TL;DR
Most of the best vegan food in Minneapolis is hiding on non-vegan menus. This guide indexes 18 beloved MSP restaurants with genuinely good vegan options, what to order at each, and any modifications you need to ask for. Bookmark it for the next time you are eating out with omnivore friends and want to actually enjoy your meal.
The most useful vegan dining guide in Minneapolis is not about vegan restaurants
Here is the honest truth about being vegan in Minneapolis in 2026. Most of your best meals are going to happen at restaurants that are not vegan.
That is not a knock on the dedicated plant based spots, which are excellent. It is a math problem. You have omnivore friends. You have in-laws. You have a coworker birthday at a place someone else picked. You want to eat well anyway. And the best chefs in this city, the ones cooking the most interesting food, mostly run menus that include meat.
The good news: a huge number of MSP restaurants now run thoughtful, genuinely good vegan dishes, not the sad side salad of 2014. The bad news: those dishes are buried in menus, mislabeled, or only available if you know to ask. This guide fixes that.
Below are 18 of the best non-vegan restaurants in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, with the specific vegan dish to order at each, any modifications you need to request, and the one thing worth a special trip. If you want fully vegan spots, see our best vegan restaurants in Minneapolis 2026 guide instead.
Southeast Asian and Pan-Asian
Hai Hai (Northeast)
The gold standard for vegan friendly dining at a non-vegan restaurant in Minneapolis. Christina Nguyen's Southeast Asian street food menu clearly marks vegan dishes, and the kitchen is genuinely fluent in plant based cooking, not just willing to remove the meat from something. The patio is one of the best in the city in summer.
What to order: Anything in the vegan section. The turmeric cauliflower and mock duck rotate on and off the menu, both are reliably good. Add a smashed cucumber salad. Modifications: Confirm no fish sauce in dressings. The team is used to the question. If you only go for one thing: Sit on the patio, order whatever is on the vegan side of the menu that night, and split a frozen cocktail.
Moto-i (Lyn-Lake)
A ramen and sake house with mushroom-forward bowls that work well as a vegan order. Not an afterthought, an actual broth built for the bowl.
What to order: The mushroom or maitake ramen, ordered without egg and with udon if you want to keep it vegan. Modifications: Confirm no bonito in the broth, no egg on top, and ask about the noodle option. If you only go for one thing: A vegan ramen build with a flight of sake.
Saturday Dumpling Co. (Northeast and Armatage)
Hand folded dumplings with a vegan option clearly marked on the menu. Two locations: 519 Central Ave NE in Northeast and 5401 Penn Ave S in Armatage. Open Wednesday through Sunday.
What to order: The OG Veggie dumplings, the vegan-labeled item on the menu. Modifications: The OG Veggie wrapper is vegan. If you order a different filling, confirm the wrapper for that batch. If you only go for one thing: A double order of OG Veggie with chili oil.
Modern American and New Nordic
Alma (Northeast)
Alex Roberts's restaurant has been one of the most respected dining rooms in the Twin Cities for two decades. Alma is happy to build a multi course vegan tasting if you mention it when you book.
What to order: Call when reserving and ask for the vegan tasting. Do not try to compose one from the menu on the fly. Modifications: Handled by the kitchen end to end if you give notice. If you only go for one thing: The full vegan tasting in the dining room, not the cafe.
Indígena by Owamni (opening June 2026, Guthrie)
Sean Sherman's pre-colonial Indigenous concept is transitioning. The original Owamni at 420 1st St S has closed, and the team is launching Indígena by Owamni at the Guthrie in June 2026 with an expanded tasting menu format. The kitchen is famously dairy-free, wheat-free, and cane-sugar-free by design, so much of the menu is naturally vegan.
What to order: Once open, ask for the vegan tasting. Bison and game are clearly marked. Modifications: Tell the server you are vegan and they will steer you through the menu. If you only go for one thing: A long lingering dinner with a full tour of the vegetable side of the menu. Worth tracking the opening.
Young Joni (Northeast)
Ann Kim's wood fired pizza and Korean influenced menu has consistently strong vegan options. The back bar is one of the best date night moves in the city.
What to order: The Umami Mama (crimini, shiitake, portobello), ordered without the cheese. Add a roasted vegetable from the small plates. Modifications: Ask for no cheese on any pizza you want to veganize, and confirm the dough is vegan. If you only go for one thing: A no-cheese Umami Mama in the back bar with a cocktail.
Tongue in Cheek (Saint Paul)
A Payne Avenue neighborhood favorite with a chef driven menu that rotates often. Vegan options are usually available but you should call ahead for dinner.
What to order: Whatever the chef builds for you. The kitchen takes pride in not phoning it in. Modifications: Tell them at booking. Walk ins on a busy night get less interesting plates. If you only go for one thing: A weeknight dinner at the bar with a reservation note.
French Meadow Bakery and Cafe (Lyn-Lake)
One of the original natural foods restaurants in the country. Vegan options have been baked in since the 80s, including a long running brunch.
What to order: The organic tofu scramble, available in two builds: a chorizo-style with vegan cheese, guac, and tortillas, or a version with vegan black bean chili and vegan cheddar. The bakery case usually has a vegan muffin or scone. Modifications: Most savory dishes can be made vegan. Always confirm the bread. If you only go for one thing: Weekend brunch. See our vegan brunch in Minneapolis guide for more.
Pizza
Minneapolis pizza is one of the easier wins for vegans, because three of the bigger local players run vegan cheese. See our full best vegan pizza in Minneapolis guide for the deep dive.
Pizza Luce (multiple locations)
The OG vegan pizza in Minneapolis. House made vegan sausage, vegan mozzarella, and several pre-built vegan pies on the menu.
What to order: The Athena with vegan cheese, or the vegan Italian sausage pie (fennel, caramelized onion, vegan mozzarella, vegan ricotta drizzle). Modifications: Sub vegan mozzarella on any pizza. Confirm the dough, which is usually vegan. If you only go for one thing: A vegan slice and a side of breadsticks late night.
Black Sheep Pizza (multiple locations)
Coal fired, thin crust, blistered. Vegan cheese available and several vegetable forward pies that veganize easily.
What to order: A pie with red sauce, roasted vegetables, and vegan cheese. Modifications: Always confirm the dough and ask for vegan mozz. Skip the Caesar, the dressing uses pecorino romano. If you only go for one thing: A vegan pie with a side of marinated olives or a simple arugula salad without cheese.
Burgers and casual
Red Cow (multiple locations)
A burger restaurant might seem like the wrong call, but Red Cow has carried a Beyond burger on the menu for years and treats it like a real menu item, not a punishment.
What to order: The Beyond with vegan modifications. Skip the cheese and ask for no aioli. Modifications: Confirm the bun, sub avocado for cheese, and ask for a side salad instead of fries cooked in shared oil if that matters to you. If you only go for one thing: A Beyond burger and a beer with friends who wanted burgers.
Brasa Premium Rotisserie (multiple locations)
A rotisserie restaurant where the side dishes do the heavy lifting for vegans. Several of the sides are naturally vegan or close to it.
What to order: A plate of sides. Black beans, yuca, and plantains are usually safe. Skip the collard greens, they are slow-cooked with bacon. Modifications: Confirm sides are not finished with butter or pork. If you only go for one thing: Three vegan sides and a stack of tortillas, which beats most entrees.
South Asian, East African, and Himalayan
Gandhi Mahal (now Curry in a Hurry, 3025 E Franklin Ave)
After the original Lake Street location was destroyed in 2020, the team relaunched as Curry in a Hurry at 3025 E Franklin Ave, with a long-term plan for a Center for Peace and Social Justice on the original site. The lentil and vegetable section of an Indian menu is usually a vegan wonderland.
What to order: Chana masala, baingan bharta, aloo gobi, and vegetable curry. Ask whether dal makhani is made with cream and whether the naan is brushed with ghee, both are traditional and may apply here. Modifications: Always confirm ghee and cream. Most dishes can be made vegan. If you only go for one thing: A thali style spread with rice and bread.
Bole Ethiopian Cuisine (Saint Paul)
Ethiopian food might be the single most vegan friendly cuisine on earth, thanks to the fasting tradition. Bole runs a beyaynetu vegan combination platter that is built for this.
What to order: The vegan combination, also called beyaynetu. Modifications: Usually none needed, but always confirm. If you only go for one thing: Order the vegan combo for the table and eat with your hands. More in our vegan Ethiopian in Minneapolis guide.
Himalayan Restaurant (Lyn-Lake)
Nepali, Indian, and Tibetan food in one menu. Vegetable momos and dal are reliable, and the kitchen is comfortable with the vegan question.
What to order: Vegetable momos (the wrapper is egg-free and dairy-free), chana masala, and aloo gobi. Modifications: Confirm any cream sauces. If you only go for one thing: A round of vegetable momos with chili sauce.
Cross listed, also fully vegan friendly
Reverie Cafe and Bar (Powderhorn)
Reverie technically belongs in the all vegan list, but it is worth re-flagging here because it is a great answer when someone asks where to go with a mixed group. The whole menu is vegan, so there is zero modification math.
What to order: Brunch on a weekend, the burger any time. Modifications: None needed. If you only go for one thing: Brunch. See our vegan brunch guide for more.
How to use this guide without annoying your server
A few quick rules of the road that make this whole thing easier on everyone:
- Call ahead for dinner at the nicer spots. Alma, Tongue in Cheek, and Owamni all do better work when the kitchen has a heads up.
- Lead with the dish, not the diet. "Can I get the chana masala without ghee" lands better than a five minute preamble about veganism.
- Tip on the full check. Modifications are work. Reward the team that did the work.
- Confirm fish sauce, ghee, butter, honey, and shared fryers. These are the five most common vegan traps in MSP.
- Believe the menu when it says vegan. The restaurants on this list are not labeling things wrong on purpose. If you are immunocompromised or strictly avoiding cross contact, that is a separate conversation.
The bigger picture
A decade ago, this guide would have been five restaurants long, and three of them would have been "well, you can eat the bread." Today there are 18 great answers and we left a dozen more on the cutting room floor.
Minneapolis is quietly one of the better vegan friendly dining cities in the country, in part because the all vegan scene is strong enough that omnivore chefs feel competitive pressure to take plant based seriously. The result is good for everyone, vegan or not.
Bookmark this page. The next time someone in your life picks a restaurant and you start mentally bracing for a side of fries and a beer, check the list first. There is usually a real meal waiting.
For more, start with our best vegan restaurants in Minneapolis 2026 guide, then dig into best vegan pizza, vegan brunch, and vegan Ethiopian.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Minneapolis restaurant has the best vegan options on a non-vegan menu?
Hai Hai in Northeast is the most commonly cited answer. The menu clearly marks vegan dishes, the kitchen handles modifications gracefully, and the flavors do not feel like an afterthought. Owamni is a close second for a more special occasion meal, since most of the menu is plant forward by design.
Are most Minneapolis restaurants able to accommodate vegans?
Yes. Minneapolis has a deep bench of independent restaurants, and almost all of them will modify a dish or build something off menu if you call ahead or ask politely. Chains are hit or miss, but the local spots in this guide are generally very accommodating.
Do I need to call ahead to get a vegan meal at a non-vegan restaurant?
For dinner service at busy spots like Young Joni, Alma, or Tongue in Cheek, a quick heads up when you book the reservation goes a long way. For casual spots and lunch service, walking in and asking your server is usually fine.
What is the difference between vegan and plant based on Minneapolis menus?
Most local restaurants use the terms interchangeably, but plant based sometimes still includes honey, ghee, or fish sauce. If you are strict vegan, ask specifically about honey in sauces, butter in finishing steps, and fish sauce in Southeast Asian dishes.
Are there fully vegan restaurants in Minneapolis too?
Yes. Herbivorous Butcher, Reverie Cafe and Bar, J. Selby's, and Trio Plant Based are the big names. See our best vegan restaurants in Minneapolis guide for the full list.
How often is this guide updated?
We re-check menus quarterly and do a full annual refresh each spring. Restaurants change menus often, so always confirm a specific dish is still available before you go out of your way for it.