I realized it’s really important to have a quick reference guide for new vegans, visiting vegans, UVA vegans, the vegan-curious, and your vegan friends/ family while in Charlottesville.

I tried to only focus on local businesses or small chains that I frequent. I still have a LOT to explore because this small college town is actually bursting at the seams with amazing food. Enjoy!

*I will continue to update this as menus and restaurants change. Last update: 01/29/2023

Burgers

GRN Burger

100% Vegan

Boylan Heights Burger Bar

Citizen Burger Bar

Citizen Bowl Shop

NoBull Burgers

Healthy

Juice Laundry

100% Vegan and Organic!

Farmacy LLC – Food Truck

Asian Cuisine

Chimm

• Asian Owned, Vegan Friendly

Thai Cuisine & Noodle House

• Asian Owned, Vegan Friendly
• Sister restaurant of Chimm charlottesvillechinesefood.com

Ming Dynasty

• Asian Owned, Vegan Friendly

Monsoon Siam

• Asian Owned, Vegan Friendly

Now and Zen

• Asian Owned, Vegan Friendly

Thai 99′ II

• Asian Owned, Vegan Friendly

Bang!

• Vegan Friendly & Gluten Free Friendly Restaurant

Mexican Cuisine

Brazos Tacos

• Vegan Friendly

Pizza

Lampo Neopolitan Pizzeria

• Order the Marinara D.O.C. pizza. It’s so simple… just incredibly quality ingredients: marinara, garlic, oregano, sea salt, olive oil.

Mellow Mushroom

Italian

Orzo Kitchen and Wine Bar

American/ Fusion

Iron Paffles and Coffee

• Relaxed nook with hip decor turning out creative puff-pastry waffle sandwiches with savory & sweet fillings.

Beer Run

• Family friendly location with covered patio and outdoor seating. Enormous selection of beer, wine, cider and kombucha.

Firefly

• Woman Owned, Vegan Friendly

Revolutionary Soup

• Spicy Senegalese Peanut Tofu Soup. Spicy jalapeños combined with mild peanut. Garnished with scallions & cilantro.
• Classic Miso. Traditional Japanese soup with shitakes, carrots, kelp, scallions, and tofu.
• Black Bean & Spinach Wrap. House-made spicy black beans, spinach, mushrooms, & red pepper pesto wrapped in a flour tortilla.
• Thai Wrap. Peppers & Onions, shredded cabbage with a Thai peanut sauce. Specify tofu (not chicken).
• Grilled Tofu Sandwich. Seasoned grilled tofu, arugula, onions, tomato & fig dijon on sunflower wheat.
• House Salad. Spring greens with tomatoes, cucumbers, mandarin oranges, mushrooms, pumpkin seeds & balsamic vinaigrette.

Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar

• All vegetarian tea house/ hookah bar with a bohemian atmosphere. Many of their food options are vegan like the Hummus Platter, Dahl and Rice, Mezza and the Vegan Spice Cake.

Dessert

• Moon Maiden’s Delights
  • Entirely vegan and gluten-free bakery on The Downtown Mall!
    • BEAUTIFUL donuts, cakes, pies, bread, and cupcakes.
• Splendora’s
  • Asian Owned, Woman Owned, Vegan Friendly
  • Local gelato and sorbetto on the downtown pedestrian mall. Dairy-free flavors include:
    • Blood Orange
    • Mango
    • Grapefruit
    • Raspberry
    • Strawberry
    • Tangerine

Classes and Events

• The Happy Cook
  • The Happy Cook offers a variety of cooking classes from hands-on, to demonstrations to cookbook discussions. They cover subjects such as ethnic cooking, technical classes, and baking. For example, the tea-tasting and knife skills classes are perfect for the new (or seasoned) vegan. Here are some specifically vegan classes  coming up:
  • February 8th, 2018 – Winter Vegan Cooking Class
  • March 22nd, 2018 – Spring Vegan Cooking Class
• The Elderberry
  • This herbal apothecary offers great classes, consultations and fun events like Tarot card readings. The owner, Jan, and her staff are extremely well-trained in herbal wisdom and healing.
  • The holiday gift-making class is always a big hit. There is always incredible hot tea in the shop which you can sip as you shop!
• Cville Veg Fest aka Vegan Roots Fest
  • Grab awesome food (organizers work hard to bring in the coolest food trucks in the region), listen to music, grab a beer or wine or kombucha, and learn about all the ways veganism is for the animals, the people, and the planet: a win-win-win!
  • Washington Park is gorgeous and you’ll get to hang out (bring your dogsor your kids) under the trees—and get to know some of the movers and shakers in animal and social justice. If you’re new to veganism, they have experts on hand who can talk nutrition, menus, and shopping! Always a good time.

Grocers

• Integral Yoga Natural Foods
  • 100% Vegetarian, 100% Certified Organic Produce, an Organic Juice and Smoothie Bar, a Hot & Cold Salad Bar, an Organic Bulk Food Section, Raw and Vegan Desserts, Package, Dairy, Bakery, and Frozen Items, Aromatherapy and Body Care Products, Vitamins, Supplements, and Bulk herbs, and more!
• Rebecca’s Natural Foods
  • 25 year old natural grocer. They pride themselves on being big supporters of the locavore, environmental and health movements. Good selection of vegan treats, body care and supplements, however, they do sell animal products of all kinds.

Coffee

• Local
  • MarieBette Cafe & Bakery – Soy, Oat & Almond milks available at an additional cost.
    • 2 Locations: MarieBette Café & Bakery is located in the Rose Hill neighborhood of Charlottesville, VA. Petite MarieBette is located off the Downtown Mall.
  • Mudhouse– 2017 Roasters of the year (Roast magazine). Hemp milk available.
  • Shenendoah Joe– Plant milks available.
  • Cville Coffee– Known for being kid-friendly. Plant milks available.
  • Milli Joe– Their latte art is off the chain. Plant milks available.
  • Grit– Plant milks available.
• Drive Thru Chains
  • Dunkin’ Donuts – Almond Breeze almond milk available
  • Starbucks- Soy, Almond and Coconut milk available

If you are a restaurant or small business and would like to be added to the list, please shoot me an email with your vegan options or substitutions!