TL;DR
Minneapolis has a genuinely strong plant-based restaurant scene. Fully vegan anchors: Herbivorous Butcher (Northeast), Reverie Cafe + Bar (Powderhorn), J. Selby's (St. Paul), Francis Burger Joint (Northeast), Trio Plant-Based (closed 2024, remembered). Top vegan-friendly picks: Hai Hai, Black Sheep Pizza, Galactic Pizza (closed), Brasa, Gandhi Mahal, Everest on Grand. Best neighborhoods: Northeast Minneapolis and Uptown. This guide covers all of them with addresses, what to order, and honest notes on which spots fully commit to plant-based dining.
Plant-Based Restaurants Minneapolis: The Full Guide (2026)
Minneapolis has quietly become one of the better Midwest cities for plant-based eating. This guide covers every category: the fully vegan anchors, the best vegan-friendly spots across cuisines, the neighborhoods to target, and honest notes on what works and what is just marketing.
The 4 Fully Plant-Based Restaurants in the Twin Cities
These are the spots where 100% of the menu is plant-based by default. No menu interrogation, no substitution requests.
1. Herbivorous Butcher — Northeast Minneapolis
507 1st Ave NE, Minneapolis MN 55413 Type: Vegan butcher shop and deli counter Best for: Charcuterie boards, seitan meats, vegan cheese, deli sandwiches
The most famous fully plant-based business in Minnesota. Kale and Aubry Walch opened Herbivorous Butcher in 2016 as the first vegan butcher shop in the United States, and it has been a national landmark for plant-based eating ever since.
The model is simple: everything in the case looks like a butcher counter — sliced meats, sausages, cheese rounds, specialty cuts — and all of it is plant-based. The seitan is genuinely good in a way that converts skeptics. The deli counter serves sandwiches with house-made meats and house vegan cheese on fresh bread.
Order this: The Rueben. House-made corned beef, sauerkraut, Thousand Island, toasted marble rye. It is the demo dish, and it holds up. Pick up some pepperoni for homemade pizza on the way out.
Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, check their site for current hours. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
2. Reverie Cafe + Bar — Powderhorn
2506 E 26th St, Minneapolis MN 55406 Type: All-vegan cafe and bar Best for: Coffee, cocktails, dark chocolate beignets, evening hang
Reverie is the neighborhood anchor of vegan Minneapolis. It runs as a cafe through the day and transitions into a cocktail bar in the evening, and every item on the menu — food and drink — is plant-based by default.
The cocktail program is built to avoid the common pitfalls (honey syrup, egg whites, dairy) without calling attention to it. You order a cocktail. It is vegan. No note required.
Order this: Dark chocolate beignets. Whatever seasonal cocktail the bartender recommends. If you are going in the morning, the coffee and pastry situation is solid.
The vibe: Powderhorn neighborhood warmth. Community-oriented, independent, relaxed. Regular events including trivia and open mic nights.
3. Francis Burger Joint — Northeast Minneapolis
[Verify current address — Francis has operated multiple NE locations] Type: Fully vegan smash burger bar Best for: Smash burgers, vegan wings, sports viewing, late-night
Francis is the plant-based sports bar Minneapolis needed. Loud, casual, TVs on the walls, full beer list, smash burgers, vegan wings, loaded fries. Every single menu item is plant-based. You can bring a non-vegan friend and they will not notice until you tell them.
Order this: Double smash burger, add crispy onions. Wings for the table. Beer from the tap.
Why it matters: Francis removes the apologetic register that can follow plant-based dining. It is not asking permission. It is just a good bar with good food that happens to be fully vegan.
4. J. Selby's — Cathedral Hill, St. Paul
169 Victoria St N, Saint Paul MN 55104 Type: Fully vegan American comfort food restaurant Best for: The Crunchwrap, lion's mane wings, weekend brunch
J. Selby's is in St. Paul, not Minneapolis, but it belongs on every plant-based restaurant list for the Twin Cities. It is widely considered the most celebrated fully vegan restaurant in the metro — the kind of place that converts skeptics and earns return visits from people who were already convinced.
Order this: The Crunchwrap. Always the Crunchwrap first visit. On weekend brunch, add the breakfast burrito with bottomless mimosas.
Hours: Wednesday through Sunday. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Brunch Sunday from 10am.
Best Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in Minneapolis
These are not fully vegan, but they have serious plant-based menus — not an afterthought salad.
Hai Hai — Northeast Minneapolis
2121 University Ave NE, Minneapolis MN 55418 Cuisine: Southeast Asian street food Vegan options: Labeled vegan small plates throughout the menu, vegan-friendly frozen cocktails
Hai Hai is one of the best restaurant experiences in Northeast regardless of diet. For plant-based eaters, the labeled vegan section gives you multiple genuine options, not a default tofu swap on a non-vegan dish. The frozen cocktail program is excellent and mostly plant-based by default (ask about specific drinks).
Cocktail watch: Some drinks may include fish sauce as a savory element in Southeast Asian cocktail programs. Ask about any drink described as umami or savory.
Black Sheep Pizza — North Loop & Northeast
600 N Washington Ave, Minneapolis (North Loop) + Northeast location Cuisine: Coal-fired pizza, plant-based cheese available Vegan options: Any pizza built with dairy-free cheese sub, coal-fired crust is the best in the city
Black Sheep's coal-fired oven produces a blistered, slightly charred crust that is genuinely excellent. The dairy-free cheese is available on any pie. Build your own or ask the server for their current plant-based recommendation.
Brasa Rotisserie — Northeast & Southwest
600 E Hennepin Ave (Northeast) | 2 Locations Cuisine: Rotisserie, Latin American-influenced Vegan options: Several vegan sides and proteins, clearly labeled
Brasa is a reliable plant-based option for mixed groups. The sides are the strength: black beans, yuca, roasted plantains, and seasonal vegetable preparations that stand alone as a meal. The protein options include plant-based proteins on rotation [verify current menu].
Gandhi Mahal — Seward (Reopened 2026)
3025 E Franklin Ave, Minneapolis MN 55406 Cuisine: Indian, urban farm-to-table Vegan options: Deep vegetarian and vegan menu, farm ingredients grown on-site
Gandhi Mahal reopened in 2026 after the original building was destroyed. The restaurant operates an urban farm and sources produce from it. The vegetarian and vegan menu depth is among the best in the city for Indian cuisine.
Everest on Grand — Grand Avenue, St. Paul
1278 Grand Ave, Saint Paul MN 55105 Cuisine: Himalayan (Nepali and Tibetan) Vegan options: Extensive vegetarian and vegan menu by tradition
Himalayan cuisine is naturally vegan-friendly because of the tradition of vegetarian Buddhist cooking built into the culinary heritage. Everest on Grand has one of the strongest plant-based menus on Grand Avenue, with momos (dumplings), dal, and seasonal vegetable dishes that are vegan by default.
Wrecktangle Pizza — Uptown
Type: Detroit and Roman-style pizza Vegan options: Violife cheese available on any pie, plant-based toppings
The best thick-crust plant-based pizza in Minneapolis. Wrecktangle does Detroit-style squares and Roman rectangles with a chewy, airy crust. Ask for Violife cheese [verify current cheese brand].
Best Neighborhoods for Plant-Based Eating
Northeast Minneapolis leads. Herbivorous Butcher, Francis Burger Joint, Hai Hai, Black Sheep NE, Brasa, Centro — all within a short drive of each other. If you are visiting Minneapolis for plant-based food, start here.
Uptown is the runner-up. Wrecktangle, multiple coffee shops, the Wedge Co-op grocery, and a neighborhood demographic that supports plant-based dining.
Powderhorn has Reverie as its anchor. Small neighborhood, but Reverie alone justifies the trip.
St. Paul (Grand Ave / Cathedral Hill) has J. Selby's and Everest on Grand as the key destinations.
Plant-Based Grocery and Co-ops
The plant-based infrastructure in Minneapolis includes several strong co-op grocery stores with deep vegan sections:
- Seward Co-op (Franklin Ave, Seward) — the flagship, strongest bulk and specialty vegan product section in the metro
- The Wedge Community Co-op (Wedge neighborhood, Uptown) — strong produce and vegan prepared foods
- Lakewinds Food Co-op (multiple suburban locations) — good option for west and south suburbs
- Mississippi Market (multiple St. Paul locations) — the St. Paul equivalent
For vegan specialty products, Herbivorous Butcher is in a category of its own.
How mplsvegan.com Can Help
Browse our full directory of Minneapolis vegan restaurants, filter by neighborhood on the neighborhoods page, or find specific cuisine types in our guides:
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best fully plant-based restaurants in Minneapolis?
The fully plant-based (100% vegan) restaurants in Minneapolis and nearby St. Paul are: Herbivorous Butcher (Northeast Minneapolis, vegan butcher shop and deli), Reverie Cafe + Bar (Powderhorn, all-vegan cafe and bar), Francis Burger Joint (Northeast, vegan smash burgers and bar food), and J. Selby's (Cathedral Hill, St. Paul — the Twin Cities' most celebrated fully vegan restaurant). These four are the anchors of the plant-based dining scene in the metro.
Where can I find plant-based food in Minneapolis without being vegan?
Minneapolis has dozens of restaurants with strong plant-based sections that work for mixed groups. Hai Hai (Northeast) has labeled vegan small plates and cocktails. Brasa (Northeast and Southwest) runs a rotisserie with several vegan sides and proteins. Gandhi Mahal (Seward, reopened 2026) has a deep vegetarian and vegan menu rooted in Indian cuisine with an urban farm. Black Sheep Pizza (North Loop, Northeast) does vegan pies with dairy-free cheese on any build. Any of these works for a table where one person eats plant-based.
Is Minneapolis a good city for plant-based eating?
Yes, and it punches above its weight for a Midwest city. Minneapolis has four fully vegan restaurants (Herbivorous Butcher, Reverie, Francis Burger Joint, and J. Selby's in St. Paul), a thriving vegan co-op grocery infrastructure (Seward Co-op, the Wedge, Lakewinds), and a food culture that has steadily expanded its plant-based options over the past decade. Northeast Minneapolis in particular has become a dense plant-based dining corridor.
What is the best neighborhood for plant-based restaurants in Minneapolis?
Northeast Minneapolis is the strongest neighborhood for plant-based dining. It has Herbivorous Butcher (vegan butcher shop), Francis Burger Joint (fully vegan bar and grill), Hai Hai (vegan-friendly Southeast Asian), Black Sheep Pizza NE (vegan-friendly pizza), Brasa Rotisserie (vegan-friendly), and Centro (vegan-friendly Mexican). Uptown is the runner-up, with Wrecktangle Pizza, Burch Butcher & Bar, Cuzzy's, and the Ecopolitan legacy keeping plant-based options in front of the neighborhood's demographic.
Are there plant-based options at Minneapolis farmers markets?
Yes. The Mill City Farmers Market (Saturdays, May through October) consistently has plant-based prepared food vendors. The Minneapolis Farmers Market (open daily, May through November, Lyndale Ave location) has a mix of produce vendors where you can build a vegan haul. Herbivorous Butcher sells their products at select markets. Check the specific market website each season for current vendors.