Vegan Food in Pittsburgh

Wondering what vegan food you can find in Pittsburgh? I got you. I always travel with the sole intention of eating my way around the area. The second I found out I was going to Pittsburgh, I immediately scoured the internet for all the vegan options that would be in our vicinity.

I bounced between East Liberty, Garfield, Strip District, Polish Hill and Squirrel Hill. All of these neighbourhoods are relatively close together so it makes vegan food hopping a breeze.

Vegan Guide to Pittsburgh

During my visit, I stayed in East Liberty so I can only speak to that neighbourhood and surrounding areas I previously mentioned but from what I saw, I was pleasantly enamoured with this little area in Pennsylvania. I was situated really close to Penn Avenue which already housed two great vegan food options. The other vegan food options that I have listed are not too far away.

10 Vegan Food Spots To Try In Pittsburgh

1. Apteka (Vegan)
2. Spak Brothers (Vegan Options)
3. Square Cafe (Vegan Options)
4. Onion Maiden (Vegan)
5. Mandy’s Pizza (Vegan Options)
6. Kaibur Coffee & Cafe (Vegan Options)
7. Allegro Bakery (Vegan)
8. De Fer Coffee and Tea (Vegan Options)
9. D’s Six Pax and Dogz (Vegan Options)
10. Aladdins (Vegetarian with Vegan Options)

10 Vegan Food Spots In Pittsburgh and What You Should Order:

1. Apetka (Vegan Food)

📍4606 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh (FRI-SUN 5-10 pm)

This is a trendy, fancier restaurant, on Penn Avenue that has a Central and Eastern European menu. Everything is plant-based. This place was highly recommended on the internet and had many great reviews. While I did have a good experience, it wasn’t as good as I was expecting. Maybe my expectations were too high because of the hype I’ve read or perhaps there was a change of management? Don’t get me wrong. It was still tasty and recommended for good vegan food in Pittsburgh.

Overall I felt that the ambiance was great. It was a nice cozy space that had a rustic decor, and dim lighting with candle-lit tables. The food was good, but the perogies were the best part. That said, a local who was with us mentioned that they used to be better and gave a larger portion so that was a bit of a letdown. All of the dishes were good, just wish I had more!

This place was very popular as they are only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. The wait might be long and you can only make a reservation if you are 4 or more people (and they won’t accept reservations the day of). But if you’re looking for a nice place to mingle with friends, it might be worth the wait.

In all honesty, I found the ordering process a little chaotic. As soon as you enter the door they guide you to a little opening at the bar to place your order. As a first-time visitor, I felt rushed trying to read through the menu while standing and politely square-dancing around the servers and patrons walking through. Once ready, you head to the bar and place your order. At that point, you’ve earned your table and they escort you to a spot where you sit down with your number and they bring your food to you.

Pros: Great ambiance, good vegan food

Cons: Chaotic ordering process, only open Fri-Sun, busy

[Ordered: Faszerowane Papryczki, Ikra z Bulka, Smazone Pierogi and Kotlet Selerowy]

2. Spak Brothers (Vegan Options)

📍5107 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh (TUES – SUN 3-9 pm)

A cute little pizza joint with plenty of vegan options. When looking at the menu, you’ll notice many items are marked with a little “V” beside them indicating that they can be veganized. From pizzas, calzones, hoagies, to wings and salads, Spak Bros has numerous vegan food options. And not those typical vegan options that feel like an afterthought. Spak Bros knows how to make a vegan feel welcome.

I’ve heard their Seitan wings and the Seitan “Cheese Steak” are incredible but we didn’t order those this time. We just decided to get two pizzas – both were absolutely delicious.

Want a sweet treat? Then you’ll be happy to know they carry non-dairy cashew ice cream pints from Sugar Spell Scoops, a local vegan ice cream shop in Pittsburgh.

Pro: Many vegan options, vegan ice-cream pints

Con: Take out only

[Ordered: Pickle Pizza, Margherita Pizza]

3. Square Cafe (Vegan Options)

📍134 South Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh

This is a cute cafe in East Liberty with a couple of vegan gems on the menu. When researching cafes in the area, specifically ones with matcha and vegan food options, this one popped up! I was enticed by the pictures of the rooftop patio but sadly it was unavailable when we visited.

This cafe is a large, quirky and vibrant space with lots of seating. There are a number of vegan options such as a Very Vegan Brussels Sprout Hash, Vegan Burrito, Tofu Muffuletta, Vegan Breakfast Sandwich, and Vegan Peanut Butter Berry Pancakes.

The matcha latte was good but the Vegan Breakfast Sandwich with the Chive Biscuit was very surprisingly really delicious. I had to pack mine up and knowing that its as good reheated is definitely a good sign.

Pro: Large cafe space, rooftop patio

Con: Limited vegan options

[ Ordered: Tofu Muffuletta, Black Coffee, Matcha Latte, Vegan Breakfast Sandwich on Chive Biscuit]

4. Onion Maiden (Vegan Food)

📍639 East Warrington Avenue, Pittsburgh (FRI 4-9 pm – SUN 11:30 am – 7 pm)

Onion Maiden is a vegan Asian and American comfort food spot with lots of interesting items. This place has it all, appetizers, tofu stir-fry, tater tots, veggie dogs and tons of sweet treats. While I didn’t get a chance to visit the physical location of Onion Maiden, I was able to get a taste of their menu at the Pittsburgh Vegfest. Everything I read online recommended this place and that was also made apparent by its massive line at Vegfest.

I wanted to try so many items on the menu but after a day of eating, I was stuffed. But I refused to leave without trying something from this iconic spot. I soldiered on and ordered a Hang 10 Dawg. It had pineapple jalapeno relish and BBQ sauce on a tasty veggie dog. It was pretty good but I would have loved to visit their actual restaurant and try other items on the menu such as the baos.

Pros: Great vibe, nice atmosphere, unique dishes

Cons: Cash-only in-store (which I kind of like), FRI-SUN only, take-out only

[ Ordered: Hang Ten Dawg ]

5. Mandy’s Pizza (Vegan Options)

📍512 Perry Highway, Westview PA

In my pre-Pittsburgh research, I discovered that Mandy’s is an award-winning pizzeria with quite an extensive vegan menu. There is a whole tab on their website listing their “veganated” options. They have fries, chicken “thangs”, salads, 8 types of calzones, flatbreads, and MANY vegan pizza options.

Usually, when I say there are vegan options, it typically means a few. This place has a whole separate menu dedicated to their vegan items which we love to see. This place had a lot of reviews for their Philly Cheesesteak so I had to try the veganized version!

Pro: Extensive vegan menu, Only closed Monday

Con: Small seating area

[ Ordered: Vegan Super Philly Steak Flatbread/Super, Vegan Spinach Bruschetta Calzone]

6. Kaibur Coffee & Cafe (Vegan Options)

📍 3138 Dobson Street, Pittsburgh (MON – SUN until 3pm)

This is a small cafe with old-school diner vibes. They have lots of vegan breakfast sandwich options including a classic vegan egg and cheese, bacon egg and cheese, spinach egg and cheese, a B.L.T., veggie sandwich, and different toast options. There are lots of tasty vegan options to get your morning going.

I was also pleasantly surprised to find they carried some sweet treats that were vegan as well. The vegan matcha donut was practically begging to come home with me.

I ordered the vegan bacon egg and cheese sandwich with avocado and it was very tasty! The vegan bacon was supplied by a company called Umaro and it was the best vegan bacon I had ever tried. It was perfectly thin and crispy – a great addition to the breakfast sandwich.

I highly recommend visiting Kaibar during your stay. It was one of my favourite cafes that had good matcha and good vegan food in Pittsburgh.

Pro: Vegan breakfast sandwiches, Open every day, great service

Con: Limited parking

[ Ordered: Vegan bacon egg and cheese with avocado, iced matcha latte, black coffee ]

7. Allegro Bakery (Vegan Food)

📍 2034 Murray Ave, Pittsburgh

This all-vegan bakery has a cute retro vibe and is loaded with all the goodies one might need during a visit to Pittsburgh. They make all their breads and pastries from scratch so everything is fresh and free of artificial preservatives, colours and flavours.

This place has cookies, muffins, croissants, cinnamon rolls, pastries, cake, fresh baguettes, rolls, and stacked sandwiches. The website doesn’t showcase all they have to offer so make sure to check out their Instagram page for a visual of their menu.

I wish I was able to try one of the cinnamon rolls because that is a favourite of mine, but I was able to grab a cruffin, and their rugelachs. Note to self, go early if you want to have more choices. But if you’re looking for a bakery, this bakery in Pittsburgh with 100% vegan food is definitely a place to go.

Pro: Fresh baked goods, large selection

Con: Sells out fast

[ Ordered: Cruffin, Chocolate & Apricot Rugelach ]

8. De Fer Coffee & Tea (Vegan Options)

📍 2002 Smallman Street, Pittsburgh (MON – SUN)

This is really big cafe located in the Strip District. It is a very bright, airy space space with vibrant art lining the walls. There are lots of tables so it’s easy to find somewhere to sit. I loved that this cafe had large garage doors that were open to let in the summer breeze. It feels like you are sipping matcha outside while still having a roof over your head to protect you from any rain.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that this cafe had a few vegan options on its menu! I opted for the Portobello Artichoke Sandwich which had roasted portobello, artichoke, red onion, roasted red pepper, pepita pesto, and arugula toasted on an Italian roll. It was very tasty and filling. If sandwiches aren’t your vibe, they have smoothies, salad, chia pudding, or a hummus wrap.

The coffee was decent and the matcha was good too. They make their own house syrups so you can add in Vanilla, Lavender Vanilla, Caramel, Chocolate, Cinnamon or Maple to your drinks. Just double-check which ones are vegan.

Pro: large space, great atmosphere, decent selection

Con: Limited vegan options, upcharge for non-dairy milk

[Ordered: Portobello Artichoke Sandwich, Iced Oat Matcha Latte with Vanilla ]

9. D’s Six Pack & Dogz (Vegan Options)

📍 1118 S Braddock Ave, Swissvale

This spot was an accidental find but I sure am glad we stopped here. This is place is known for its hot dogs, in fact, they are award-winning. To my surprise, I discovered that many of their dogs can be veganized! Select a veggie dog as your preferred dog, and then either customize with our toppings or pick from styles that are vegan such as Chicago or Hot Valentine.

There are other vegan gems on the menu such as salads, hoagies, plant-based burgers, and vegan pub-style fries made with creamy avocado and vegan ranch sauce. Just omit the cheese to make it plant-based. They also have vegan seitan nuggets on Mondays! When ordering, double-check with the server about which sauces and rubs are vegan for your seitan nugget coating.

Pro: Little gem, great seating and atmosphere, vegan ranch!

Con: Would love to see more of the dog styles made vegan

[Ordered: Veg Pub-Style Fries with Vegan Ranch (minus cheese), Chicago Veggie Dog, Hot Valentine Veggie Dog (with creamy avocado), Seitn Wings (d’s house sauce)]

10. Aladdin’s (Vegetarian with Vegan Options)

📍 5878 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh (MON – SAT 11am-9pm, SUN 11am-8pm)

This place is well-known in the Pittsburgh area. Aladdin’s is a Lebanese-American restaurant serving vegetarian food with many vegan options. For appetizers vegan options include Hummus, Tabouli, Falafel and a few others, or you can try a pita pizza, or vegan pita wraps, a specialty plate such as Majadara, or Jasmine’s Favourite, or choose from their selection of vegan soups and salads.

While this place was already on my “To Visit” list in Pittsburgh, I wasn’t able to stop at their restaurant and sit down to have a meal. I was however able to see their setup and the Pittsburgh VegFest and I could tell from their booth that they are a restaurant to visit. They had a huge tent full of so many vegan options.

Sadly I was too full to try any of Aladdin’s dishes, I suggest trying this place based on all the positive reviews they have online and their lineup at VegFest.

Getting Vegan Food and Snacks in Grocery Stores

All the major grocery stores have plenty of vegan options. As a Canadian travelling to the United States, I was so eager to see all the different vegan goodies that Canada does not carry. Part of my trip itinerary was perusing the shelves for fun vegan products at Target, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods.

1.Target

In Canada, the closest thing we have to target is Walmart (which America has too). I was very excited to walk through the white and red box store and see if I could find the items I always see on the internet and wish I could try. Target has great vegan options in the fridge and frozen sections such as cheeses, and mock meats as well as non-dairy milk, ice cream, coffee creamers and butter. Walking among the pantry shelves, you’ll also find some tasty vegan snacks, both labelled and accidentally vegan times.

• Olipop Sodas – I was seeing these all over the internet and needed to see what the hype was
• Tabitha Brown Products – I grabbed Roasted Garlic & Parmesan Popcorn
• Favourite Day Products – Some are accidentally vegan like the Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2. Whole Foods

While it would be easy if all of the vegan products I was looking for were in the same spot, it’s rarely that easy. I had to make a stop at Whole Foods for two items on my list (not sold in Canada) and I was so happy I dropped in. Since we have Whole Foods in Canada, I didn’t think it would have a wildly different selection. But I found all sorts of interesting vegan items there.

Make sure you check out their non-dairy ice cream section! They had so many flavours that we don’t have here in Canada.

• Daring Plant-Based Chicken Pieces (not pictured)
• Dandies Marshmallow Cream
• Graza Olive Oil
• Liquid Death Sparkling Water

3. Trade Joe’s

This is the store I was most excited to visit because of their large selection of vegan products from their TJ’s line. I had heard amazing things about their vegan Caramelized Onion Dipn but I wasn’t successful at finding it. I did some quick searching and the internet seems to think it’s been discontinued but hopefully, it comes back.

• Trader Joe’s Vegan Pepperoni
• Trader Joe’s Garlic Spread Dip
• Trader Joe’s Organic Jumbo Cinnamon Rolls (accidentally vegan)
• Trader Joe’s Mushroom and Company seasoning
• Trader Joe’s Soy Chorizo
• Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel Seasoned Crackers
• Trader Joe’s High Protein Organic Super Firm Tofu

There you have it, whether you’re looking for some sit-down restaurants, take-away, cafes, or grocery stores, you will have an abundance of vegan food options in Pittsburgh. I love travelling and as a stereotypical Virgo, I like to make lists and plan all of my stops. Lucky you!

I hope you enjoy these vegan food recommendations for Pittsburgh and get to check some of them out! I’d love to hear your thoughts! If you’re looking for more vegan travel content, check out my other posts. Safe travels!