This coffeehouse provides socially and environmentally responsible products in a friendly and comfortable atmosphere. In addition to having some of the tastiest (and free-trade) coffee blends in KC, Black Dog is known for its great art displays and music performances. Be sure to check out what's on the menu, as you'll occasionally find some tasty vegan soups, snacks, and sandwiches. The vegan cookies and peanut-butter krispies are great. Free Wi-Fi, so bring your laptop/notebook computer. Soy milk can be substituted in any drink. $

Last verified: April 23, 2008

VegKC 2006-2007 Member Choice Award:
Best Upscale Café/Restaurant

VegKC 2006-2007 Member Choice Award:
Best Chinese Food

A "hip and stylish" Chinese noodles-and-dumplings shop with numerous, tasty vegan dishes. Kansas City's The Pitch magazine claims that "the vegan set flocks to the place." Web site includes menu.

A Blue Koi trademark is their many-flavored Bubble Tea, a unique blend of ice, nondairy milk, tea, and tapioca pearls, which the restaurant first introduced to Kansas City. Vegan varieties include Passion Fruit, Sweet & Sour Plum, and Mango. You can additionally request the Wild Berries, Original Red, or Original Green as vegan. A fine selection of loose-leaf Chinese teas (all vegan) are also available.

Blue Koi has numerous vegan apetizers, side dishes, entrees, and even dessert (sesame balls!). Additionally, many other dishes can be made vegan just by asking. $-$$

Last verified: April 23, 2008

VegKC 2006-2007 Member Choice Award:
Best Ethiopian Food

Gone for a while but back by popular demand, Blue Nile is now available in the City Market and offers quite possibly the best Ethiopian food you'll ever eat. Blue Nile offers plenty of vegan menu options (over half the menu), including a platter that offers all the choices at once. Typical of Ethiopian food, there's no forks or spoons; instead, you scoop up the yummy food (which is very similar to Indian food, for those of you who've never had Ethiopian cuisine), using a spongy injera bread made from teff grain. Each dish is equally delicious—you can't go wrong here. Web site includes menu. $-$$

Last verified: April 23, 2008

Bo Lings has five locations in and around Kansas City and is repeatedly acknowledged as the best Chinese restaurant in town. "Bo Lings is known for its high quality cuisine and relaxed, modern atmosphere. The menu, with dishes taken from many regions of China, is designed to take advantage of Bo Lings' dedication to using only the freshest, highest quality ingredients." Check out the "Vegetables and Tofu" section of the menu.

Bo Lings on the Country Club Plaza has added a chef's specialties category to their regular menu that incudes gourmet vegan/vegetarian mock meats and vegan delicacies! $$-$$$

Last verified: April 23, 2008

The most popular coffeehouse in Westport, Kansas City's cultural hub, and a great place to hang out. Tasty drinks, some vegan eats, and a great mix of people. Look for Mel's Hummus (sandwich) and the vegan fruit bars. Soy milk can be substituted in any drink. $

Last verified: April 23, 2008

Now open! A brand new all-vegan, organic café with a beautiful African and art-deco flare, Café Seed is located on the corner of 30th & Cherry (just around the corner from the Coffee Girls Filling Station coffeehouse and in walking distance from the Crossroads Info Shop, which is at 31st and Troost). Café Seed offers smoothies, juices, sandwiches, salads, soups, and burger/fries combos that taste amazing. They also have dessert (cupcakes, cookies, cake, and brownies) that varies daily. They even offer brunch on Saturdays and Sundays!

The location is cute, quaint, and perfect for small get-togethers, with comfy couches to lounge and an enormous back patio that will make large gatherings possible this spring. Café Seed also sells Afrocentric DVDs and CDs, art, cards, shirts, and more. They're hoping to do films on Thursdays (9-midnight) and poetry readings on Sundays (7-11). Visit their web site to see a menu.

Visit often and support this new restaurant! $-$$

Last verified: April 23, 2008

VegKC 2006-2007 Member Choice Awards:
Best Juices or Smoothies,
Best Coffee or Coffeeshop

Located in the Crossroads Arts District, Coffee Girls has cozy furnishings, a hip atmosphere (with a slightly retro feel), and some really tasty coffees and teas. The lunch and dinner menu includes numerous sandwiches (including vegetarian options), a few salads, and some wraps. In addition to various coffees and teas, the Coffee Girls can whip up Italian sodas, smoothies with fanciful names (like The Ostrich and The Monkey), and plenty of fresh-squeezed juice drinks. No matter what your beverage craving, Coffee Girls has you covered. $

This eclectic-crowd hole-in-the-wall restaurant makes you feel "as if you've stepped into an East Village or Castro diner" as soon as you walk through the door. Lunch and breakfast are served around the clock. "This is one place in town where vegetarians can find health-conscious greasy food."

Hash browns are a meal here, and you can get them with any veggies you like. Great place to go for breakfast if you need to feed both meat-lovers and veg-lovers alike. They even have decent pita & hummus! $

Last verified: April 23, 2008

April 23, 2008 Note: It looks like Crave Cafe may be getting new ownership and a new name—stay tuned for details. They may be closed during this transition period.

Crave Café is known for their ever-changing displays of contemporary local artists (Crave is also a proud supporter of the 39th St. Art Walk). They're also one of the few coffee/tea houses that offer couches instead of wooden chairs. Upstairs is for smokers, and there's games and other boredom relievers at your disposal. Occasionally you can find their vegan scones, but it's pretty rare; go for the fresh fruit instead. We like them because they offer soy or rice milk for your beverages! There's free Wi-fi, so bring your laptop. $

VegKC 2006-2007 Member Choice Awards:
BEST OVERALL CAFE/DINER/RESTAURANT,
Best Atmosphere,
Best Vegan Breakfast,
Best Vegan Desserts

Eden Alley offers BRUNCH on Saturday afternoons! You can get tasty vegan and vegetarian breakfast foods! (Everything is AMAZING. You'll probably see us there every week!)

VegKC's favorite restaurant, Kansas City's "uniquely vegetarian" restaurant is located in the lower level of Unity Temple in Country Club Plaza. Devoted to gourmet vegan, vegetarian, raw, and gluten-free entrées, many local and seasonal. Vegan and vegetarian desserts are amazing and delicious. Fun, casual atmosphere and a great place to get coffee. The garlic mashed potatoes are vegan and amazing. All "butter" is vegan. So is the mayonnaise!

Menu changes every few weeks and specials change daily. View the day's menu on their web site. Eden Alley also caters and and offers delivery services. See their web site for details. $-$$

1/22/07 Update: Eden Alley is a VegDining Magazine's featured restaurant! Congratulations, Eden Alley!

Last verified: April 23, 2008

VegKC 2006-2007 Member Choice Award:
Best Mongolian Barbecue

If you're new to the Kansas City Mongolian barbecue scene, here's how it works: Grab a black/blue bowl (for vegetarians), go to the raw food bar and pile up your favorite veggies, go to the noodle area and get some rice noodles (they also have egg noodles for you non-vegans), and then go to the sauce bar to douse on your favorite sauces and spices (they have recommended recipes if you're not sure what you want). When you're done, head over to the grill area where grillers flash-fry your veggie bowls separately from those of Atkins fans. Top it with sesame seeds and enjoy! Go back as often as you like. They also have spring rolls, fried flatbread, and fresh fruit—all vegan, and cheesecake bites for vegetarians.

Just try not to visit during peak hours, when the hurried grillers frequently (but accidentally) fling meaty things into your food from the meat bowls that are grilling. $-$$

Last verified: April 23, 2008

Considered one of the "swankiest" Indian restaurants of Kansas City, this restaurant is very veg-friendly with lots of delicious vegan dishes to choose from. Be sure to specify "no dairy" for your dishes, as some of them contain dairy. All dishes are free of ghee (type of lard used by some Indian restaurants). $-$$

Last verified: April 23, 2008

VegKC 2006-2007 Member Choice Award:
Best Ethnic Grocer

VegKC 2006-2007 Member Choice Award:
Best Ethnic Grocer

Located in the City Market, "seating is limited in Hien Vuong Restaurant, but the turnover is fast enough to take a 30 minute lunch break here and enjoy some of the best, most authentic Vietnamese food the city has to offer. The portions are huge and the prices low, so this is definitely the place to go if you're hungry and on a budget. [...] Hien Vuong Restaurant is not one of those Americanized restaurants, so be prepared to explore some new tastes," —Kate Cagley. Try the tofu dishes or the really tasty fried/battered tofu appetizer.

The Hien Vuong Market is a bit of walk away from the restaurant, in a stand-alone building near the Arabian Steamboat Museum. It's enormous and offers plenty of interesting items and authentic and inexpensive ingredients. $-$$

Previously called Udipi Café, the former award-winning vegetarian restaurant is now a non-veg restaurant. And while the portions are smaller and the food isn't as spectacular, it's still a good choice for Indian food in KC. Be sure to ask for "no dairy" if you're vegan--while many entrees are vegetarian, very few are vegan unless you specify. The end of each meal comes with free chai (has milk) and donut-like dessert (has honey). All vegetarian dishes are ghee-free. $$

Last verified: April 23, 2008

VegKC 2006-2007 Member Choice Award:
Best Mediterranean or Middle Eastern Food

Mar 5, 2008: Jerusalem Café has a new location on West 39th St (where Yummy's used to be)!

"Authentic Middle Eastern & Vegetarian Cuisine." The Jerusalem Café and Bakery is located in three separate spots: In the heart of Westport, In the heart of West 39th St., and at 135th & Metcalf). Jerusalem Café offers eclectic, vegan-friendly, Mediterranean and Arab fare. A favorite spot for vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores alike! Try the falafel, hummus, and salad (but tell them to leave of the feta if you're vegan)—everything there is outstanding. Tzaziki sauce (white sauce that comes with most dishes) is vegan, so no worries. Baklava, spanikapita, and desserts have dairy, butter, and honey.

The Jerusalem Bakery (1404 Westport Rd) includes many of the same delicious vegan-friendly cuisine as Jerusalem Café but focuses its menu on delicious fresh-baked breads (including pita), freshly prepared hummus, Mediterranean sweets, and numerous other tasty treats. They even have a buffet where you can sample lots of veggie dishes! Web site includes online menu. Jerusalem Café and Bakery also caters! $-$$

Last verified: April 23, 2008

Barley's Brewhaus has two locations: 11924 W 119th St. in Overland Park and 16649 Midland Dr. in Shawnee. This brewhaus is a great place to grab lunch with co-workers or hang out after work. Popular spot for the white-collar crowd. They offer numerous vegetarian dishes and a few vegan items (but nothing spectacular)—if you're vegan be sure to request "no parmesan cheese," as they sometimes sprinkle the dishes with it before serving. Most dishes run a bit on the expensive side. Web site includes full menu. $-$$$

Korma Sutra of Overland Park and Westport is a dining experience that has inspired a following with accolades from The Star Recommends, The Pitch, and kansascity.com. This is best of KC. The manager is friendly and will visit bearing gifts. The food is spicy, and somehow, the flavor is bigger. The raw/fresh selection is enormous. Vegetarian options are 75 percent of the buffet and more than two thirds of the total menu, with lots of vegan options. For lunch, get the buffet and try everything—it's all good. For a special date, order the vegetarian family dinner for two ($26). Vegans need to specify no milk, yogurt, or paneer. At the end of the meal, there's lots of freebies, including a variety of drinks and snacks—unfortunately, none of them are vegan (athough you can specially request a mango drink minus the milk). Now additionally available in the heart of Westport (4113 Pennsylvania). $-$$$

Last verified: April 23, 2008

VegKC 2006-2007 Member Choice Award:
Best Bar & Grill

VegKC 2006-2007 Member Choice Award:
Best Salad Bar or Food Bar



Located in midtown, The Mixx lets you build your own salad by picking from a variety of greens and just about every veggie you could think of (and some you can't). They also offer a veggie sandwich but you'll have to request "no cheese" if you want it vegan. A tasty way to eat raw on your lunch hour. Web site includes full menu. $-$$

Last verified: Jan 20, 2008

This Ethiopian restaurant, located in midtown on Broadway Street near Planet Cafe, features a $5.99 all-you-can-eat lunch buffet from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Half of the menu is vegetarian/vegan dishes. Full bar available. Typical of Ethiopian cuisine, most dishes have a mushy, stew-like appearance (similar to most Indian dishes), and instead of using forks or spoons, you use a spongy, crepe-like bread (injera). Eating here is a communal affair, with most dinners arriving on big trays. Tasty and fun; be sure to bring your friends. $-$$

Last verified: April 23, 2008

Noodles & Company
(web site | yellow pages)
13448 Metcalf Ave
Overland Park, KS 66213
(913) 239-8424
Additional location available.

VegKC 2006-2007 Member Choice Award:
Best Pan-Asian Food



Noodles & Company fast-food restaurant currently has two locations near KC: 15208 W 119th St. in Olathe and 13448 Metcalf Ave in Overland Park. Noodles offers an outstanding vegan-friendly menu with ethnic cuisine from around the world. Beware, as some dishes can be a little spicy. But everything is outstanding, and the portions are enormous. All reasonably priced considering the quality and portion size. See online menu or web site for more info. Menu has all vegetarian items clearly marked. Ambience is classy and modern. $-$$

Last verified: Dec 01, 2007

Located in Westport, the recordBar is part-club, part-diner, and has a veg-friendly menu that includes sandwiches like "The Moby," vegan-friendly "The Ian Mackay," plenty of veggies for making veg pastas and pizzas (you choose the toppings), and live music nightly. See web site for schedule. $-$$

Last verified: Dec 01 , 2008

A small, intimate restaurant with a changing menu (depending on the season). They have a Fresh Vegetable & Tofu Scramble that's really good sometimes—depending on the cook. (Breakfast available Monday - Saturday 7am - 3:30pm. Lunch and dinner also available). Catering and Box Lunches Available. $-$$

VegKC 2006-2007 Member Choice Award:
Best Indian Food



Located near the corner of College & Antioch, Ruchi offers fantastic, award-winning Indian food (they have so many awards that they've dedicated an entire wall to displaying the plaques) with a terrific lunch buffet. They cook in vegetable oil (not ghee), and have just recently (Aug-29-2006) developed a separate (and enormous) menu for vegans—the largest vegan menu in Kansas City! Everything's incredibly tasty and fresh, so you can't go wrong here. You can even find all your favorite South-India dishes here, including crepes. Superb quality, casual atmosphere. Open 7 days a week, 11:00am - 2:30pm and 5:00pm - 10:00pm. $$

Last verified: Jan 01 , 2008

VegKC 2006-2007 Member Choice Award:
Best Vietnamese Food



Many local vegans swear by this place. "This Vietnamese eatery, located in the historic Westport area, earns high marks for speedy service and handmade dishes. ... Spicy soups, peanut sauces, spring rolls, and curries—their tempting aromas beckon to hungry passersby on 39th Street." Some dishes have fish sauces or dairy, so be sure to ask. Staff tends to be extremely knowledgeable and helpful. $-$$

Last verified: April 23, 2008

Samarai Teriyaki
(map)
12841 W 87th Street Pkwy
Lenexa, KS 66215
(913) 322-8667

Smoothie Shots
(yellow pages)
Multiple locations available.

Located in North Kansas City in the Zona Rosa shopping center, Swagat has a devoted following due to its exotic atmosphere and incredibly tasty and authentic Northern and Southern Indian cuisine. The lunch buffet is small but always includes delicious vegan and vegetarian options. The menu includes plenty of veg options, and everything is tasty. $-$$$

Last verified: Dec 01 , 2007

VegKC 2006-2007 Member Choice Award:
Best Thai Food

VegKC 2006-2007 Member Choice Award:
Best Vegan Pizza



Located in Kansas City near 75th and Wornall and also in Lees Summit in Rollins Meadow at Douglas Square, Waldo Pizza is immensely popular due to having really awesome pizza (frequently considered "the best in the midwest"). Like Minsky's they offer a crazy variety of veggies. BEST OF ALL, THEY NOW HAVE VEGAN MOZZARELLA!! This makes Waldo Pizza Kansas City's first pizza shop to offer 100 percent vegan pizza—including the cheese!

Waldo pizza has always had soy cheese available on their menu—unfortunately, the "soy cheese" has casein in it and isn't vegan. Recently, they've added Follow Your Heart's Vegan Gourmet soy cheese, and it's absolutely amazing! The regular, non-vegan soy cheese is still available (and listed on the menu), so to get the good stuff be sure to ask for the "vegan mozzarella."

Hand-tossed and thin crusts are vegan, gluten-free crust available in both vegan and non-vegan options. Marinara sauce is vegan. At the salad bar, the Italian and French dressing is vegan. Full bar available. Seriously the best pizza in KC. $-$$$

Last verified: April 23, 2008

In addition to having great coffee (with soy milk available), they've got tasty vegan smoothies, a variety of teas, fresh fruit, vegan cookies (new!), lots of vegetarian desserts, and and two types of vegan sandwiches: "Roman Holiday" (spinach, tomatoes, olive spread, artichoke hearts, raspberry walnut vinaigrette) and "Veggie Panini" (fresh spinach, roasted red peppers, zucchini, artichoke hearts, green peppers, tomatoes, your choice of spreads)—both outstanding *and* cheeseless straight from the menu!!! The olive spread is really yummy on either. Wi-fi available for $1 an hour ($2 minimum), arcade games also available. Quite possibly the most veg-friendly coffeeshop in KC, so please support them! $

Last verified: April 23, 2008

National Restaurant Chains & Fast Food

Need a quick meal? Although we encourage you to support local restaurants whenever possible, here's a list of national chains (some owned by local business owners) that offer some great veg options. It's important to remember that in today's consumer-driven society, we vote with our dollars. If we really want restaurants to add more healthy, veg-friendly items, we need to support those places that already do.

VegKC 2006-2007 Member Choice Award:
Best Italian Food



Located on the Plaza, Buca di Beppo offers "immigrant southern Italian dining" and serves up enormous portions of your favorite Italian dishes, including bruschetta, spaghetti marinara, spaghetti "aglio olio" (with veggies), seasonal roasted vegetables, and much more—which are vegan without substitutions! Come with family and friends to share a dish or two or three..., and definitely plan to take home leftovers. Portions may seem a bit expensive at first—until you remember they're meant to feed an entire family. The most vegan-friendly Italian food in KC. $$

Last verified: April 23, 2008

Great veg-friendly mexican fast food with vegan options and huge portions. Burrito options include black beans, sautéed veggies, fajita peppers, four kinds of salsa, cilantro rice, and guacamole. If you can eat an entire burrito in one sitting, you're in the minority. $

Last verified: April 23, 2008

Noodles & Company
(web site | yellow pages)
13448 Metcalf Ave