20 Restaurants Serving Seriously Good Vegan Italian Food

A bowl of pasta, a crisp oven-fired pizza, a layered tiramisu for dessert. When it comes to comfort food, there’s no cuisine quite like Italian. And though traditional Italian cooking is often associated with cheese and cured meats, a growing number of restaurants are proving that plant-based Italian food can be just as indulgent and authentic as the conventional cuisine.

Across the country, chefs are reinventing classics with velvety cashew ricotta, herbaceous tomato sauces, and handmade pasta. And the demand for vegan Italian food has also exploded in recent years as diners seek comforting dishes that align with more sustainable choices. Today, it’s easier than ever to find creamy carbonara without dairy, meatless meatballs with just the right texture, and pizzas piled high with plant-based toppings. From cozy neighborhood trattorias to modern plant-based hot spots, restaurants across the US are embracing vegan Italian cuisine in creative and exciting ways.

Donna Jean’s

20 restaurants to add to your list

Whether you’re craving a giant plate of pasta, a crispy wood-fired pie, or a decadent vegan cannoli, these restaurants (listed in no particular order) are serving some of the very best vegan Italian food around.

Oleum

1 Oleum

Baltimore, MD

In a land of crab cakes and pit beef, Oleum is serving up plant-based food making it one of the most creative vegan restaurants in the DMV area. The menu pulls from different regions of the world and weaves them seamlessly into a selection of Italian-inspired must-tries, like charred red pepper risotto with Aleppo eggplant, Creole-style spicy blackened chicken Alfredo, and pizzas layered with harissa-marinated mushrooms, tahini, hummus, and roasted artichokes. 
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Pura Vita

2 Pura Vita

Los Angeles, CA

Pura Vita is one of Los Angeles’ standout destinations for vegan Italian food. Here, chef Tara Punzone draws from her Italian American roots to reinvent classic comfort food across mealtimes: tuck into strawberry Nutella pancakes for brunch, a Sicilian tuna panini with roasted garlic aioli for lunch, and a quattro formaggi bianco pizza with cashew ricotta, mozzarella, almond ricotta, and shaved parmigiano for dinner.
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Coletta

3 Coletta

New York, NY

This upscale New York eatery blends classic Italian flavors with a more modern feel. The intimate vegan and kosher restaurant serves elevated dishes such as lumache alla vodka, short rib agnolotti, ricotta ravioli in lemon butter sauce, and a truffle cacio e pepe topped with freshly shaved truffle. Elegant without losing its sense of comfort, Coletta delivers the pasta-and-wine dinner vibes perfect for date night or a long catch-up meal with friends.
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Pietramala

4 Pietramala

Philadelphia, PA

This restaurant rotates its offerings weekly, keeping things intentionally concise and a little mysterious, with dishes listed alongside just a few carefully chosen ingredients rather than long descriptions. Plates like charred peas with cashew ricotta on carta di musica and broccoli stalk “risotto” with spring onion, green garlic, and tofu showcase just how much flavor and creativity can come from deceptively simple combinations.
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Donna Jean

5 Donna Jean

San Diego, CA

This San Diego favorite has earned a cult following for its refined Italian comfort food. Named after chef Roy Elam’s mother, the restaurant serves beautifully crafted dishes like handmade pastas, melty mozzarella sticks, wood-fired pizza, and its fan-favorite lemon olive oil cake. With a cozy neighborhood feel and a menu that balances Italian tradition with fresh California ingredients, Donna Jean is winning over vegans and non-vegans alike.
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Lilla

6 Lilla

Portland, OR 

One of Portland’s most beloved vegan Italian restaurants, Lilla pairs cozy neighborhood energy with impressive plant-based cooking. The menu features crispy crocchè di patate, five house pasta mains, and beautifully crafted pizzas. Warm lighting, craft cocktails, and thoughtful attention to detail make Lilla worth visiting time and time again. 
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Tarantino’s Vegan

7 Tarantino’s Vegan

Las Vegas, NV

This longtime Las Vegas local favorite serves everything from a trio of bruschetta and parmigiano zucchini sticks to classic minestrone and caesar salad to white wine oyster scallops and a full gluten-free pasta menu, so no one is left out. Book your reservation for a casual, welcoming dinner perfect for post-Vegas-night comfort food cravings.
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Monster Vegan

8 Monster Vegan

Philadelphia, PA

This horror movie-inspired restaurant and bar brings bold personality and a surprisingly high level of comfort food energy to Philadelphia’s vegan dining scene. Expect Italian-inspired bites like truffled parmesan fries, a Calabrian Caesar eggplant cutlet sandwich, and a full pasta menu served in a space where the décor may be kitschy, but the quality and execution of the food is serious.
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Veganlitaly

9 Veganlitaly

Coral Gables, FL

Led by Simon Lianski, this restaurant serves Michelin-inspired dishes that balance elegance with comfort, from kalamata olive-stuffed focaccia and wood-fired, ricotta-stuffed mushrooms to buffalo-style caprese to Neapolitan-style star-shaped pizza stellas.
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DC Vegan

10 DC Vegan

Washington, DC

DC Vegan has become a go-to destination for modernized versions of classic vegan Italian food in Washington, DC, thanks to its massive portions, cozy atmosphere, and crowd-pleasing classics. The menu covers everything from cashew parm-dusted mushroom calamari rings to bucatini and meatballs to cannoli that would send a chocoholic to heaven. 
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Crossroads Kitchen

11 Crossroads Kitchen

Los Angeles, CA & Las Vegas, NV

Crossroads Kitchen helped put upscale vegan dining on the map long before plant-based fine dining became trendy. Founded by chef Tal Ronnen, the culinary institution blends Mediterranean and Italian influences through dishes like spaghetti carbonara, truffle pasta, lasagna, and housemade cheese plates that have helped it earn top distinctions three years in a row in the VegNews Restaurant Awards.
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Soda Club

12Soda Club

New York, NY

This refined New York spot pairs cozy neighborhood wine bar energy with some of the city’s most creative plant-based Italian food. The menu revolves around handmade, fresh pasta and seasonal small plates, with the option to go all in on a pasta tasting experience alongside an excellent list of natural wines and cocktails.
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Mangiafoglie

13 Mangiafoglie

Long Beach, CA

Mangiafoglie brings a modern, high-end feel to Italian dining in Long Beach, with standout Italian classics and beautifully plated dishes. The menu features plates like black truffle purple potato gnocchi, lasagna layered with ricotta and meatballs, and strozzapreti with sausage, rapini, and chili for a little heat.
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Foglia

14 Foglia

Bristol, RI 

Led by James Beard semifinalist Chef Peter Carvelli, this award-winning restaurant is a shining gem in the New England vegan foodscape. Reserve a table and begin with fresh-baked focaccia with a trio of housemade butters and fried squash blossoms stuffed with tofu ricotta. Follow with a sunflower cacio e pepe and fazzoletti e funghi in white wine cream sauce. Then end with an affogato—or upgrade to an affogato martini—for a sweet finish.
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Adelleda

15 Adelleda

Portland, OR

Adelleda brings a seasonal and creative approach to plant-based dining, with a menu centered around local, organic, and foraged ingredients whenever possible. Housed inside storied Portland business Vtopian Artisan Cheese Shop, this resident restaurant comes alive for dinner and brunch service to serve food that wows Portlanders with even the highest plant-based standards. Brunch cocktails crowned with mini cheeseboards featuring Vtopian wedges; chickpea flour fritters and apple mostarda; ube-infused risotto topped with purple kale; and pansotti (triangular ravioli) with ramp farce, morel mushrooms, asparagus, brown butter, and périgord black truffle—with bold options like this, each visit is guaranteed to surprise and delight.
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Three Girls Vegan Creamery

16Three Girls Vegan Creamery

Guilford, CT

This 10-year-old Connecticut eatery is an essential of Connecticut’s vegan scene. Local favorites include gnocchi pomodoro with whipped ricotta, Chicken Milanese with mozzarella, Lasagna Egg Rolls, and the heat-at-home pizzas that have earned a devoted following. For a deeper dive into the expertise on offer, book a six-course chef’s dinner, featuring seasonal menu items like warm fondue, chicken piccata, and limoncello cheesecake.
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Julie Goes Green

17 Julie Goes Green

Los Angeles, CA

The menu at this casual Los Angeles spot leans indulgent yet healthful. Alongside classic pastas and pizzas, you’ll find crowd-pleasers like creamy fettuccine Alfredo, chicken parm pasta, truffle fries, buffalo cauliflower, and loaded pies topped with everything from vegan pepperoni to avocado.
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Civico

18Civico

Los Angeles, CA & San Diego, CA 

Civico 2064 and Civico 1845 have been quietly setting the standard for vegan-friendly Italian dining for years. Owner and chef Pietro Gallo created a dedicated vegan menu inspired by classic Italian family recipes, reimagined with modern techniques and plant-based ingredients without losing the heart of the originals. From saucy pasta dishes and comforting Southern Italian specialties to decadent desserts, Civico delivers an authentic Italian experience that makes vegan diners feel fully part of the tradition—not like an afterthought.
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19 Plant Based Mafia

Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Leaning fully into big, red-sauce Italian comfort with a playful attitude and seriously hearty portions, this Florida spot has become a local favorite. They’re serving up dishes like Meatballa Parmigiana with fresh-made meatballs and sweet ricotta, fried chicken parm over angel hair pasta, and stacked lasagna layered with mozzarella, basil ricotta, and plenty of sauce just like Nonna’s.
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Happy Cow

20 John’s of 12th Street

New York, NY

John’s of 12th Street is further evidence that even one of NYC’s oldest red-sauce institutions can evolve with the times. While the historic East Village restaurant isn’t fully vegan (this is the kind of old-school place that lists vegan meatballs under its vegetable section of the menu), it has built an impressively extensive separate plant-based menu featuring meatless versions of classic Italian American comfort dishes like grilled portobello mushroom over polenta and greens, seitan scallopini with Marsala wine sauce, and an ultra-rich vegan Alfredo. Thinking about skipping the dessert scoop of salted butter pecan ice cream? Fugghedaboutit.
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