Vegan cuisine frequently gets pushed into the background. Its addicting flavors, colors and creativity are all too often under-appreciated in the culinary world. But Richmond isn’t having that anymore. 

The city’s vegan food scene is growing to become arguably one of the most vibrant in the Mid-Atlantic. Not only are vegan-centric restaurants, bakeries, juice joints and cafés popping up, but Richmond’s restaurants in general are taking heed of the demand and adding more vegan options to their menus.

“That’s what I think is exciting about Richmond,” says Lauren Z. Ray, a popular, local vegan food blogger. “The fact that the vegan options we do have are really good.”

And no, it’s not just different takes on tofu and salad. There are pastries, smoothies, tacos, hot chocolate, gelato, pasta, cheesesteak, curry, pizza, barbecue, artisan bread — literally any food that pops into your mind there’s likely a vegan reinvention of it here.

Richmond’s meatless offerings have become somewhat of an art form, showing just how complex, imaginative and flavorful the cuisine is. The abundance of choice in the area is also unusual. “Sometimes there’s really quite limited vegan options … or you can only go to a vegan restaurant,” says Ray. “In Richmond it’s different. The fact that so many restaurant owners and chefs are actually trying and creating is amazing.”

One such option is Yummvees. The restaurant, situated on West Cary Street, is known for its homemade, from-scratch vegan comfort food. “Not comfort food [in the sense] that it’s bad for you, just food that makes you feel warm and fuzzy — like you’re coming to my home to eat,” says owner Tracy Flitcraft.

One of Yummvees’ most popular dishes is tofu parmesan (a play on chicken parmesan). The crispy breaded tofu comes both as a sub, covered in mozzarella, almond parmesan cheese and marinara sauce, or as an entrée with the same components, but on pasta.

Their reuben sandwich, featuring brined seitan for pastrami, is also high in demand. “We make everything in-house — our cheese, proteins, everything — there’s no processed food,” says Flitcraft.

Tiny Vegan, The Purrfect Bean, Proper Pie, Juan More Taco, Minglewood Bake Shop (the first vegan bakery in the city) and Davvero Gelato are a sliver of other local vegan haunts Ray recommends — especially the latter. “[The gelato] is life-changing,” she says. “I tell everyone to try the pistachio. It’s so, so good.”

But the vegan food scene here isn’t limited to everyday meals and treats. Vegan-centric events are also big, like Vegan Food Week. Held each January, eateries throughout the city compete to produce exclusive vegan dishes which are then voted on by participants. Last year’s winners included And Dim Sum with their coconut curry mushroom risotto and Zorch Pizza Parlor’s Forest Hill location’s French toast maple custard cake.

The event is one of the reasons that persuaded Ray to move to Richmond in 2023. Two years earlier, she and her husband were traveling up and down the East Coast and happened to land in the River City during Vegan Food Week. “It was so cool, we had no idea that was there,” says Ray.

They ended up staying a month, getting more immersed in the city’s vegan culture.

Ray eventually founded Vegan Club RVA in July 2024 to further build up the vegan community. Featuring both free and ticketed monthly events, the club explores the city’s vegan food scene and is a great way to chat with others and learn insider tips, like how Idle Hands Bread Company has an entire case dedicated to vegan pastries, a tidbit that surprised many.

Throughout the year, there are vegan restaurant takeovers like at Blue Atlas and Vegan Club RVA also hosts some. “I thought ‘How can I support local businesses and also create a cool opportunity for vegans and the vegan-curious?,’” says Ray. Every quarter, they collaborate with an area private chef and restaurant to make a five-course, plant-based meal. “It’s a fine dining experience for vegans,” she says.

Despite blossoming opportunities, there remains the general hurdle of getting the public to move past the stereotypical misconception that vegan food is “weird” or “bland.”

But none of this has deterred Richmond’s vegan community. In fact, it only ignites their passion for outreach even more.

“Not a lot of people realize how much they eat vegan by default. Oreos are vegan and everyone eats them,” says Flitcraft. “I think it’s just getting out of the mind that [vegan] cuisine is all salad and wraps.”

Ray predicts the city will likely start seeing more vegan-centric food trucks pop up, or that people will take their food trucks into a storefront, potentially becoming another vegan destination. Keep an eye out for popular food truck 1115 Mobile Kitchen moving into a brick-and-mortar in the Fan under the name Hank’s Fried Chicken — owner Henry Fletcher makes a mean fried chicken sammy, regular and vegan — later this year.

“Richmond’s vegan scene is amazing,” says Flitcraft. “I’m very excited for the future.” 6