Eating Vegan In Philly: Omni Restaurants

Our trip cancelled due to Irene but here is my post as scheduled:

I don’t know if you’ve picked up on this yet but I am a crazy planner.  My husband likes to pick on me because I will do 50+ hours of research for a weekend trip.  However he won’t complain when we get there and I know where the good things are (as long as I don’t get us lost).  One of the biggest projects I take on is finding great places with vegan eats.  Yes I know there are tons of vegan/vegetarian places in Philly but we are going with omni friends so it is important for me to find places that are good for both of us. Here is my guide to Philly (omni restaurant) dining (FYI this gives you an idea of what you can eat at these restaurants it is not a review of the restaurant because frankly I haven’t been- I will do a review of the ones we do visit upon our return):

 Rating system: 

• 1 –> 3 or less vegan options
• 2 –> 4-5 vegan options (at least one entree)
• 3 –> 6-7 vegan options (at least one entree)
• 4 –> 8-9 vegan options (at least two entrees)
• 5 –> 10+ vegan options (at least two entrees)

• The Capellini & Sauteed Tofu
• FARMiCiA Salad
• Tuscan Grain Salad
• Beet & Fennel Salad
• French Lentil Salad
• Mega Dose of Vegetables & Grains
• Tres Tamales
• Corn Risotto Croquettes
• Scrambled Tofu & Vegan Chorizo Sausage atop vegan sopaipilla w/ refried black beans & avocado salsa (brunch only)
• Coconut Lime & Mango(vegan) Sorbet

Verti Ristorante: 1312 Spruce Street, Philadelphia

Rating: 3

Now that summer is upon us, we have plenty of great vegan options. The farmers are dropping product off every day. We also have a variety of pastas that we make in house that do not contain eggs. We recently have been receiving polenta from upstate New York that is out of this world as well.

Options: Egg-less pasta with marinara, a marinara pizza, and vegetable anti-pasti platter.

 The following dishes are or can be made vegan:

• Appetizers- roasted beet and watermelon chaat salad; chilled sesame cucumber; english pea-potato samosas
• Entrees- vegetarian thali; south indian “uttapam”
• Breads- carrot-coconut paratha; potato paratha
• Sides- chana masala; grilled asparagus; spicy tomato cauliflower

El Rey: 2013 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19103 215.563.3330
Rating: 5

The following is a list of dishes that are vegan or can be modified to be vegan:

• Sopa de Hongos (wild mushroom soup)
• Chayote Salad (corn pickled red onion, avocado, lime vinaigrette)
• Sopa de Tortilla **NO chicharron/ NO cheese/ NO crema (tomato broth, crisp tortilla)
• Guacamole with tortilla chips
• Chips & salsa
• Zucchini blossoms & corn quesadilla **NO cheese
• Huitlacoche (mexican corn truffle) quesadilla **NO cheese
• Chilaquiles **ONLY tossed in salsa verde / NO egg, NO cheese, NO crema
• Black Bean enchiladas **NO cheese, NO crema
• Portobello tacos **NO shallots
• **VEGGIE Gorditas **NO hard boiled egg
• **VEGGIE tostada **NO cheese, NO crema
• Rice
• Refried black beans **NO cheese
• Corn on the cob **NO cheese
• Esquites (warm corn salad)

Royal Tavern: 937 East Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia

Rating: 3

Vegan Options:

Brunch:

• Tofu & Tempeh Hash roasted tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, breakfast potatoes, toast
• Vegan Bacon

Lunch:

• Wakame Seaweed & Soba Noodle Salad tofu croutons, cucumbers, red bell peppers, toasted peanuts, ginger dressing
• Tempeh Club  grilled tempeh, vegan bacon, lettuce, tomato, basil aioli
• Vegan Sloppy Joe vegan beef, spicy tomato sauce, smoked coleslaw, pickled jalapeños
• Grilled Sweet Potato Bánh Mì bibb lettuce, jícama, carrots, pickled daikon, jalapeños, cilantro aioli
• Chips ‘n’ Salsa

Dinner: (lunch options plus)

• Mixed Greens Salad  bacon, grilled asparagus, tangelo, shaved fennel, grana padano, limoncello vinaigrette
• Refried Bean
• Grilled Asparagus
• Grilled Stuffed Grape Leave

Rating: TBD (three explicitly vegan options- there maybe more)

There may be brunch and lunch options- I would call them directly to find out.
Vegan Dinner options:

• Vegan Beef Tacos – topped with onions and cilantro
• Vegan Beef Burrito – flour tortilla with rice and black beans
• Fajitas Vegan – wild mushrooms, peppers, onions, black beans, white rice, pico de gallo, guacamole, flour tortillas  with seitan chicken and smoked tofu

Vegan Options

• Mixta Salad- avocado, hearts of palm, jicama, orange sections, radishes, almonds, mixed greens, piquin chile vinaigrette
• Nopal Salad- grilled cactus paddle, red onion, tomato, jalapeno, pumpkin seeds, mixed greens, smoked paprika vinaigrette
• Papaya Salad – green papaya, papaya escabeche, avocado, red onion,cilantro, papaya seed vinaigrette
• Gucacamole- with chips
• Tacos – topped with onions, cilantro with vegetables or vegan beef
• Burrito- flour tortilla with white rice, black beans, onions, cilantro with vegetables or vegan beef
• Yuca fries
• Wild Mexican Greens
• Amaranth Salad

Kyhber Pass Pub: 56 South Second Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106 |T 215.238.5888

Rating: 4

Vegan Options:

• Fresh Popped  Vegan Buttered Popcorn cajun seasoning
• Vegan BBQ Pulled Pork spicy vinegar-ketchup barbecue sauce, coleslaw
• Grilled  Vegan Sausage our seitan sausage patties, lettuce,roasted poblanos, red onion, pickles, creole mustard, vegan mayo
• Po-boys  Leidenheimer roll, dressed with lettuce, tomato, pickles, vegan mayo, creole mustard with vegan fried chicken
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Fries
• Collard Greens
• Mashed Potatoes
• Vegan Coleslaw

Memphis Taproom: 2331 East Cumberland Street, Philadelphia, PA 19125

Rating: 4

Vegan Options

Brunch:

• VEGAN ROOSTER -Tofu scramble with vegan blood sausage, smoked coconut, roasted new potatoes and toast
• MIX GREEN SALAD -English cucumbers, wit bier citronett
• VEGGIEBURGER -Roasted vegetable, white bean and quinoa patty, with lettuce and tomato

Lunch/Dinner:

• MIX GREEN SALAD -English cucumbers, wit bier citronett
• VEGGIEBURGER -Roasted vegetable, white bean and quinoa patty, with lettuce and tomato
• GRILLED PEACH -Buckwheat noodles, sesame, cucumber, cilantro
• CHARRED STRING BEANS-roasted red pepper cumin vinaigrette
• CHICKEN FRIED PORTABELLO-Basil mayo, iceberg, spicy pickles
• SMOKED COCONUT CLUB -Grilled lemon garlic tofu, smoked coconut, tomato herb mayo
• SHITAKE SHNITZEL-Smoked potato salad, braised red cabbage, mustard “cream” sauce

• Coffee, Tea, Lattes
• Vegan Treats
• Tofu Scramble with roasted vegetables, hash browns and toast
• Tofu Egg Sandwich curried tofu roasted vegetable scramble with lettuce and tomato on a bagel
• Vegan Pancakes with blueberry jam and Earth Balance
• One Shot Oatmeal- steel cut oats, raisins, almond, cinnamon and sugar
• The Happy HummusWrap
• Hummus Salad
• Vegan Scrapple
• Bagel dry or with Earth Balance

The Franklin Fountain: 116 Market Street Philadelphia 

Rating: 5 (because it has vegan ice cream and thats why you go there)

Good Dog Bar: 224 South 15th Street,Philadelphia, PA 19102
Rating: 3

Vegan Options:

• Beet Salad- without the horseradish cram
• Drunken Hummus
• Veggie Burger- without the curry mayo
• Vegetarian Sloppy Joe
• Fries
• Side of Vegetable

Vegan Options

• Warm Spinach Dip & Pita Chips Roasted garlic, fried onions, mornay sauce
• Mixed Green SaladEnglish cucumbers, grape tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette
• Chips-N-Dip Sea-salt chips, French onion dip
• Grilled Peach Salad Avocado, baby arugula, sesame wasabi vinaigrette
• Shrooms and Chips  Chicken-fried portabella strips, maple mustard, red bbq sauce
• Mac Provencal  Sundried tomatoes, soy mornay, olives, rosemary, orange zest
• Pastrami Spiced Seitan Reuben-Sauerkraut, Secret Sauce, rye
• Black Bean Burger -Served with lettuce, tomato and onion and a pile of handcut fries

Black N Brew: 1523 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia

Rating: 3

Vegan Options

Breakfast:

• Oatmeal Served with your choice of brown sugar, raisins, blueberries, bananas, maple syrup,
• Tofu Scramble Tofu, salsa, black beans, hummus, and curry seasoning. Served with greens and toast.
• Vegan Blueberry Bars
• Vegan Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Lunch:

• Hummus Duo Garlic Hummus, hummus of the day, sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, roasted peppers, warmed curried pita bread
• Hummus Wrap With lettuce, tomato & cucumber
• HOMEMADE VEGETARIAN CHILI (vegan, GF)  Served with bread

Morimoto: 723 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia
Rating: 4

Vegan Options:

A number of dishes on the dinner menu are vegan or can be modified to be vegan.  These dishes include:

• edamame
• yosedofu
• cha soba noodles
• inaniwa udon noodles
• house green salad
• tomato salad
• seasonal vegetable maki
• shiitake maki
• ume-shiso-cucumber maki
• wasabi rice
• (not printed on the menu) a vegan version of the entrees – seafood toban yaki and the ishi yaki bop with tofu.
• As for desserts there is an assortment of micro-batch sorbets (with at least 1 vegan sorbet) and a coffee jelly dessert.
• Also, they offer a chef’s 7-9 course tasting menu. If you are interested in the Omakase and a vegetarian/vegan diner, the chef prefers advance notice to source ingredients.

White Dog Cafe: 3420 Sansom Street, Philly
Rating: 3

Vegan Options:

• Mesquite Grilled Tofu Kebobs- Organic Local Tofu, Jersey Fresh Vegetables, Cous Cous Salad, Blue Moon Arugula Greens
• Trio of Hummus- Kalamata Olive, Roasted Garlic, Roasted Red Pepper, Tandoori Bread, Cucumbers, Baby Carrots, Broccoli
• Grilled Kennett Square Portobello & Spicy Cress Sandwich- Multi Grain Bread, Sun Dried Tomato & White Bean Hummus
• Seitan Chickpea Dosas- Sautéed Seitan, Onions, Peppers, Curry Coconut Cream, Chickpea Pancakes
• Vegan Chocolate Layer Cake- Port Poached Cherries