Tired of scouring through the J&H cafeteria for the most edible no-meat option? Sick of only eating salads in the SAC? Whether you’ve been a vegetarian your entire life or made the switch in college (like I did freshman year after watching “Fast Food Nation” in class), finding tasty veg-friendly food and getting the right nutrients can become a daily struggle.
However, with a few subway tokens, a walk or a bike ride, you can treat yourself every now and then to the best that Philadelphia has to offer for animal lovers or meat industry haters alike.
Hip City Veg – 127 S. 18th St. – Center City
What more could you want in a name? Hip City Veg is as hip as it sounds and tastes even better. The menu is filled with seitan delights such the arugula taco salad, the fajita wrap, the “Buffalo Bella” (BBQ style Crispy Portabella) and my personal favorite, the “Crispy HipCity Ranch,” which is better than any chicken sandwich at Chick fil’A. Grab a side of sweet potato fries, kale lemonade and a spot in the grass in Rittenhouse Square.
Pizza Brain 2313 Frankford Ave – Fishtown; Blackbird – 507 S. 6th St. – South Street
Pizza makes the world go round, right? Well if you decide to go all the way and become a vegan, you don’t have to worry about giving up the best thing in life. If you still want to consume pizza on a weekly (or daily, no judgments here) basis, ditch City View and head to Pizza Brain or Blackbird for the cheesiest non-cheese slice of pie.
Govinda’s – 1408 South St.
Everyone knows Philadelphia is the cheesesteak capital of the world. Whenever I tell people I live in Philadelphia, I get the standard “Do you like Pat’s or Geno’s?” Personally, nothing appeals to me less than racists and meat in the same place, so I prefer to sit down for a sautéed pepper steak sandwich or a chicken cheese steak (all seitan) at Govinda’s. If that’s not your thing, munch on anything from vegetarian chicken salsa soup, to chimichangas, to the fried “shrimp” salad.
Little Baby’s – 4903 Catherine St.
And after you think you’ve satisfied every craving, head back to the other side of Pizza Brain or over to West Philadelphia for some of the weirdest and most delicious ice cream in the city at Little Baby’s. With varieties ranging from constantly changing non-dairy and dairy flavors, you can go crazy and get anything from spicy honey mustard to Earl Grey Sriracha, or you can play it safe with bourbon vanilla and coconut chai.
Being a vegetarian in the city is a lot easier and a lot more fun than you might think. As long as you learn to keep yourself healthy most days of the week, in between classes, papers and parties, the city will show you the rest if you venture a little further out into the world of “veg” that awaits you.