Christmas Day can be spent in so many ways—there are gifts to unwrap, kids to entertain, basketball to watch, snowballs to chuck, and boozy vegan eggnog to sip leisurely by a roaring fire. Cooking isn’t a top priority for everyone, and yet food is an extremely important element of the celebratory day. Whether that’s Christmas brunch or dinner, we demand a feast … most just don’t want to spend all day preparing it.
Cue the professionals. From gooey vegan cinnamon rolls to an impressive plant-based roast, these restaurants have your holiday covered.
The Herbivorous Butcher
1 The Herbivorous Butcher
Minneapolis, MN plus nationwide shipping
This plant-based butcher is pulling out all the stops this holiday season. Its signature Winter Feast Bundle includes hickory bacon, white cheddar cheese sauce, summer sausage, honey brie with thyme, and your choice between two meaty, satiating mains: a smoky, glazed ham roast or a savory porchetta. Turkey roasts and decadent vegan cheeses (perfect for holiday cheese boards!) are also on offer. Pre-orders ship December 15, just in time for the holidays.
FIND IT HERE
Café Gratitude
2 Café Gratitude
Los Angeles and Venice, CA
This year, Café Gratitude’s showstopping holiday mains include a meaty seitan-based herbed holiday roast and a savory mushroom wellington. Of course, a holiday feast is not complete without an array of delicious sides. Choose from mouthwatering options like cauliflower mashed potato, truffled porcini gravy, and an autumn kale and radicchio salad. Secure your holiday feast by December 20.
FIND IT HERE
Follow Your Heart
3 Follow Your Heart Market & Cafe
Canoga Park, CA
Christmas pre-orders are now open at the Follow Your Heart Market & Café. Options include a complete family-size Christmas dinner, a whole vegan turkey roast, vegan chicken tamales, and a gluten-free harvest loaf. For dessert, there’s a selection of pies on offer, including strawberry rhubarb, cherry, and classic apple. Just make sure to get your order in before December 19.
FIND IT HERE
Rebel Cheese
4 Rebel Cheese
Austin, TX
Even if you have the main course covered, let someone else arrange the vegan cheese board. Rebel Cheese’s curated boards are immaculate and party-ready. Check out options like the Holiday Cheeseboard Classics, the Holiday Entertainer Box, and the Holiday Host Hero. The latter comes packed with 13 cheeses, including port wine cheeseballs, smoked cheddar, cave-aged brie, and even one mystery cheese item.
Find it here
ID-Eclair
5ID-Eclair
Pasadena, CA
This French bakery’s Thanksgiving takeaway meal was a success, and now, it’s offering a holiday spin perfect for Christmas. The Holiday Box for Two features a mushroom Wellington with shallot sauce, asparagus, and mashed potatoes. The meal also comes complete with a gingerbread loaf and two pastries as well as a bottle of wine (non-alcoholic options are available).
Find it here
Green New American
6 Green New American
Phoenix and Tempe, AZ
Think of this spread as Thanksgiving, take two. Green New American’s annual takeaway holiday dinner includes all the classics, including a seitan-based turkey breast with gravy, cranberry-studded stuffing, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, paprika-spiced sweet corn, fried Brussels sprouts, bread rolls, and a winter berry cobbler. Other pies (pumpkin, pecan, and apple), a cookie platter, a yule log, vegan chicken parmesan, and a four-serving tray of vegan mac and cheese are also available. There’s even a gluten-free holiday meal, too. Online orders close December 20, and pick-up is set for December 23.
FIND IT HERE
The Plot
7 The Plot
Oceanside, CA
This farm-to-table restaurant does everything right. It’s animal-free, organic, and local when possible, and many of its ingredients are sourced from its own urban garden situated amongst the gorgeous outdoor dining area. While closed for Christmas, this husband-and-wife-owned business is offering an individual holiday meal for pickup on December 24—just be sure to pre-order by December 22. The multi-course meal comes with a radish roast, sweet potato gratin, braised red cabbage, cornbread stuffing, olive oil cake, and more.
FIND IT HERE
Whole Foods Market
8 Whole Foods Market
Nationwide
Whole Foods is offering up another chance to try its versatile vegan holiday options for Christmas. The Plant-Based Meal for Two comes complete with a mushroom and root vegetable en croûte, garlic roasted fingerling potatoes, sea salt and black pepper green beans, herby mushroom gravy, pumpkin curry soup, and roasted butternut squash with cranberries and sage.
FIND IT HERE
Maciel’s Plant-Based Butcher Shop
9 Maciel’s Plant-Based Butcher Shop
Los Angeles, CA
The city’s first full-service vegan butcher shop, Maciel’s is offering four distinct holiday catering options this year. On the savory side, there are three varieties of Mexican tamales (beef, chicken, and veg) and a charcuterie offering complete with salami, mushroom pâté, aged brie, smoked cheddar, pepper jack, apple jam, gherkins, smoked almonds, and crackers. And on the sweet side, you can’t go wrong with eggnog and buñuelos. Order by December 19 to secure your favorites.
Find it here
@elcocinerorestaurant | Instagram
10El Cocinero
Van Nuys, CA
Like Maciel’s, El Cocinero in Van Nuys is also slinging Christmas tamales this year. Choose between jackfruit salsa verde and jackfruit red salsa. The restaurant’s cult-favorite proteins—think asada, al pastor, jackfruit carnitas, birria, and more—are also available for catering orders alongside staple sides like rice and beans. And for dessert, don’t miss the whole flan.
Find it here
Cinnaholic
11 Cinnaholic
Multiple locations
Are cinnamon rolls breakfast or dessert? On Christmas, they can be both. This vegan cinnamon roll franchise has plenty of holiday treats, including a Stocking Stuffer Roll, Cinna-Claus Cookies, and a wreath cake. The chain does not provide a cutoff order date, but it’s best to place your order sooner rather than later.
FIND IT HERE
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
Tanya Flink is a Digital Editor at VegNews as well as a writer and runner living in Orange County, CA.
