Seattle is the nearest big city for us Bellinghamsters (if you don’t count Vancouver BC and the requisite trip across the border). I find myself there often, even more so this time of year. I’ll head south for a holiday street scramble, a Thanksgiving trip to my sister’s in Gig Harbor, or even a scrapbooking convention. (Don’t judge. OK, go ahead and judge. I probably would, if I didn’t know how AWESOME and non-nerdy this hobby is.) These little trips provide lots of opportunities (excuses?) for Emerald City eating. Seattle is also the nearest place to find a collection of exclusively vegetarian restaurants, and a whole lot of veg-friendly spots too. So, in case you’re headed to the Pacific Northwest’s biggest and best urban jungle this season, I figured it was time for a round-up of some of my favorite restaurant reviews.
If you’re looking for a more casual atmosphere:
Chaco Canyon Organic Cafe
I was introduced to Chaco Canyon by some dear friends and ended up writing one of my earliest reviews about “Washington’s First Certified Organic Vegetarian Café and Restaurant.” The menu changes seasonally so they have a chance to highlight all kinds of vegetables, nuts, seeds, fruits, and whole grains to showcase what healthy eating looks like all year long.
Homegrown Sustainable Sandwich Shop
With locations in Fremont, Capitol Hill, Queen Anne and downtown you’re never far from this funky, vegetarian-friendly sandwich shop. I would describe the eats as simple, straightforward, and sustainable, with sandwiches, salads, soups and sides that could (Dare I say, “should”?) take the place of standard fast food for a quick and healthy lunch break.
Po Dog Gourmet Hot Dogs
If you’re looking for a relaxed restaurant that will please vegetarians and meat eaters alike, check out Po Dog. From the fresh-baked buns to the seemingly endless list of toppings for your locally-made meatless smoked apple sage sausage, wieners never had it so good.
Or if you’d prefer a fancier feel:
St. Dames
This place is exclusively vegetarian, and even a little romantic with its dim lighting and cozy tables. Explore your options with a full menu of starters, salads, main courses and desserts, all made to please the meatless among us. They just celebrated their third anniversary, so Seattleites must have made them, and their Vegan Mac and Cheesey, feel welcome.
Café Flora
My post about Café Flora ends up morphing from a restaurant review into a recipe, but I couldn’t leave it off this list. When I think of vegetarian restaurants in Seattle, Café Flora is the quintessential choice. It was the first all-vegetarian restaurant I ever went to (which at the time felt like a one-of-a-kind find) and all these years later, it does not disappoint.
Rione XIII
This one’s a little pricey, but their signature dish is worth every penny: Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe. I’m not sure how what appears to be four ingredients can merge so deliciously, but leave it to the Italians to make simple taste exceptional.
This tiny list of six restaurants doesn’t even begin to do justice to the vegetarian-friendly city that is Seattle. Guess it just means I’ll have a lot more reasons to explore the 80,000 square miles of food this major metropolitan area has to offer.
What are your favorite food picks for vegetarian visitors to this city by the sea?
Kristine Duncan, Registered Dietitian
I’m a Registered Dietitian, the author of Veg Girl RD, and a vegetarian who loves to eat. I’m a nutrition nerd who teaches at the University of Washington and Skagit Valley College. I also write about nutrition professionally for magazines and books. If you want to know more, check out my About page.
2 thoughts on “A Vegetarian in Seattle: Restaurant Round-up”
This is such a helpful post! We often have guests come to town whom would like a list such as this. It’s also a helpful reminder when we need last minute restaurant suggestions. And, because I know you feel the same way, our family is so sad Carmelita’s closed. We’re waiting for a new restaurant to open some day to fill their big shoes.
Thanks so much for the feedback. I know – it felt weird not including Carmelita’s on the list. It will be fun to see what new veggie restaurants join Seattle’s food scene.