TL;DR
Best vegan breakfast in Minneapolis: May Day Cafe (7am daily, $, cash only, excellent tofu scramble), Hard Times Cafe (8am-midnight daily, vegan biscuits and gravy, big fat pancake), Seward Cafe (Thu-Sun, Earth Breakfast with scrambled tofu), Modern Times Cafe (9am daily, breakfast burritos and pancakes), French Meadow Bakery (7:30am daily, tofu scramble, vegan pastries), and Reverie Cafe + Bar (weekend brunch from 9:30am, fully vegan).
Vegan Breakfast in Minneapolis: Where to Eat Before the Rest of the City Wakes Up
Minneapolis has a genuinely strong vegan breakfast scene, and it runs across a wide range of formats: cheap and cash-only collective cafes, a bakery that has been doing tofu scrambles since before most vegans were born, a punk institution that opens at 8am and closes at midnight, and fully vegan spots that run dedicated weekend brunch menus.
The catch is knowing which places actually deliver on breakfast -- not just "we have oatmeal" but real morning food that vegans would choose on purpose. Below are six spots that clear that bar, plus a note on one vegan-friendly option near downtown.
Quick picks by situation:
- Best for an early start: May Day Cafe (7am, cash only, $)
- Best all-day option: Hard Times Cafe (8am to midnight)
- Best weekend brunch: Reverie Cafe + Bar (Sat/Sun from 9:30am)
- Best organic/bakery option: French Meadow Bakery (7:30am daily)
- Best in Seward: Seward Cafe (Thu-Sun, 8am)
- Best cheap weekday option: Modern Times Cafe (9am most days)
1. May Day Cafe -- The 7am Daily Anchor
Powderhorn | 3440 Bloomington Ave | $ | Mon-Sun 7:00 AM - 1:30 PM | Cash Only
May Day Cafe is the most reliable early-morning vegan option in Minneapolis. It opens at 7am every day of the week, the prices are among the lowest you will find for a sit-down breakfast, and the menu is designed around real morning food rather than token vegan options.
The tofu scramble is well-seasoned and consistently good. The tempeh hash is one of the stronger versions of the dish in the city. Vegan pancakes are on the menu alongside everything else. Fair trade coffee is the drink program. The space is cozy and colorful, with local art and community boards that give it an unmistakably neighborhood feel.
Cash only keeps things old school -- bring bills or use the ATM nearby.
What to order:
- Tofu scramble -- reliable, well-seasoned
- Tempeh hash -- a standout
- Vegan pancakes
- Fair trade coffee
Best for: Getting out the door early with a real meal. The best 7am option in South Minneapolis.
May Day is in the heart of Powderhorn, which has become one of the strongest neighborhoods for plant-based eating in the city. See our Powderhorn vegan guide for more.
2. Hard Times Cafe -- All-Day Breakfast Since 1992
Cedar-Riverside | 1821 Riverside Ave | $ | Daily 8:00 AM - Midnight | Cash Only
Hard Times Cafe is an institution. Collectively owned since 1992, it serves all-day breakfast from 8am to midnight seven days a week -- which means it is the answer to "where do I get vegan breakfast at 11pm in Minneapolis" as much as it is the answer to the 8am question.
The menu is fully vegetarian with extensive vegan options. The Helter Skelter -- hash browns with scrambled tofu -- is the signature plate and the thing to order your first time. The vegan biscuits with mushroom gravy are serious comfort food. The big fat pancake is exactly what it sounds like: one large, properly cooked pancake served with whatever you like on it.
Prices are some of the lowest in the city. ATM on-site for the cash-only policy.
The Cedar-Riverside location puts it close to the University of Minnesota, which means the regulars range from students to longtime neighborhood people who have been eating here for decades.
What to order:
- Helter Skelter -- hash browns and scrambled tofu
- Vegan biscuits with mushroom gravy
- Big fat pancake
- Korean BBQ tofu bun (lunch side of the menu)
Best for: All-day and late-night vegan breakfast. One of the best cheap vegan spots in Minneapolis, full stop.
3. Seward Cafe -- The Cooperative Breakfast Standard
Seward | 2129 E Franklin Ave | $ | Thu-Sun 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Seward Cafe has been worker-owned since 1974, making it one of the longest-running cooperative restaurants in the Twin Cities. The menu is vegetarian with plenty of vegan options, and breakfast is what the place is built around.
The Earth Breakfast -- scrambled tofu with hash browns -- is the signature plate, a version of the dish that has been refined over decades of daily service. Vegan pancakes are on the menu with optional add-ins: blueberries, chocolate chips, tahini. The ingredients are local, organic, and fair-trade where possible. The coffee is good.
The limitation is the schedule: Seward Cafe is only open Thursday through Sunday. If you need a weekday breakfast in the Seward neighborhood, May Day (about two miles west) or Hard Times (about half a mile east on Riverside) are the alternatives.
What to order:
- Earth Breakfast -- scrambled tofu and hash browns
- Vegan pancakes with add-ins
- House-made soup if you are there past noon
Best for: Weekend breakfast in Seward or East Minneapolis. A Minneapolis original.
Find more spots in our Seward neighborhood vegan guide.
4. Modern Times Cafe -- Neighborhood Breakfast on Chicago Ave
Powderhorn | 3200 Chicago Ave S | $ | Mon, Wed-Sun 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Modern Times Cafe is a vegetarian cafe that describes itself as "for punks and their parents," which is accurate. It opens at 9am most days (closed Tuesday) and serves breakfast burritos, pancakes, and veggie bowls made with organic and local ingredients.
Most items are vegetarian by default and can be made vegan by swapping in tofu or tempeh -- the staff are familiar with the request and it does not slow things down. The breakfast burrito is the main morning draw: solid construction, good spicing, generous portion. Pancakes are consistent.
The space has a community board, fair trade coffee, and WiFi, which makes it work for a long breakfast with a laptop. The prices are in line with May Day -- this is a neighborhood cafe, not a sit-down restaurant.
Worth noting: in early 2026 Modern Times temporarily rebranded as "Post Modern Times" and ran a pay-what-you-can model in solidarity with immigration advocacy. The space continues to operate in its original form with the same menu and vibe.
What to order:
- Breakfast burrito (request vegan)
- Pancakes
- Veggie bowl with tofu or tempeh
Best for: A weekday morning in South Minneapolis when you want something close and reliable.
5. French Meadow Bakery -- The Organic Anchor at 7:30am
Lyn-Lake | 2610 Lyndale Ave S | $$ | Mon-Sun from 7:30 AM
French Meadow Bakery has been a Minneapolis institution since 1985 -- one of the first organic restaurants in the Twin Cities and still one of the best for a reliable vegan breakfast. It opens at 7:30am every day of the week, which makes it one of the earliest options in the city for a sit-down morning meal.
The tofu scramble is a staple and consistently well-executed. The on-site bakery produces vegan muffins, pastries, and organic breads that make a good case for just coffee and a pastry when you are not up for a full plate. The tempeh Reuben is a local legend, though that is more of a lunch move.
The Lyn-Lake location has a patio, which in summer becomes one of the better outdoor breakfast options on Lyndale. A second French Meadow location is on Grand Avenue in Saint Paul.
What to order:
- Tofu scramble
- Vegan pastry from the bakery case
- Organic coffee
Best for: An early weekday breakfast in Lyn-Lake. Good for the patio in summer.
See more Lyn-Lake options in our Lyn-Lake vegan guide.
6. Reverie Cafe + Bar -- The Weekend Brunch Standard
Powderhorn | 1517 E 35th St | $$ | Sat-Sun Brunch from 9:30 AM
Reverie Cafe + Bar is 100% vegan and runs dedicated weekend brunch from 9:30am on Saturday and Sunday. If you are looking for the best vegan brunch experience in Minneapolis -- not just a tofu scramble at a cafe but a full brunch menu with cocktails and a room designed for the occasion -- Reverie is the answer.
The brunch menu shifts seasonally but the format is consistent: savory plates, creative egg replacements, pastry options, and the full bar program, which includes vegan cocktails and a solid beer list. The space is warm and the patio is good in summer.
Run by the same team as Dreamstate Cafe in Lyn-Lake, Reverie has built a reputation over the past few years as the city's most reliable fully vegan restaurant. The brunch specifically draws regulars who come back week after week.
What to order:
- Whatever is seasonal on the brunch menu
- A vegan cocktail if it is that kind of morning
- The mac and cheese if it appears on the brunch menu
Best for: The best weekend vegan brunch in Minneapolis, full stop.
Also Worth Knowing: Hope Breakfast Bar (North Loop)
If you are near downtown Minneapolis, Hope Breakfast Bar at 1 N 5th St in the North Loop is a vegan-friendly option that does not appear on most plant-based lists because it is not a vegan restaurant. The menu accommodates vegan diners with JUST Eggs substitutions on any egg dish (add $3) and a staff that is familiar with the request. It is not a vegan experience, but it works when you are meeting someone who wants a conventional breakfast spot and you need options.
A Note on Weekday vs. Weekend Hours
Breakfast availability in Minneapolis varies significantly by day. May Day Cafe and Hard Times are your most reliable daily options -- both open seven days a week at 7am and 8am respectively. French Meadow Bakery is also seven days from 7:30am.
Seward Cafe is Thursday through Sunday only. Modern Times is closed Tuesday. Reverie's brunch is Saturday and Sunday only.
For a full list of vegan dining across Minneapolis, see our best vegan restaurants guide.
For vegan-friendly coffee shops with light morning food, see our vegan coffee shops in Minneapolis guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I get vegan breakfast in Minneapolis?
The best vegan breakfast spots in Minneapolis are May Day Cafe (7am daily at 3440 Bloomington Ave, Powderhorn), Hard Times Cafe (8am daily at 1821 Riverside Ave, Cedar-Riverside), Seward Cafe (Thursday through Sunday at 2129 E Franklin Ave), and French Meadow Bakery (7:30am daily at 2610 Lyndale Ave S, Lyn-Lake). All four serve tofu scrambles and morning plates with solid vegan options.
What is the best fully vegan breakfast restaurant in Minneapolis?
May Day Cafe and Hard Times Cafe are the two strongest options for a fully plant-based morning meal in Minneapolis. May Day opens at 7am daily and serves tofu scrambles, tempeh hash, and vegan pancakes in the Powderhorn neighborhood. Hard Times on Riverside Ave has been serving all-day vegan breakfast since 1992, including vegan biscuits and gravy and a big fat pancake, open until midnight every day.
Does Minneapolis have vegan brunch?
Yes. Several Minneapolis restaurants serve dedicated weekend brunch with vegan options. Reverie Cafe + Bar (1517 E 35th St, Powderhorn) is fully vegan and opens at 9:30am Saturday and Sunday. J. Selby's (169 Western Ave N, Saint Paul) is 100% vegan and serves weekend brunch with breakfast burritos and bottomless mimosas. Seward Cafe serves all-day brunch Thursday through Sunday.
Is there vegan breakfast near downtown Minneapolis?
The closest options to downtown Minneapolis are Hard Times Cafe on Riverside Ave (about 1.5 miles from the core), French Meadow Bakery in Lyn-Lake (about 2.5 miles), and Hope Breakfast Bar in the North Loop (about 0.5 miles from downtown) which accommodates vegan diners with JUST Eggs substitutions on egg dishes.
What is a good vegan breakfast order in Minneapolis?
At May Day Cafe, order the tofu scramble or tempeh hash with coffee. At Hard Times, the Helter Skelter (hash browns and scrambled tofu) is the go-to, or the vegan biscuits with mushroom gravy. At Seward Cafe, the Earth Breakfast -- scrambled tofu with hash browns -- is the signature plate. At French Meadow Bakery, the tofu scramble or any vegan pastry from the bakery case.