Many people have reached out to me over the years to ask about what vegan restaurant options there are in Lafayette, LA. I think back to the most recent places I’ve enjoyed, or the most common spots we hit up, surely leaving out some real gems in the moment that I’m trying to quickly type a response.
So I decided it was time – we need a comprehensive Vegan Guide to Lafayette. Some of you may be thinking that there won’t be much to find in Lafayette for vegan food, but I’m here to tell you that you’re wrong because it has been growing right before our eyes!
So here it is! Undoubtedly, I am still missing some rock star options – let me know in the comments below or on Instagram (@cajun.vegan). I would love to try everything & share my thoughts on our hub city’s best vegan food. As always, make sure you check the menu for non-vegan additions like mayo and cheese when ordering. And be aware that different restaurants have different practices in the kitchen area – if you are concerned about cross-contamination, always ask before ordering to be safe.
Breakfast/Brunch
Jak’s Donuts (Broussard location only) – I almost dropped my phone when I saw that we had a local donut shop rolling out REAL donuts & donut holes (i.e. not cake donuts). They offer regular, chocolate, strawberry, & lemon donuts. I have tried them all and can tell you that these are the bomb. Especially the donut holes. Please note that these are only at the Broussard location, and only available Friday – Sunday.
Reve Coffee Lab – in addition to the usual coffee and tea you would expect, this River Ranch coffee spot is known to have at least one vegan baked good in the bakery case and a tasty oatmeal on the breakfast menu.
Scratch Kitchen – this farmer’s market vendor, turned food truck, turned restaurant has been adding some great vegan options lately. For breakfast, they routinely offer a breakfast burrito that can be prepared vegan with their rotating version of their housemade veg patty. They also periodically have vegan biscuits, which are a must!
Lunch/Dinner
Athena’s – there are many Greek/Lebanese restaurants in Lafayette, and I’m sure you know how good Greek food is… But I will point out that Athena’s stands out in 2 ways – they have a lunch buffet (Ambassador Caffery location) and also my very favorite hummus (and I have tried a lot of hummus). Beware though: the complimentary lentil soup is not vegan (contains chicken broth).
Bangkok Thai – the Cashew Nut Stir Fry with Tofu is a favorite here, but there are multiple options to choose from here including curry & other flavorful Thai dishes. If you are craving a sweet dessert, check out the mango coconut sticky rice.
The Beet Juice Bar – in addition to fresh juices, The Beet has a cooler of grab-and-go meal options. A great meal they have regularly is a sweet potato loaded with black beans and cashew queso. Yum!
Bitter Judy’s Box – this farmers market vendor has amazing vegan “egg” rolls & vegan red curry. So flavorful & veggie-ful! She has a couple of other vegan menu items & specials that I can’t wait to try out as well.
Black Cafe – the Herbivore Burger (with housemade black bean patty) and the Veggie Wrap are available in this Fightingville cafe. Just make sure you leave off the cheese/dressing and ask to have the normal bun substituted with ciabatta. The housemade cilantro mayo is vegan. Add sweet potato fries with powdered sugar to really treat yourself!
Blaze Pizza – build your own style pizza with vegan cheese & vegan sausage as topping options (in addition to plenty of veggies).
Blu Basil – there are a few items on the menu that are pretty easily veganized. The tofu & avocado vermicelli bowl can be made vegan upon request, and it is my go-to here. Their tofu spring rolls are also a winner in my book.
Broaddus Burger – Impossible Burgers can be found regularly at Broaddus, and they have even hosted a few “vegan nights” with fun items such as Impossible Tacos & Sloppy Joe’s. Follow them on Facebook or Instagram to find out about any future events, or check them out to treat yourself to a burger & fries.
Impossible Burger 
Impossible Tacos
Burgersmith – here you will find one of my favorite burgers, which is a housemade black bean patty. The patty is packed with flavor, and I love that you can select all the toppings you want as well. I do recommend nixing the corn salsa that it comes with – I find that it makes the patty soggy & hard to eat.
Chipotle – this fast casual chain has build-you-own style burritos, tacos, salads, and bowls. I love their vegan protein “sofritas” made from flavorful braised tofu. PETA has a great post about how to order vegan at Chipotle, which you can read here.
Chuy’s – it’s hard to find restaurant refried beans that are lard-free. Yay for Chuy’s having these on the menu and for them being so delish! I almost always order the bean burrito (specify no cheese), but the veggie enchiladas are also great (specify no cheese).
Clean Juice Bar – juices, acai bowls, toasts, and fresh salads fill up the menu here. They also have a cinnamon cashew milk that legit tastes like Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
Di Jerk Stop – for a hearty vegan meal, you can grab the Ital Stew and Vegan Yellow Rice from this downtown Jamaican eatery.
El Pollo Loco – this eatery recently launched a chickenless vegan protein option nationwide, which makes a lot of their menu veganizable. If you’re not into vegan “meats” you can still order yummy bowls, tacos, etc featuring black beans, broccoli, and avocado. PETA has a very helpful post about how to order vegan at El Pollo Loco, which you can read here.
I Love Juice Bar – the menu here is almost all vegan, and it’s not just smoothies/juices. Although I do highly recommend the Coffee Janet smoothie! They have light & fresh lunch options too, like my favorite, the Nori Bowl.
Izumi Ramen – a few ramen restaurants have popped up in recent years, but I’m only going to list Izumi because it is by far the best in my opinion. I highly recommend the Japanese Garden bowl, which features kale noodles, mushrooms, corn, & nori. Make sure you ask for spicy if you like a kick!
Jason’s Deli – gotta love a good salad bar. You can also get the vegetarian vegetable soup, or a vegan version of the Zuchini Grillini sandwich.
Masala – there is an entire vegetarian/vegan section in the Masala menu, so you really have quite a few options here. My go-to’s are the veg samosas, chana masala, & dal tadka. You may find that Masala is a bit pricier than other Lafayette Indian options, but it really is better tasting in my opinion.
Northside Vegan – if this guide wasn’t in alphabetical order, Northside Vegan would have been at the very top. Kimba started doing pop-ups around town in 2019 and my belly has been happier ever since! She makes the best vegan soulfood & fast food. Some of my favorites are the mac-n-cheeze, fried oyster mushrooms, & cauliflower wings. And you can’t forget the burgers! For added coolness, she names all of the dishes after neighborhoods on the Northside. Follow @thenorthsidevegan on Instagram or Facebook to stay in the know on upcoming pop-ups in Lafayette & New Iberia.
Pamplona Tapas Bar– a very nice choice for a date night or other special meal out. Their menu changes pretty regularly (and isn’t always easy to interpret), but I have had no issues getting assistance from the wait staff with finding it creating vegan options. This spot is on the pricier end, but everything I’ve had has been so flavorful and did not disappoint.
Pimon Thai – while they do not have items specifically notated as vegan on the menu, the staff have always been very helpful with veganizing dishes. My favorite is the Thai Basil Fried Rice (no egg, oil instead of butter, add tofu). I’ve also heard amazing things about their mango sticky rice dessert.
Pizza Artista – build your own style pizza with vegan cheese & vegan sausage as topping options. I like to try different combos, and I’ve never had a bad pizza yet! The staff also go above and beyond to avoid cross contamination when you tell them you’re vegan. They also have a pretty cool selection of craft beers on their beer wall. Beware: the gluten-free crust is not vegan.
Poke Geaux – this was the first place I ever tried poke, and it remains my favorite. It’s a “build your own” style place, so you can make your bowl however you like. I personally go with the coconut rice, tofu, and lots of veggies.
Pop’s Poboys – another downtown option for lunch or dinner is the red bean falafel at Pop’s. You can have it on a poboy (skip the sauce) or add it to a salad (skip the cheese). My favorite here is the Roquette Salad (minus cheese, plus falafel). Their fries are also very tasty. Yes, I order fries with my salad.
Priya’s Indian Foods (formerly J&J Tacos) – Priya has been slinging awesome, homemade Indian food at the Horse Farm farmer’s market for quite some time now. She recently opened her physical restaurant on Johnston St & consistently has good vegan options (especially on “vegan village” Wednesdays). Tip: the samosas are always great, even for a farmer’s market breakfast at 9am.
Salad Station – lots of options here to build your own salad however you like! They also have baked potatoes.
Scratch Kitchen – this farm-to-table restaurant has been adding more vegan options lately, and I am so here for it. Everything is so flavorful & fresh. My favorites have to be the vegan burger & the vegan “pretty plate” (which is the housemade vegan patty with sides, and is pretty). They really put love into their food and you can taste it! Keep an eye on their Instagram @scratch_this because they will have other vegan specials from time to time.
Social – I love Social for a date night or to eat out with a group of friends. They offer the Beyond Burger and put their spin on it with the most delicious bun & vegan sauce. They also have awesome cocktails if you’re into that sort of thing. I’m into that sort of thing.
Taco Sisters – the tacos, salads, and burritos can all be made vegan here. Select one of the vegetarian options, then drop the cheese and sub the secret sauce for a vegan alternative (Verde, Chipotle, Freetown Fire, Cha Cha Churri, or Soy Ginger).
Taylormade Eats – Taylor has pop-up vegan plate lunches periodically, and I have been loving all the colorful, flavor-blasting plates. Jackfruit Chik’n & Waffles, Jackfruit Wings, Walnut Meat Taco Salad… they’ve all been slamming! Follow @taylormadeeats on Instagram or Facebook to see upcoming menus.
Tropical Smoothie Cafe – you can sub plant-based chicken to make just about anything on the menu vegan (just watch the cheeses/sauces). Or you can keep it vegi-ful with the Hummus Veggie Wrap (be sure to remove the cheese and ranch). I have also heard good things about the Blueberry Bliss and Sunrise Sunset smoothies.
Tsunami – this downtown restaurant is great for a date night. My go-to dinner here is the tofu roll. It is well seasoned and always comes with the most beautiful presentation. Beware that the miso soup is not vegan (contains fish broth).
The Vegan Angel – foodie angel offering vegan comfort meals like burgers, hot dogs, & loaded fries. I recently tried the breakfast vegan sausage & egg burrito. It reminded me of the pre-vegan days for sure (in a good way)! Check out their Facebook or Instagram for info on pop-ups or how to order for delivery or meet-up.
Whole Foods – this is obviously a grocery store, but they also have a wide selection of prepared vegan foods are great for lunch. They almost always have vegan pizza by the slice, vegan sushi, vegan sandwiches (in the cooler and at the sandwich bar), and a growing variety of vegan cookies, brownies, donuts, and other sweet treats.
Zorba’s – another solid option in the Greek/Lebanese circle. The thing that stands out to me about Zorba’s is the falafel – it’s my favorite in Lafayette.
Dessert/Other
Baskin Robbins – In 2019, Baskin Robbins introduced 2 vegan ice cream flavors – Chocolate Extreme and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. If you had to pick just one, I’d say go with the cookie dough.
Cakes from the Skyy – Skyy is a home-based baker and she makes beautifully decorated cakes. She can make vegan cakes upon request. I have not tried her cakes, but the vegan Mardi Gras king cake I ordered from her was the best I’ve ever had in Lafayette.
Carpe Diem Gelato – while this cafe is obviously mostly non-vegan gelato, they do typically have a vegan sorbet in the cooler. Great for grabbing a sweet treat to walk around downtown.
Dani Cakes Bakery – Dani is a home based baker who specializes in allergy-friendly treats, which happen to be mostly vegan. She also has gluten-free roux and muffin mixes.
Sacred Sunrise – you can find their kombucha periodically at the local farmers markets. The Fr. Richard (pineapple basil) is my go-to, but they always have new flavors popping into the rotation. Pro-tip: If you return your glass to them, you can get a discount on your next bottle. They sometimes sell out quickly, so don’t delay!
Whole Foods – some vegan items you can find ready to grab in the Whole Foods bakery are cookies, brownies, donuts, cake slices, and mochi. You can also pre-order whole sheet cakes.
Withered In Thyme – this pop-up baked goods vendor has been impressing me with all of the tasty treats I have tried lately (which has perhaps been too many)! I am very particular about cookies, so trust me when I say the cookie sandwiches are nothing short of dreamy. They also have beautiful cakes you can order in advance.
So that does it. This is my guide to eating the best of vegan in Lafayette, LA. I hope you (and your belly) find it useful! Did I miss your favorite? Drop a comment below & let me know what I should try next!
Hey there! I’m a business partner and chef at the new grocery store and cafe at Handy Stop (444 Jefferson St.) in Lafayette and we offer vegan and vegetarian options in our store and cafe area.
I will add Handy Stop to the guide. I plan to come by very soon to check out these vegan options! Thank you for letting me know.
I was wondering if the Vegan foods are cooked using the same grill/cooking utensils as other foods that are/contain animal by products. To be true vegan, food must not come in contact with animal products EVEN using the same grill “Contaminates” the Vegan product. So if you cook a meat burger and a vegan burger together the VBurger is no longer Vegan.
Hi! Thank you for your comment. This is a good point that we should all be aware of. I have added a note at the too of the guide to remind everyone to check with the restaurant when ordering. It is always best to double check and let them know our expectations when it comes to avoiding cross-contamination. Thank you!
What a great guide!
Thanks Mom 🙂
Broadus Burgers offers an Impossible Burger, not the Beyond Burger. I believe it’s the only place in Lafayette that offers this which is great because my daughter and I are Team Impossible!
Corrected! Thank you 😊
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I was wondering if you have ever tried the Vegetable Ramen at Tao’s? We were told the broth was vegetable and we sub udon noodles for the ramen noodles. It’s delicious!
Hi! Yes, I have. I prefer the other vegan dishes at Tao, and to get the vegan ramen from Izumi Ramen. But it is a good option at Tao as well. Thank you!