Being/becoming a vegan, vegetarian, or having some type of dietary restriction is quite common in society. With the influx of vegan restaurants that are being built around all major cities and the number of vegan/vegetarian options being added to menus at regular food establishments, adapting to a new dietary lifestyle is easier now more than ever. Fast food restaurants, such as Burger King, even have at least one menu item that is catered to the vegan community.
In case you are not sure if becoming a vegan or vegetarian is the right move for you, here are my top 3 vegan restaurants that are in the city of Atlanta.
Of course, the first restaurant that must be mentioned when on the topic of vegan is THE Slutty Vegan.
Slutty Vegan was founded by its CEO Pinky Cole, a Clark Atlanta University alumna. Founded in 2018, Cole wanted to be able to introduce vegan options to people who have never considered lifestyle change, especially in communities in which food-related medical issues were common.
A few items on the Slutty Vegan menu are
- Chik’n (Chicken) Head: Plant-based chicken tossed in buffalo sauce topped with pickles, vegan ranch and coleslaw on a vegan Hawaiian bun.
- One Night Stand: Plant-based patty loaded with vegan bacon, vegan cheese, caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, and our Slut Sauce on a vegan Hawaiian bun.
- Heaux (Ho) Boy: Vegan shrimp tossed in a New Orleans style batter, loaded with lettuce, tomato, pickle, and our Slut Sauce on a vegan Hawaiian bun.
- Menage a trois: Plant-based patty loaded with vegan bacon, vegan shrimp, vegan cheese, caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, and our Slut Sauce on a vegan Hawaiian bun. *My personal favorite
All the sandwiches do come with fries, but no drink, and the prices are between $15 and $20. It can get on the pricey side, depending on which meal you choose, but Slutty Vegan is worth the hype and money. Water is only one dollar and in addition to a hearty, healthy meal you can also purchase healthy desserts which average about four dollars.
Another reason why Slutty Vegan is my number one, all-time favorite vegan restaurant is that the owner, Pinky Cole, is a college-educated African American woman. I fully support black-owned businesses. Additionally, Cole has created the Pinky Cole Foundation that mentors and finances children entrepreneurs’ businesses. Cole has also paid off the financial aid debt of 30 collegiate students at Clark Atlanta University.
2. Villy’s ATL
Villy’s ATL is a pop-up restaurant that specializes in vegan meals and a basket of delicious vegan fried Oreos. Villy’s began during the pandemic and delivered tasty vegan meals to people in the Atlanta area, specifically Little Five Points.
A few of Villy’s menu items are
- Villy’s Crunch Wrap: Taco seasoned impossible meat, lettuce, tomato, plant-based pepper jack cheese, crinkle cut fries, crunchy tostada, and topped with Villy’s Sauce. 100% Plant-based.
- Hot Mac Chick’n Sandwich: House made Fried Chick’n Fillet tossed in our House-Made Buffalo Sauce, and top with our famous Mac N’ Cheese. Served on a toasted bun with Pickles and Villy Sauce. 100% Plant-based. Villy’s Fries Included. *My personal favorite.
- Sweet Thai Chick’N Sandwich: House made Fried Chick’n Fillet tossed in our House-Made Sweet Thai Chili Sauce. Served on a toasted with Slaw, Pickles and Villy Sauce. 100% Plant-based. Villy’s Fries Included.
Just like Slutty Vegan, all the meals at Villy’s ATL do come with fries, but no drink. Drinks are not available for purchase at Villy’s. All menu items at the restaurant range from a price between 13 and 16 dollars. You can purchase the side items separately if you would like or a dessert.
While Slutty Vegan is a restaurant that has a physical location, Villy’s is not. Villy’s is strictly a pop-up, pick-up and delivery service. Villy’s is also a black-owned business.
Dulce Vegan is a café, bakery & coffee shop that specializes in all vegan products. The owners began specializing in organic goods in 2007 and opened their first restaurant in 2011; they have been growing ever since. “We believe that we make the kind of food that can change the world, and change our relationship to the world in turn…,” Dulce Vegan stated.
A few of their delicious menu items are
- Egg, Bacon, Avocado, and Aioli Biscuit Sandwich: Breakfast sandwich on a biscuit with vegan soy-based egg, tempeh bacon, avocado, and aioli.
- Salted Caramel Cake: Vanilla cake with salted caramel frosting and an oatmeal lace cookie.
- Chia Pudding Bowl: SF & GF Chia pudding with strawberry compote, granola, and coconut cream
Unlike Slitty Vegan and Villy’s ATL, Dulce Vegan Bakery and Café do not serve full meals. I consider them to be the Starbucks of the vegan world.
Dulce Vegan Bakery and Café are owned by women of color in the LGBTQ+ community whose mission is to serve delicious healthy, organic food choices to those who have allergies or people just wanting a healthy substitution for their regular food.
Whether you are already vegan, wanting to try something new before a lifestyle change, or just want to see what the hype is about any of these three restaurants will definitely have you full and wanting more.