Whether you’re committed to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle or just like to go meat-free from time to time, here are restaurants around Tampa’s urban core that specialize in vegan cuisine or feature veggie-friendly options.
3 Dot Dash
6203 N. Florida Ave. | (813) 675-4522
facebook.com/3dotdashvegan
After popping up at restaurants and breweries around town, the vegan kitchen 3 Dot Dash settled into its permanent home at Jug & Bottle Dept. earlier this year. The menu focuses on sandwiches like fried chick’n sandwiches, cheesesteaks (with house-made rosemary and garlic seitan) and vegan hot dogs, plus chili. Go all out with “The Shelf,” a pile of fries topped with chili, cashew cheese whiz, onion, jalapeño and cilantro.
Dixie Dharma
Armature Works, 1910 N. Ola Ave. | (813) 803-9998
dixiedharma.com
Inside the Heights Public Market, Dixie Dharma specializes in plant-based Southern cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Early morning options include biscuits and gravy, a wet burrito with jackfruit carnitas, and a flapjack platter, while lunch and dinner choices run from an orange barbecue sloppy Joe to a fried green tomato sandwich and braised collard greens.
SOHO Juice Co.
500 S Howard Ave., Ste. C | (813) 253-2653
sohojuiceco.com
Dishing out acai and fruit-based bowls, smoothies, waffles, soft serve, sundaes, milkshakes, and baked goods — all vegan, and most free of gluten and other allergens. SOHO Juice also offers cold-pressed juices and health shots. For the more adventurous, CBD infusions can be added to most offerings.
Farmacy Vegan Kitchen + Bakery
803 N. Tampa St. | (786) 681-1644
farmacyvegankitchen.com
In the back of Duckweed Urban Grocery, Farmacy Vegan Kitchen is whipping up all plant-based baked goods, sandwiches, salads and pastas. They use the popular Impossible Burger in dishes like a Frisco melt and a Philly “cheesesteak” (both with cashew “cheese”), and their pastry selection rotates to include a variety of donuts, sticky buns, cakes and pies.
Ella’s Americana Folk Art Cafe
5119 N. Nebraska Ave. | (813) 234-1000
ellasfolkartcafe.com
Ella’s has an entire selection of veggie-based dishes, including their popular Good Burger (a veggie patty with sweet mustard, garlicky ketchup, vegan cheese and candied carrots). Vegans are also included on Soul Food Sundays with the VBQ (that’s vegan barbecue) sandwich, vegan chic’n po’boy and mac ‘n cashew cheese.
Cafe Hey
1540 N. Franklin St. | (813) 221-5153
cafehey.com
The Tampa Heights pioneer has been a longtime favorite of vegetarians and vegans for options like the VLT (two words: vegan bacon) and the AB-B-A, an almond butter, banana and apricot jam sandwich pressed with cinnamon — just asked for it dry-pressed to keep it vegan.
Bamboozle Café & Bamboozle Tea Lounge
516 N. Tampa St.
109 N. 12th St.
(813) 228-7500
bamboozlerestaurants.com
These sister Vietnamese restaurants have lots of naturally vegan options on their menus. The specialty fresh rolls come filled with lemongrass tofu, avocado or panko mushroom, and the vegan pho swaps in tofu and a meatless broth. Gluten-free eaters will find quite a bit to enjoy at Bamboozle as well.
Stone Soup Company
1919 E. 7th Ave. | (813) 247-7687
xsoup4u.com
With dairy-free cheese and the Impossible Burger on hand, the Stone Soup Company can make quite a few of its dishes vegan. On the soup side, go for the Russian borscht or the vegan pho, or pay homage to Tampa with a veggie empanada. A number of Stone Soup’s bowls can be made veggie friendly, as can the Cubamanti — a stacked sandwich topped with French fries, inspired by Pittsburgh’s Primanti Bros. restaurant.
Mermaid Tavern
6719 N. Nebraska Ave. | (813) 238-5618
mermaidtaverntampa.com
This Seminole Heights pub is one of Tampa’s best bars for vegetarians and vegans, with options like the sloppy Kim (think an Asian spin on the sloppy Joe), a homemade veggie burger, a wine-inspired grilled cheese and an almost entirely meat-free shareables section of the menu. Mermaid Tavern makes many of its ingredients in house and lists a number of its suppliers right on the menu.
Asiatic Street Food & Noodle Bar
1600 E. 8th Ave. | (813) 284-5317
asiaticstreetfood-noodle.com
Asiatic focuses on Thai noodle bowls, rice dishes and street food, many of which can be modified to be vegan. Most noodle bowls can be made with vegetable broth, and mixed vegetables and tofu are options for any of the stir-fries, curries or street foods.
SoFresh
512 N. Franklin St. | (813) 999-1911
lovesofresh.com
The build-your-own bowls at SoFresh are easily made vegetarian or vegan. Many of the premade bowls, like the Superfood and the Boca Fiesta, are meat-free and all can be topped with tofu or zucchini noodles. Nearly all of the restaurant’s scratch-made sauces are vegan, too, including the avocado green goddess and citrus agave mustard.
