A vegetarian’s guide to eating well in Tallahassee
I thought the South only had fried meats
As a vegetarian moving to the South, I was a bit nervous about the change of scenery, but even more nervous about the change of food. I thought I was moving to a place where my only options to eat would be barbeque, grits, and an assortment of fried meats. After settling in and finding my groove, I have found some of the best places to eat veggie in Tallahassee.
Nefetari's
Right off of Gaines Street, Nefetari’s is my all time favorite restaurant in Tallahassee. Their menu is stacked with both vegetarian and vegan options, and anything that isn’t vegetarian, can be made so. One of that hardest things I find when going out to eat with my meat loving friends is that they don’t want to be trapped in an all-veggie prison. Nefetari’s is great because they have food for everyone and are beyond willing to accommodate any food allergies or preferences. Not to mention they have killer decorations, a full bar, and the best vegan mac and cheese that has ever existed.
All Saints Cafe
All Saints is one of my favorite places to study. They have good coffee, free Wi-Fi, and a ton of vegetarian and vegan snacks to grub on while you contemplate dropping out (kidding) (not kidding). Their vegan mac and cheese is delicious, and they also have an assortment of vegan pastries. One of their yelp reviews even includes an excerpt of “Whenever I’m Alone With You” by The Cure and a detailed flavor description of their vegan cookies.
The Bark
My first experience at The Bark was at goth night, and if you haven't been, you are missing out. The Bark has more vegetarian and vegan options than almost anywhere else in Tally. Drunk me ordered a vegan buffalo sandwich and thought it was superb. My sober self went back and tried it again to be sure. I can promise you, it was just as good. If you are missing vegan grilled cheese or looking to try your first, The Bark has one of the best in the game. Here is another stellar review from their Facebook page.
Royal Thai
Thai food restaurants are normally great options for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. Royal Thai is one of my favorites here– They have soups, salads, curries, veggie sushi rolls, and noodles. Similar to Nefetari's, there are also meat and seafood options here, so any meat eaters at the table will have plenty of options to choose from as well.
Sweet Pea Cafe
Sweet Pea is an all-vegan restaurant that is highly cherished by the vegan community in Tallahassee. Locally owned and locally sourced, Sweet Pea offers a ton of flavor-packed dishes that you would never expect to be vegan, such as quesadillas, BLTs and Reubens. Aside from all the food, Sweet Pea is home to some of the nicest workers and has a lovely outside seating area for when the weather is nice. My favorite on the menu is the homemade falafel.
Soul Vegetarian
Soul is the perfect place to go if you’re introducing your meat-eating friends to more veggie options. As stated in the name, soul vegetarian specializes in soul food. They’ve got mac and cheese, baked beans, grits, biscuits, barbeque, and more, and it’s all vegan. The service is amazing too– if you’re in the mood for quality vegetarian/vegan comfort food, I highly recommend it.