While much of the Midwest lags behind when it comes to vegan food, Minneapolis has become a hotspot for veganism with vegan restaurants popping up all over the city.
Whether you're searching within Minneapolis or further afield, the Twin Cities has vegan restaurants that cater to all tastes. From vegan butcheries to conscious cafes, Minneapolis-St Paul is one of the best cities in the upper Midwest for vegans.
In this article, we look at Minneapolis' best vegan restaurants, specialty supermarkets, and vegan events and festivals.
Visiting nearby Fargo? Check out our Fargo Vegan Guide.
Best Vegan Restaurants in Minneapolis
1. Trio Plant-Based
- Best for: 100% vegan soul food
- Location: 610 W Lake St Minneapolis, MN
- View Menu
Trio Plant-Based is an iconic Minneapolis vegan restaurant and should be top of your list when visiting the Twin Cities. Trio was brought to life by its owner Louis Hunter who was wrongly accused of protest violence by police in 2016. The innocent man faced 20 years in prison if convicted, but was found not guilty after a year of fighting the charges.
Louis wanted to support the community that stood behind him in those difficult times and created Minneapolis' first black-owned vegan restaurant.
2. Crepe & Spoon
- Best for: Vegan ice cream and crepes (duh!)
- Location: 339 22nd Ave NE Minneapolis MN
- View Menu
Crepe and Spoon one of the best (if not the best) places in Minneapolis to get delicious vegan-friendly desserts. You'll find a wide range of dairy-free ice creams and sorbets, which are made from coconut and almond milks as well as cashew cream. No visit is complete without one of their specialty plant-based crepes, including both sweet and savory flavors like Chz Steak and Banana Cocoa.
Gluten-free options are widely available with a limited selection of nut-free options.
3. J. Selby's
- Best for: Vegan comfort food
- Location: 169 N. Victoria Street Saint Paul, MN
- View Menu
J. Selby's is one of St. Paul's finest all-vegan restaurants serving up delicious plant-based burgers, wraps, wings and bowls. You can get all the favorites here as their menu is huge and appealing to a wide variety of tastes. It's also a great spot to bring your non-vegan friends and family to experience another side to plant-based eating.
4. Seed Plant-Based Cafe
- Best for: Brunch
- Location: 3252 West Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN
- View Menu
Seed is a conscious cafe that offers some of the most delicious vegan breakfast, brunch, and dinner options in the Twin Cities. The small, but aesthetic cafe is part of Modo Yoga, so you can combine a yoga session with a plant-based smoothie afterward. Some of their classic meals include the Peanut King bowl and their must-try Breakfast Sandwich.
5. Vegan East
- Best for: Hearty meal followed by a sweet treat
- Location: Vegan East has two locations. Uptown (main location): 2409 Lyndale Ave S and Northeast (more dessert options): 1226 NE 2nd St.
- View Menu
Vegan East is a veggie favorite in Minneapolis. Its flagship location on Lyndale Ave is home to some of the best-tasting vegan desserts in the Twin Cities. You'll also find hearty meals like sloppy joes, grilled cheese sandwiches, and soups like broccoli cheddar! While the restaurant did have 3 locations, its third in Whitebear Lake has closed so the owner can focus on growing its core restaurants.
6. Hard Times Cafe
- Best for: Affordable vegan food with a gritty ambient vibe
- Location:1821 Riverside Ave, Minneapolis, MN
- View Menu
This grungy cafe is a Minneapolis institution filled with art, music, good vibes, and delicious veggie-friendly food. upon visiting it's not hard to see why this worker-owned cafe is a favorite among Twin City locals. While it's not a 100% vegan cafe, there is a wide range of vegan options here - and at a decent price too. Make sure to bring cash!
7. Francis Burger Joint
- Best for: That classic burger fix
- Location: 2422 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis MN
- View Menu
The new kid on the block, Francis Burger Joint fully opened in January 2023. The bar and restaurant is 100% vegan and has a nostalgic old school American diner feel. Non-vegans will love this joint too, with classic favorites: burgers, fries, nuggets, and salads.
The restaurant is named after the pig Francis who escaped a slaughterhouse in Red Deer, Canada in 1990. He was on the run for 5 months before being caught.
8. The Herbivorous Butcher
- Best for: Vegan meats and cheeses
- Location: 507 1st Ave NE Minneapolis MN
- View Menu
While not technically a restaurant, it's hard to create a Minneapolis Vegan Guide without mentioning The Herbivorous Butcher. This plant-based butcher shop sells vegan meats and cheese that truly have to be tasted to be believed. You can find ribs, brats, and chops, as well as a variety of plant-based cheeses and specialty dips.
The Herbivorous Butcher was founded by a brother-sister duo in 2013 has become an icon of the Twin Cities and supplies its products to a number of vegan restaurants in Minneapolis.
9. Root To Rise Kitchen
- Best for: Classy vegan catering
- Location: The pop-up kitchen caters only and does not have a brick-and-mortar location.
- View Menu
For catered events in the Twin Cities, Root To Rise Kitchen offers a 100% plant-based and sustainably-conscious menu. While you won't find a brick-and-mortar restaurant, you may enjoy their high-quality meals at large festivals around Minneapolis or at other special events.
10. Reverie Cafe & Bar
- Best for: Happy hour with delicious plant-based food
- Location: 1517 East 35th Street, Minneapolis, MN
- View Menu
Reverie is a must-visit restaurant in Minneapolis - especially if you like on-tap beer. All of Reverie's menu is 100% vegan and built from scratch. With brunch, lunch, and dinner menus, you can always find something delicious to fit the time of day. The bar has 20 tap lines featuring local brews ciders and kombuchas.
11. Gorkha Palace
- Best for: Authentic Nepali-Indian food
- Location: 23 4th St NE, Minneapolis, MN
- View Menu
Gorkha Palace is one of many tasty veggie-friendly Indian restaurants in Minneapolis. The vegan options are clearly marked vegan here, making it easy to see the options. Some of these dishes include: Channa Saag, Chyau Tarkari and Aaloo Bhindi. Unfortunately, their naan is not vegan, but it can be substituted for roti or garlic roti.
Minneapolis Best Supermarkets for Vegans
Finding vegan options at the grocery store is easy in Minneapolis. Many of the mainstream grocery store chains carry vegan essentials, but you can also find a good variety of smaller grocery stores that stock plant-based alternatives. While the shop listed below are fantastic options, bigger chains like Target, Walmart, and Aldi also have lots of plant-based foods.
Some of the best places to shop for vegan groceries are:
- Herbivorous Butcher: Speciality meats, cheeses and dips.
- Fresh Thyme: Specialty grocery store chain stocking vegan options.
- Trader Joe's: Specialty grocery store chain stocking many vegan and organic products.
- Whole Foods: Minneapolis has a few Whole Foods which often stock a wide variety of vegan products.
- Eastside Food Co-op: Organic and local grocery store in Northeast Minneapolis.
- Wedge Community Co-op: Natural foods grocery store at 22nd and Lyndale Ave.
Minneapolis Vegan Resources
Vegan Festivals and Events
Community
- Vegan in Minneapolis Facebook Group