The adage that big things come in small packages certainly rings true with the country’s smallest state, Rhode Island. And even more so for its plant-based dining scene. From fine dining to fast food (and even a drive-thru), this coastal state—measuring roughly 48 miles north to south and 37 miles east to west—has it all.
“Rhode Island has such a food-focused scene to begin with, and what once was a little vegan dining scene has become much more interesting and much larger,” says Robin Dionne, who runs the annual Rhode Island VegFest. The sixth installment, held in February, included 90 vendors and more than 5,000 attendees over two days. “Not everyone who attends is vegan, but they’re vegan-curious, and we hear from so many people about how good the food is.”
And while many people—including those who don’t adhere to a plant-based diet—were saddened by the closing earlier this year of downtown Providence’s popular Plant City food hall—a trailblazing vegan destination that included multiple restaurants, a coffee bar, bakery, a make-your-own protein bowl section, and a provisions shop—owner Kim Anderson has expanded her Plant City location in nearby Barrington to include many of the same offerings as the original flagship. Anderson also runs the fast-food drive-thru Plant City X in Warwick.
In addition to full-fledged vegan restaurants, there are several vegetarian eateries that offer numerous plant-based options, including Apothica, a breakfast-and-lunch coffee shop in Cumberland, and Garden Grille, a lunch-and-dinner spot in Pawtucket that makes a must-try barbecue seitan with wasabi mustard and a mean vegan beer onion soup (served with pretzel croutons). And there are fully vegan businesses popping up in the state, including SoCo Vedge, a Narragansett-based vegan food service that sells both direct to consumers and to grocery stores. Husband-and-wife owners Julie and Dean Couchey have traveled the world and say they take great pride in incorporating international flavors into their plant-based offerings.
Here are some of the best vegan restaurants in the Ocean State.
Plant City Barrington
Plant City
Modeled after the trailblazing Plant City Providence, the smaller, 48-seat Plant City Barrington offers many of the more popular items from the former Plant City’s finedining restaurant, SEZN. Diners can look forward to plates like seared soy-based steak served with mashed potatoes, asparagus, and creamed spinach, as well as made-in-house ravioli (the spring pea is a customer favorite) and risotto dishes crafted by Luis Jaramillo, executive chef at Plant City Providence from its inception. The bistro-like restaurant’s lunch menu includes burgers and salads, and there are plenty of grab-and-go items as well as desserts galore—from Boston cream cupcakes to gluten-free pumpkin loaves with chocolate chips.
PiANTA
PiANTA
Opened in 2022, chic eatery PiANTA (which means “plant” in Italian) is located in the city’s Federal Hill neighborhood, where Atwells Avenue—the main thoroughfare— is lined with mostly traditional Italian restaurants. Owner Michelle Politano knew she was taking a risk by opening her trendy, light-filled restaurant on Federal Hill, but says that her customers are enjoying her “vegetable-driven cooking that balances vibrant, globally-inspired flavors with playful comfort food.” Sweet harissa carrots served with chickpea fritters, coconut yogurt, bright gremolata, and pomegranate seeds is one of her more popular dishes, as is a delicious ceviche featuring leche de tigre-marinated hearts of palm with aji amarillo and traditional Peruvian flavors. The country-fried chicken, steak and cheese egg rolls, and the smashed patatas bravas are also crowd pleasers.
Veggie Fun
Veggie Fun
Located a five-minute walk from the Providence Performing Arts Center—making it a perfect choice for dinner before a show—Veggie Fun is a Pan-Asian vegan restaurant known for its tasty offerings and large portions. The soy cutlet sizzling platter—breaded soy cutlets sautéed in black bean sauce with broccoli, onions, bamboo shoots, and carrots—is not only a gastronomic delight but a visual one, too. The Malaysian curry stew is hearty and filling, and the lemongrass hot and sour soup is rich and flavorful. Be sure to save room for the rich crème-filled chocolate cake or variety of fried ice cream desserts.
Wildflour Bakery and Café
Wildflour Bakery and Café
The aroma as one nears Wildflour Bakery and Café in Pawtucket is enough to pique anyone’s—vegan or not—interest. And once inside, it’s easy to go overboard on the sweet and savory scones, wide selection of cookies— the Cowboy Cookie, made with oats, brown sugar, pecans, coconut, flax, and chocolate chips, is the crowd pleaser—and innovative cupcakes like blackberry Earl Grey and lemon lavender. The sweet potato fudge is creamy and flavorful, and the cake slices, brownies, truffles, and whoopie pies are a sweet-lover’s dream. Homemade breads—including the customer favorite jalapeño cornbread—and granolas are also available, as are packaged puddings, salads, and bowls. And Wildflour’s coffee and smoothie bar leaves no stone unturned.
PV Vegan Deli
PV Vegan Deli
Located on trendy Hope Street on Providence’s East Side, PV Vegan Deli, which opened in 2024, is a relative new kid on the block—although owner Rich Gaccione has been in the vegan food business since 2020 when he began selling homemade seitan at pop-ups and farmers’ markets. His first brick and mortar has been a big hit, thanks to sandwiches like Frank, the Italian—made with housemade pepperoni, sweet ham, Italian seitan, banana peppers, onions, lettuce, tomato, smoked provolone cheese, mayo, and Italian oil and vinegar on a soft grinder roll—and Not a Reuben!, made with housemade corned beef seitan, sauerkraut, warm Swiss cheese sauce, and spicy deli mustard on a hard crusty grinder roll. In addition to a variety of sandwiches, PV Vegan Deli sells salads, meatballs, and other vegan items for dine-in or takeout. And as his way of giving back, Gaccione, who was raised by a single mom on a limited income, gives out free sandwiches to those in need. “It goes hand-in-hand with the concept of veganism,” said Gaccione, who has been vegan for more than two decades. “Treating living beings in a good and positive way.”
Like No Udder
Like No Udder
Located in the same building and next door to PV Vegan Deli is an ice cream mainstay that operated the country’s—and possibly the world’s—first vegan soft-serve ice cream truck beginning in 2010. In 2017, Like No Udder opened its first storefront in Providence’s Fox Point neighborhood before moving to Hope Street in 2024. And while the soft-serve ice cream is still a big hit with customers, owner Karen Krinsky is known for her innovative nut-based ice cream flavors including Thai Chi and RI-Style Coffee. Other popular flavors include rocky road, chocolate chip mint, cookies and cream, and a variety of shakes. The VegNews-award-winning shop also sells frozen foods, breakfast sandwiches, croissants, knishes, challah bread, and a variety of packaged vegan snacks. Don’t forget to check out the shop’s Mitzvah board, where good deeds are paid forward by customers—such as free ice cream sundaes for a first responder, a pregnant woman, or a Brown University student.
Basil and Bunny
Basil and Bunny
What began as a food truck is now a go-to destination in Bristol for vegans and non-vegans alike. Warm and inviting, Basil and Bunny takes plant-based comfort foods to a new level—all with fun names to boot. Burgers, wraps, salads, bowls, and sides galore—from Frickles (hand-battered fried pickles with house ranch) to Cheezy Bunny (hand-cut fries topped with nacho cheese, pickled onions, green onions, and microgreens)—fill the menu. On the burger front, the Bacon Hopper (an Impossible bacon cheese smashburger with crispy onions and all the fixings on a brioche bun) is a customer favorite. Don’t skip the impressive locally focused beer and wine offerings, or the rotating variety of seasonally flavored MMMBop-Tarts.
Sprout and Lentil
Sprout and Lentil
The canvas paintings hung throughout Sprout and Lentil in Middletown are the first thing that catches one’s eye. They depict individual rescue animals—including Lucky Lady lamb, Johnny pig, and Jay cow—from Farm Sanctuary in upstate New York. Founded by Carmen Foy after 12 years of working as a private chef and at restaurants around the world, Sprout and Lentil is known for its fresh ingredients and mouthwatering dishes, from soups and salads to signature burgers, sandwiches, and artisan pizzas. The barbecue chicken pizza made with Beyond chicken, mozzarella, red onion, diced tomato, Carolina barbecue sauce, and drizzled with housemade ranch dressing is next level.
Foglia
Foglia
Foglia in Bristol has cemented itself as a fine-dining go-to for special occasions—or just for a good meal. Open for dinner Thursday through Monday, Foglia (which means “leaf” in Italian) is owned by Chef Peter Carvelli, who in 2024 was a semifinalist for the James Beard Best Chef Northeast award. Menu highlights include Fazzoletti e Funghi with herbs and oyster mushrooms served in a white wine cream sauce, stuffed squash blossoms with tofu ricotta and pomodoro sauce, and the Foglia Burger, a homemade heirloom bean and local mushroom patty with tomato jam, garlic aioli, local lettuce, and sliced red onions served on housemade focaccia topped with an onion ring and house pickles. There is also a popular five-course tasting menu, and the restaurant is entirely nut-free. For dessert, try the Bananas Foster Basque Cheesecake with vanilla bean and brown sugar rum sauce, or the Blueberry Galette.
Celebrated
Celebrated
A sun-drenched space provides the perfect lighting for the rows and rows of delectable baked delights—each one more mouthwatering than the next—in the clear glass display cases at Celebrated in Richmond. From colorful macarons to swirly, cream-topped cupcakes to cookies that look too beautifully decorated to eat, the offerings at Celebrated taste as good as they look in the cases housing the sugary confections. Owner Becky Morris honed her sweet treat skills over many years, but it was the Vegan Gastronomy Culinary Academy in Spain that upped her game. Celebrated is the go-to bakery for wedding cakes and other desserts for special occasions.
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Juliet Pennington is a Boston-based journalist and educator who is passionate about all-things vegan.
