture was a little weird, but I’m hoping it was an isolated incident and they were having an off day. Either way, the entrees are worth the visit!

Meatless Burger and Tacos with Fries

Bklyn Bakery

Everywhere in the triangle area! | Menu

I’ve been a longtime fan of Keyana’s work at Bklyn Bakery. The first year I went vegan I had the worst vegan cake experience from Whole Foods. The following year I started ordering from Keyana and I’ve been a happy customer since! You can order baked goods from her on her website, but you can also attend one of her pop-ups around the triangle area. Stay tuned to her Instagram so you know where she’ll be next! If you attend, just be sure to get there early before everything is sold out!

Creamy Vegan Cake

Pizza Twist

3735 Davis Dr Suite 121, Morrisville, NC 27560 | Menu

If you’re in the mood for a good pizza, but with a twist check this place out! It’s a bit out of the way for me, but I’d make it again for sure. Pizza Twist is a combination of traditional pizza with an Indian fusion so they have flavors like Vegan Chicken Tikka Masala, Vegan Butter Chicken and Vegan Bombay Garlic Chicken.

In the mood for something more ordinary? They also offer vegan cheese pizza and vegan pepperoni pizza. I ordered the Tikka Masala, the Butter Chicken and the vegan cheesy bread. Everything was good, but I’m not gonna lie… a little on the pricey side. $16 for a small pizza?!

 Vegan Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza

Pure Soul

4125 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd Suite 1, Durham, NC 27707 | Menu

Looking for a quick bite with southern classics that’ll remind you of home? Definitely check out Pure Soul. They’ve got vegan bbq sandwiches, greens, fish, shrimp, mac and cheese + more. I ordered the vegan fried fish (below). Everything was good.

Creamy Vegan Tacos

Tangerine Cafe

422 SW Cary Pkwy, Cary, NC 27513 | Menu

I DEFINITELY wish this place was closer to me! I would be there all the time! Tangerine Cafe is a small, unassuming business in Cary that you’ll find in a shopping center in Cary. I stopped by for pick-up here after an evening out with my family.

I ordered a few different items: Sesame Chicken, Pineapple Fried Rice with Tofu, Drunken Noodles and Vegetable Pakoras. The drunken noodles weren’t all that great, but I enjoyed everything else! Especially the pakoras and pineapple fried rice. If you’re in need of a quick, reasonably priced bite, I’d definitely recommend checking them out!

 Sesame Chicken, Pineapple Fried Rice with Tofu, Drunken Noodles and Vegetable Pakoras

Boxcar Bar + Arcade Durham

621 Foster St, Durham, NC 27701 | Menu

If you’re looking for some place to hang out with friends, play some games, have a few drinks and a bite to eat, Boxcar is the place for you! It’s basically an adult arcade with food and drink that’s a recent addition to the Downtown Durham scene. There’s an outdoor area with plenty of space to socialize, as well as inside.

If you’re hungry, they offer fresh handmade pizzas with vegan cheese upon request. I’m guessing the pretzels are vegan too, but I can’t say for sure. If you’re interested, just ask before placing your order to verify. Wondering how the pizzas taste? Honestly, they’re not anything to write home about, but it’s good enough to kill hunger. They don’t currently offer any vegan meats, but they’ve got lots of veggies you can customize your pizza with.

Cheese Vegan Pizza

Pure Vegan Cafe

8369 Creedmoor Rd, Raleigh, NC 27613 | Menu

Pure Vegan Cafe is what used to be Pure Juicery. The original owner sold the business and the new owners rebranded by changing the name, logo and tweaking the menu. The good news is, a lot of your favorites from Pure Juicery are still being served and there have also been additional selections added.

On their menu you can find chicken and waffles, breakfast sandwiches, smoothies, juice shots, and even loaded fries. During my visit I ordered a vegan Egg and Chicken breakfast sandwich, fresh juice and buffalo ranch fries. Everything was delicious!

Pure Vegan Cafe has expanded beyond Cary and now has a location in Raleigh as well as Durham, which is really exciting. It’s tough to find basic vegan breakfast items (like a simple breakfast sandwich) in the triangle, so the expansion is something I’m excited about for sure! Though I’ve only visited Pure Vegan Cafe twice, I’ll certainly be back to try more from their menu.

Chicken Vegan Sandwich

Lime and Lemon Indian Grill

811 9th St, Durham, NC 27705 | Menu

Love this place! I’ve never actually visited them in person, so I can’t say anything about the actual experience of dining there, but the food is bomb! I ordered here via Grub Hub one day and truly enjoyed every bite of my food! I had Vegetable Samosas, Chili Baby Corn and Aloo Gobi Masala.

This is the perfect restaurant if you’re looking for a nice casual restaurant that’s more than just burgers and fries. They have a variety of vegan options and everything I had was delicious.

Since I can’t speak to the in-person dining experience, I think it’s important to note that ordering from their online menu is really simple because you can select your food preference and it will show you all of the menu items that are suitable for you. I wish everyone would do this! They have locations in Durham, Chapel Hill and Raleigh.

Vegetable Samosas, Chili Baby Corn and Aloo Gobi Masala.

Bull City Solera and Taproom

4120 University Dr, Durham, NC 27707 | Menu

I’ve been here twice and enjoyed my meal both times! I love that they use real ingredients and always have a vegan option. If I’m being honest, I have no idea what type of burrito I ordered during this visit, but whatever it was, it was delicious!

I also appreciate that all of their vegan items are noted as such, so you don’t have to wonder. Just wish there was a little more of a selection in terms of vegan options, but certainly still worth a visit!

Burrito

Devil’s Pizzaria

742 9th St, Durham, NC 27705 | Menu

If you’re into thin crust pizza, you’ll love this place! Not only do they carry vegan cheese, but vegan meats as well! Some of their pizzas include: Vegan Jamaican Pizza, Vegan BBQ Chicken, Vegan Phillysteak Pizza and classics like the Margarita Pizza.

I found the crust to be too thin for my liking, but I’d probably go back again if I got an itch for a not so basic pizza. The Phillysteak pizza sounds pretty good…

Vegan Jamaican Pizza

The Mac House

14460 Falls of Neuse Rd #167, Raleigh, NC 27614 | Menu

I’m really particular when it comes to vegan mac and cheese, so when I say the Mac House’s Vegan mac is good, believe me! They carry both vegan and non-vegan options so there’s something for everybody. This is a restaurant my husband doesn’t have to do too much convincing in order to get me to go.

Pictured below is their BBQ Cauliflower Mac and Cheese which was delicious. At this point, I’ve tried all of their vegan options and it’s one of my favorites. If you’re ordering ahead, be sure to ask what vegan options they have because all of them aren’t listed on their website (ex. jerk mac and cheese, BBQ cauliflower mac and cheese).

BBQ Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Indian Monsoon

105 W Morgan St STE 100, Durham, NC 27701 | Menu

Another delicious vegan-friendly Indian restaurant! They’ve even got outdoor seating, which is a major plus in this day and age. I ordered the a Potato Samosa, Chana Masala and Chat Pata Fries.

Juju Asian + Tapas and Bar

The Shops at Erwin Mill #210, 737 Ninth St, Durham, NC 27705 | Menu

Juju’s is a swank little small plates restaurant close to downtown Durham. My first experience here as a vegan was for me and my husband’s 2 year wedding anniversary. I try my best to keep an ear to the Durham vegan scene and I was a little worried because I hadn’t heard of Juju’s being particularly vegan friendly, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.

I was so happy to see that there was more than one vegan option to choose from! They even had a vegan dessert! Since we were celebrating our anniversary, they gave us a complimentary order of dumplings that were pan seared stuffed with collards and wild mushrooms. I’m not even a huge mushroom fan, but I really enjoyed them!

For dessert, they offered a sorbet trio- pineapple/banana, plum, strawberry yuzu topped with candied pecans. They made it really easy to choose from the menu being that they had entrees clearly labeled. Their menu is constantly rotating, good if you’re looking to try something new, bad thing if you’re looking for an old favorite. Either is fine by me!

5. Goorsha

910 West Main St, Durham, NC | Menu

Goorsha is a new restaurant in the downtown Durham area. It’s right around the corner from where I work and as soon as it popped up on the scene, it seemed as though everyone I worked with was talking about it! I had never tried Ethiopian food before, but I figured that now was as good a time as any to give it a spin.

After looking at the menu, I was really impressed with how nicely all of their vegan options were labeled and the number of vegan options on the menu. A friend and I met here for lunch to try it out and Goorsha didn’t disappoint. The inside decor is nicely updated and the staff is really friendly and helpful. I ordered the Yemisir Kik (red lentils), Gomen (chopped collard greens) and two other sides that I can’t remember the name of.

The Yemisir Kik was my absolute favorite! It was SO good! Everything was well seasoned and flavorful. The sides are served cold which caught me a little off guard so just be aware. The next time I went they allowed me to substitute my sides for another serving of Yemisir Kik (WIN!). As you can imagine, I was super happy. Oh, and if you’re new to Ethiopian food like I was, don’t be surprised to find no silverware on the table. It is tradition that the food is eaten using the injera bread provided. If you want, you can ask for silverware.

 

Heavenly Buffaloes

1807 W Markham Ave, Durham, NC 27705 | Menu

The first time I tried this place I was a little underwhelmed. My husband and I were going to an event downtown and decided to pick our dinner up first and then find parking and eat in the car. Well, by the time we were able to locate a decent parking spot, the fries were lukewarm and the vegan wings were no longer hot. Needless to say, it didn’t leave a great first impression. This was completely my fault, so I knew I had to give them another chance.

Their Sweet Thai Coconut Chili wings are my favorite! What I also appreciate about this place is that their website that notates any allergens, which is inclusive of vegan friendly items. If you’ve never been here, I urge you to try them out. You won’t be disappointed!

 Coconut Chili wing

The Parlour

117 Market St., Durham, NC 27701 | Menu

Looking for a sweet treat in Durham? This is the place! It’s a local shop which is right in the middle of downtown Durham, tucked away behind the 21c Museum Hotel.They always have a few (2-3) vegan ice-cream flavors (or sorbet) available and they’re always tasty! They also typically have vegan baked goods available like the cookie pictured below (which was amazing).

The Fiction Kitchen

428 S Dawson St, Raleigh, NC 27601 | Menu

Finding this place has been one of my favorite discoveries in LIFE. If they ever shut down for any reason, I’ll be front and center with picket signs in protest. The first time I came here was for my birthday and I ordered their chicken and waffles. It was so good (although I wish they gave more waffles)!

My dad ordered a curry dish and it was amazing! Next time I go back for dinner, I’ll definitely be ordering it. This place is always jumping so the wait was a little longer than what i wanted. I’m so glad I waited because this was probably one of my favorite meals as a vegan to date!

chicken ball and waffles

Cocoa Cinnamon (Lakewood)

2013 Chapel Hill Rd Suite A, Durham, NC 27707

I have to start by saying that if you’re looking for churros, the Lakewood location is the only place with them and they are oh so good! They are made to order and if you want, you can watch while they whip them up! One day I decided to give this place a try since I had heard so much about them and my husband frequents one of their other locations.

Since I’m not a coffee person, I asked the Barista if they had any recommendations for good drinks that were coffee-free and she introduced me to Horchata. To my understanding, it’s seasoned rice milk, which sounds strange but is actually delicious! It paired perfectly with my churros. Would you believe these amazing churros are only $1 a piece? I wanted more after eating two, but practiced self-control (I’m trying, y’all).

The Palace International (Temporarily Closed)

1104 A Broad St Durham, NC 27705 | Menu

I have NO idea how I left off this restaurant from the original list. I frequent The Palace on a pretty regular basis. It’s never too crowded (a plus during lunch hours) and the food is consistent. They only have a few vegan options, but I order the same thing every time: The Maharangwe Ya Nazi. SO GOOD! Curried red beans, spinach, and rice. A simple trio that will make you feel as if you’re in heaven. I visit here so often it would be a crime for me to NOT put this restaurant in this Triangle Area Vegan Food Guide.

I’ve branched out a few times and tried their other vegan dishes, like the Dengu (pictured below- spiced green lentils+cabbage, rice and chapati) which was good, but not as good as my fav dish. They also serve plantains so if you’re in the mood, go ahead and add a serving of those too. You won’t regret it! I love that Durham has so much to offer in terms of authentic international cuisine. This authentic African food is no exception. Oh, and they cater too so contact them for your next event!

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Earth to Us

1720 Guess Rd. #18 Durham, NC 27701 | Menu

I was so excited to finally get around to visiting this place last week! Before getting a physical location, they had a food truck that I was able to visit. I’m always on the go, so you can imagine my excitement when I found out that they were settling down not far from my job!

I literally stood there staring at the menu for what seemed like 15 minutes. I couldn’t decide what to get! So many tasty options to choose from! I finally decided on the BBQ Chick’n platter and it was EVERYTHING! I can’t wait to go back and try more!

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Vegan Community Kitchen

803 E Williams St, Apex, NC 27502 | Menu

If I lived in Apex, this would be a problem. A friend and I tried this place out for the first time a few weeks ago and we completely demolished EVERYTHING! I first learned about this place during my trip to Istanbul, Turkey last year. I stopped in a vegan restaurant ate, and got to chat a bit with the owner. When I told her where I was from, she informed me that her sister was planning to open a vegan restaurant very similar to hers, in Apex, NC. I was super excited! Prior to this, I’d never had Turkish food, but I knew if it was anything like what I had in Turkey, it was going to be bomb!

Fast forward a few months later and I’ve finally had the chance to visit the Apex location. I ordered the Doner Wrap and it was so good! I truly enjoyed every bite. Can’t wait to go back again!

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Happy + Hale

703B Ninth Street Durham, NC 27705 | Menu

The first time I tried this place, I didn’t see what the big deal was. I can’t remember what I ordered, but it seemed basic. You know, the kind of thing you could easily recreate at home. For whatever reason I decided to try it again. I think it was because of a recommendation I got from a co-worker. She came back from lunch raving about some falafel salad she had so I decided to try it for myself. Best decision I ever made.

This falafel salad is so simple, but SO GOOD. It’s a mushroom based falafel (I didn’t even know that was a thing), and the combination of that and the hummus, lentils, and dressing is everything you could ever hope for. Seriously y’all, it changed my life. I could go for one right now!

Falafel salad and mushroom based falafel

Rose’s Noodles, Dumplings and Sweets

121 N. Gregson Street, Durham NC | Menu

Rose’s is a restaurant in the Durham community that recently revamped itself. It used to be “Rose’s Meats+Sweets” but they’ve since moved in a different direction. I wish the direction involved more vegan options, but I’ll take what I can get I guess. This place only has one vegan option, but it’s a DAMN good one! When you go, you’ll want to look for the house made belt noodles. They’re paired with fried spring veggies, mushrooms, and tossed in a spicy sesame sauce. Just try them, I think they’re amazing.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Brewery Bhavana

218 S Blount Street, Raleigh, NC 27601 | Menu

Recently my husband and I celebrated our anniversary. Trying to find a place that both of us would enjoy without the other feeling slighted can be challenging at times, but Brewery Bhavana came through! I’m SO glad we decided to try this place.

They have a few vegan options, but I don’t think I’ll be trying the others. The General Tso’s Tofu was to die for. I can’t see it getting any better than this! It sounds pretty basic, but let me tell you… maintaining a crispy texture after frying something, then adding sauce is a tricky thing to do! Trust me, I’ve tried and I still can’t get it as crispy as theirs.

I’m hoping we can make this a yearly thing for our anniversary (fingers crossed)! I’ll definitely be back! It’s for sure in the top three of my Triangle Area Vegan Food Guide.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Lilly’s Pizza

1813 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 27608 | Menu

Lilly’s Pizza offers some of the tastiest pizza in town. Their original crust contains honey, but they now offer an alternative. They use Daiya vegan cheese and they even offer meat subs! Idk about you, but vegan meat toppings for pizza are a little hard to come by in my experience. I like being able to add chick’n along with my veggies!

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Luna’s Rotisserie

112 W Main St, Durham, NC 27701 | Menu

There are few things that I could imagine eating daily (without getting bored of them), and this jackfruit grain bowl from Luna’s is one of them. They offer a few different vegan options and on Tuesdays they have new vegan specials (appetizers and entrees). A major plus for me is that I’ve never had to wait to be seated, although they do get pretty busy sometimes. It’s a really casual spot with good food that I think you’ll enjoy. I make an effort to eat every bite of the grain bowl as slowly as possible. It’s so good!

 jackfruit grain bowl from Luna's

Pie Pushers

117A W Main St, Durham, NC 27701 | Menu

Pie Pushers is one of my husband’s favorite places for pizza and to my knowledge they only recently started offering vegan cheese which I learned on a whim! I love a good pineapple and jalapeño pizza, so that’s what I ordered. However, I do wish they would have kept some of the seeds in the jalapeños because it didn’t have that sweet and spicy taste I usually enjoy. It’s a great option if you’re looking for a vegan pizza in the area!

 pineapple Pizza

Baozi Steamed Buns

812 N Mangum St, Durham, NC 27701 | Site

Have you ever had steamed buns? My visit to Baozi was my first time and it was delicious! A soft, pillowy shell with a meaty filling plus a little crunch on top. Oh, and a side of fries that were perfection! It’s unfortunate that there’s only one vegan option, but I’m so thankful that it’s a great one!

Currently this restaurant is operating out of a food truck with picnic tables to provide outdoor seating. After speaking with the owner I learned that they have plans to expand soon, so stay tuned for that!

A soft, pillowy shell with a meaty filling plus a little crunch on top

Gringo A Go Go

100 N Person St, Raleigh, NC 27601 | Menu

If you’re looking for tasty Mexican food options, this is a great place to visit! They have soooo many different vegan options, plus there’s plenty of outdoor seating! Since you can mix and match the tacos, during my first visit I ordered four different ones. In addition, I ordered rice and beans, a seasonal margarita and a Chorizo Con Queso.

During my most recent visit I decided to try the Alambre which was delicious (pictured below). I ate half of it at the restaurant and enjoyed the other half the next day. Gringo A Go Go is the perfect place to visit with your omni-friends. Everyone will leave happy!

P.S. their guac is some of the best I’ve ever had!

beans, a seasonal margarita and a Chorizo Con Queso.

Press

359 Blackwell Street, Durham, NC 27701 | Menu

In the mood for crepes? You’re in luck! Durham has a newish spot right downtown that serves crepes! I ordered two because I wanted to try them both since they have a savory and sweet option. The savory (the referred to as “Garden” on the menu) option included spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions and peppers. It’s supposed to include cheese and eggs, but obviously I omitted those and added tofu. It was good, but vegan cheese would have been nice. Lucky for me, I had some at home so I took my leftovers, reheated them and crushed it!

The sweet option (“Berries & Cream”) was made vegan by omitting the cream. Also delicious! In addition to crepes, they also serve a variety of coffees, teas, and drinks from the bar. I love that the menu states that many items can be made vegan so if you’re curious about something, ask!

vegan by omitting the cream cake

Kō-Än

Looking for a cute place for date night? You’ll love this place! The ambiance is nice (indoor and outdoor seating), but not too upscale.

The cauli wings are some of the best I’ve ever had. Incredibly crunchy with great flavor! The main dish (Korean Bibimbap) also nice too, but the crunchy rice wasn’t for me. I’ll definitely ask for steamed rice next time!

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6 Comments

  1. Thanks for this. I’m always searching for vegan options at Triangle restaurants. FYI – more & more places are finally adding Beyond Burgers or Impossible Burgers. I had the Beyond Burger @Abbey Road in Cary last night. Yay! Oh also Alamo Drafthouse has a separate vegan menu! Double yay!

    • Lura, that’s so good to hear! Thanks for telling me about Alamo Draft House. I hadn’t heard of it. I’ll have to add it to my list of places to check out!

  2. Girl you’ve got to add Spotted Dog, located in Carrboro, to this list! A must-visit! If you’ve never gone, the vegan crab cake sandwich is out of this world

    • Hey Sammy! I’ve been to the Spotted Dog but wasn’t super impressed. I ordered the chicken sandwich, but maybe I should go back and try this vegan crab cake sandwich?!

  3. Thank you for some new spots to try , but i hope you don’t mind if i suggest one spot.
    BANU VEGAN won’t disappoint

  4. I agree with Banu Vegan. I also want to add Bonafide Cafe and Bakery in Apex to the list.

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