BOSGuide
The Boston Vegetarian & Vegan Delivery Guide
photo credit: Life Alive
Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, or just someone who really likes burgers colored with beet extract, you know that plant-based foods can be just as good - if not better - than their meat-filled counterparts. And thankfully, there are a number of spots in Boston with great meat and dairy-free food, all available for takeout and delivery right now. Here are 17 places to choose from.
The Spots
Any time a restaurant has “secret sauce” on the menu, we reflexively raise an eyebrow, à la Dwayne Johnson during his wrestling days. Lulu Green’s version comes alongside some tasty oven-baked Yuca fries, so we give them a pass. Everything else at this plant-based cafe is flavored with a variety of Mediterranean spices, so Lulu’s definitely gets our sense of smell going more than anything The Rock was cooking. Order pickup and delivery on their website.
Not everything on the menu at Little Pecan in Brighton is vegetarian, but the loaded togarashi fries, fried avocado tacos, and pad Thai should be more than sufficient for any meal. Check out the full menu and place an order on their website.
We daydream about fast-casual lunches sometimes - that crazy concept where we could walk into a crowded place, order food in line, consume it in a cramped booth, and then go back to work, all within the span of 15 minutes. While we wait for such creature comforts to return, we’re still ordering takeout and delivery from anoush’ella, the counter-service Lebanese spot in the South End. Their flatbreads, in particular, are pretty good - we recommend either the lentil kofta or the sabich (with grilled eggplant and hummus).
We’re vocal fans of the Buddha ramen from this Back Bay vegan spot (it’s some of the best ramen in Boston), but they also have five other styles of ramen and a rice bowl available for takeout and delivery (though delivery is limited to the Back Bay area). If you’re looking for an extra jolt of flavor, we recommend adding the special garlic oil, though everything here is already excellent as is.
There’s something called an “Eggplant and Tofu Surprise” at Grasshopper, an all-vegan spot in Allston. We usually think surprises are as ridiculous as Tesla’s current stock prices, but it turns out this dish - made with a spicy black bean sauce - is pretty good. Perhaps the only disappointment is that there are no chapulines on the menu - yes, we know, they’re not vegan. Place your order here.
You’re tired of frozen burritos and vegan pizza, but going to the grocery store is about as appealing as a solo game of Catan. Luckily for you, you can order pickup or delivery at any of Live Alive's nine locations across Massachusetts and enjoy their grain bowls, salads, and soups. Everything’s plant-based, so check out their website to place an order.
We’re pretty sure Ratatouille works at Red Lentil. What other chef could come up with ingenious ideas like pistachio-coconut crusted tofu, oyster mushroom calamari, and nutty lasagna? We reached out to Pixar employees for verification, but they all said that another mouse had forced them all to sign strict NDAs. Nevertheless, you can still enjoy takeout and delivery from this place every day - order on their website.
Zhu Vegan recently opened at the end of 2020, and early reviews from the community are overwhelmingly positive. We have yet to try this Chinese/Japanese/Thai vegan spot, but we’re certainly looking forward to some kung pao eggplant and smoked teriyaki seitan in the near future.
If a key lime pie is vegan, we think it counts as breakfast and not dessert. But that’s not why we’re at Cocobeet so often. Obviously, we’re here in the mornings for our cold-pressed orange, ginger, and jalapeño juice, and to pick up a salad and grain bowl for lunch. Obviously.
Apparently, “nu” is French for naked, which is pretty close to how we’ve eaten most of our meals during the pandemic. This Somerville spot has a substantial menu of things like breakfast sandwiches, burritos, Hawaiian bowls, and burgers. Everything’s available for delivery, so no, you don’t need to put pants on.
When we think about vegan and vegetarian spots, Roxy’s - with a variety of bacon melts and burgers - isn’t usually the first place that comes to mind. But then we remember the buffalo tofu melt, the homemade veggie burgers, and the entire section of the menu that’s vegan (all available for ordering online), which makes us question all the other things that come to mind.
If you’re looking for meatless comfort food, then you should head to Saus. Everything at the Bow Market location is vegetarian (and can be made vegan upon request), which means fries with curry ketchup, poutine with kimchi, and cauliflower-falafel sandwiches are all available for dinner tonight. Delivery is available through a number of platforms, and don’t forget to add some beer and wine to your order as well.
Alternatively, you could go to Rhythm ’N Wraps for some rather extravagant comfort food. There’s mac and cheese on top of Impossible patties, teriyaki sauce on top of a jackfruit “fried chicken” sandwich, and even some sweet plantains topped with maple syrup and green apples. It’s perfect for lunch on a day when you’re looking to induce a post-meal nap.
FoMu, the plant-based ice cream company, has three locations across the city. All of them are currently open for takeout and yes, delivery, which might be some of the most positive news we’ve heard in a while (sorry, John Krasinski). Flavors include lemon meringue pie, sweet lavender, peanut butter cookie, and dulce de coconut.
