July 18, 2018

Columbus: A Plant-Based Powerhouse of Vegan Eats

It’s no secret that the ultra-hipster city of Columbus is a mecca of vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, you-name-it eats. Before we start into it, let’s get one thing straight: even if you don’t fit into any of these categories (ahem, me!) that doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy any of these restaurants. The owners of every one of the plant-based restaurants in my list work hard to make sure their offerings are unique, sustainable, and above all, tasty.

Let’s check ’em out!

1. The Little Kitchen Truck: Plant-Based Food Truck

I started with The Little Kitchen Truck because they’re hands down one of my favorite plant-based restaurants in Columbus. And the best thing? They’re hardly even a restaurant! The Little Kitchen Truck is a mobile food truck that makes most of its summertime stops at the Columbus Commons (Thursdays 11am-2pm) Virtue Salons (Friday 11am-4pm) and various farmer’s markets on Saturdays. Check their full schedule HERE.

A rotating menu offers a variety of selections such as breakfast tostadas, acai bowls, “rainbow” veggie sandwiches, salads, poke bowls, and more! Oh, and did I mention the milkshakes? Because you can’t forget the milkshakes. And protein bites.

If you’re in the mood to try something adventurous and really plant-based, order the Lox Bagel. It may look like your average smoked salmon bagel with cream cheese and capers, but that isn’t smoked salmon at all! The Little Kitchen Truck girls work hard to prepare thinly sliced and marinated carrots as the plant-based substitute for smoked salmon. Wild, right? Give it a try—you won’t be disappointed!

2. Two Dollar Radio Headquarters: Plant-Based Cafe

A jack of trades, Two Dollar Radio Headquarters has it all: bookstore, bar, vegan café, and event space. The café’s menu is made up of entirely vegan dishes using nut cheeses, pizza dough, plant-based meats, and sauces that are made fresh in-house. One of my favorites at lunch or dinnertime is the very popular “Mexican Lasagna”.

Looking for a good plant-based brunch? Stop by for a Fried Chick’n & Waffle Sammy—all vegan.

3. Alchemy

If you follow me on Instagram, you know you can expect almost a weekly upload of something new I’ve tried from Alchemy’s menu. As if I didn’t love the OG location owned by Alexis aka Hummusapien enough, she opened a second store within WALKING distance of my own home. That was the beginning of the end for me!

The Grandview location has a full kitchen that now serves brunch on the weekends and a smaller breakfast menu during the week in addition to a lunch menu after 11am. Swoooon. I’m not much of a sweets girl in the early morning, so this savory turmeric bagel was right up my alley. I loved that the bagel wasn’t overly filling or heavy—just enough for a satisfactory breakfast. I stopped by another time to try the beet reuben, and even as a meat eater I was blown away. The combination of the vegan dressing, kraut, and cooked beets sent me straight to Sammy heaven. It’s worth a try!

Although I haven’t seen a change to the menu since they opened mid-April, I wouldn’t be surprised if the head chef throws in a few seasonal dishes as the temperatures start to drop this fall.

4. Woodhouse: Loaded Nachos

I did a Nacho Tour of the 614 last summer (see first post here and second post here) and these guys weren’t a stop.

Biiiig mistake.

Although the Woodhouse girls are well-known for quite a few of their other plant-based dishes (Fried Green Tomatoes and Cheezer Caesar, I’m talking about you), these nachos are in a whole other league. I can’t say I’ve ever seen loaded nachos in this style, with a vertical-chip approach. Although it makes for a little more of a mess when eating (Oddfellows has plenty of napkins so please don’t let this deter you), this approach ensures that EVERY chip is covered in that cheezy, vegan goodness. Oh, and from now on, I’ve decided that I’m always shoveling my guac with an ice cream scoop.

Although only popping up at Oddfellows on Mondays and Tuesdays, the Woodhouse group is currently working on a brick-and-mortar of their own. Look for them later this year in a cute little space right across from Hoof Hearted on 4^th street in Italian Village. Can’t wait to get my nacho fix any day of the week.

5. Edenburger

Speaking of plant-based comfort food, Edenburger knows where it’s at. Recently re-opened after a total overhaul of their menu and venue, the group is really focused on fast service in the most environmentally sustainable way possible. Check it out- even their wrappers tell you what’s up!

I was a bit wary of the seitan chicken nuggets, but was pleasantly surprised. Edenburger is conveniently located halfway between the northern edge of the Short North and the southern tip of campus’ Gateway. College students and yo-pros unite in their love of plant-based burgers and fries.

6. Portia’s Café

The OG vegan restaurant in Columbus.

Portia has been serving up plant-based eats in Clintonville since 2007, and even when eating vegan became more “popular” in recent years, she hasn’t missed a beat. The restaurant focuses on partnering with local farmers to bring the best possible produce to their consumers, and boy do they deliver! I’ve never seen an appetizer Dip list as long as the one on Portia’s menu. Her salads are always full of color, flavor, and fresh ingredients. Be sure to check it out on North Indianola, and don’t forget the open cardinal rule of eating at Portia’s: an order of her famous “cheezecake” is a must!

Cheezecake: They fill their raw nut-and-date crusts with blends of fruits, cashews, lemon, maple syrup, and vanilla. There are many flavors available: just ask the server.

7. Little Eater

If you’ve never been, let me welcome you to the mecca of plants: Little Eater. Within the last year, Cara Mangini opened up her first standalone store in Clintonville (previously the stand was only located in the North Market) and it’s been thriving ever since. Just last week, they extended their hours to include breakfast as well!

I couldn’t tell you why, but sometimes veggies just taste better when they’re made by someone other than me. Enter Little Eater’s buffet line of vegetable mixes and assortments, and an option to get up to 6 scoops at a time. Their options are constantly rotating on the line, but there are a few staples you’re always see, like the Kale & Spelt Berry scoop.

Check out more on Little Eater in this post.

8. Pattycake Bakery

Although Pattycake may not be “plant-based”, they are a 100% vegan bakery and this is crucial for the ever-growing population of those who can’t tolerate dairy. Until recently, I’d never tried Pattycake (shoutout to Fervent Foodie for bringing me a cookie on HER birthday!). I assumed that dairy-free cookies just weren’t as good as regular cookies.

Boy, was I wrongooo. This is possibly now one of my favorite chocolate chip cookies in the city. This is a thick, soft, and melt-in-your-mouth cookie. Don’t let the “vegan” title scare you away, these blow most of their competitors out of the water! Check them out in North Clintonville.

Coming Soon:

Keep an eye-out for a plant-based restaurant that will change the game in dining- Comune. Most of the vegan eateries mentioned above fill that comfort-food craving, but what about fine dining? The group working to open Comune in late 2018 promise just that. The vegetarian restaurant to be opened on Parsons displays bright, eye-pleasing photos of vegetarian fare on their home page. You’ll be hearing more from me about Comune in the future!