Vegan Comfort Food & Soul Food in the Twin Cities

Brasa Premium Rotisserie is a vegan-friendly Southern and Creole restaurant at 600 E Hennepin Ave in Northeast Minneapolis, with a second location in St. Paul, priced at $$. While known for rotisserie meats, Brasa's vegetable sides and plant-based options are destination-worthy on their own. The yams with bourbon and brown sugar, collard greens, corn maque choux, and black-eyed peas are all prepared without meat products (confirm when ordering). Build a vegetable plate of any three sides for a satisfying meal. The cornbread is phenomenal. Perfect for dining with mixed groups.

Heal sits in a striking red-brick former bank building at 42nd Street and Lyndale Avenue in North Minneapolis, and the space feels every bit as intentional as its name. Owner Sierra Carter, a music executive and trained herbalist, opened the cafe as a community pop-up during the 2020 uprisings before turning it into a permanent fixture in 2021. The name is an acronym: herbs, eats, all love. The menu draws on African diasporic flavors and Carter's Southern family roots. Tinga cabbage tacos, banana chia seed pudding, a Mississippi Bae Bowl with pan-fried catfish cakes (yes, truly plant-based), and fresh-pressed juices round out a menu that changes with what's in season and what's healing. Organic locally roasted coffee and custom-blended teas make Heal a strong morning anchor too. Beyond the food, the space functions as a healing center. An in-house apothecary stocks over 130 herbs for purchase. Books on self-help and wellness line the shelves. Goods from local Black makers fill the shop floor. A floor-to-ceiling tropical rainforest mural bathes the dining room in green, and plants drip from the ceiling — the effect is immersive and genuinely calming. Black-owned and women-owned, Heal is one of the most distinctive and community-rooted plant-based spaces in the Twin Cities.

J. Selby's is a 100% vegan restaurant in Saint Paul's Cathedral Hill neighborhood, serving plant-based takes on American comfort food and fast food classics. The menu features the legendary Crunchwrap (vegan taco meat in a grilled flour tortilla), crispy fried lion's mane mushroom wings, and the indulgent Dirty Double burger with secret sauce. Weekend brunch offers bottomless mimosas and hearty breakfast burritos. Dairy-free shakes, sundaes, and extra-thick Frostbites with mix-ins like cookie dough round out the menu.

Lutunji Abrams is best known for her peach cobbler, and her vegan version with flaky coconut oil crust is equally sumptuous. This Elliot Park bakery specializes in all kinds of vegan treats, many of them gluten-free: coconut macaroons, cashew milk ice cream, and Oreo 'cheezecake.' Savory options include plant-based omelets and croissant sandwiches. Lutunji's warmth and dedication to craft shine through in every bite. A hidden gem that deserves more attention.

Trio Plant-Based is the first Black-owned, 100% plant-based soul food restaurant in Minneapolis. Founded by Louis Hunter after six years on West Lake Street, Trio relocated to Midtown Global Market (920 E Lake St) in March 2026 and is now part of the East Court food hall. The menu is rooted in comfort: buffalo mac & cheese, slow-cooked collard greens, jackfruit barbecue ribs, and hearty burgers and wraps — all fully plant-based. This is the kind of soul food that doesn't require compromise; every dish is built to satisfy. Trio has always stood for more than food — it's grounded in resilience, community, and healing, values that Louis Hunter has centered from the start. Midtown Global Market is a vibrant multicultural food hall at the heart of the Lake Street corridor. Trio fits right in: accessible, community-focused, and one of the most meaningful vegan spots in the city.