Despite it being a college town with its more open-minded students, vegans in Boone NC may need to search for a variety of options when it comes to eating out. Afterall, it is still a tourist town that is often visited by southern, conservative families and retirees.
That being said, vegans in Boone won’t go hungry if they know where to look. Some of the best vegan food in Boone (with gluten free options) can be found at Wildcraft Eatery, Coyote Kitchen, The Local, Rooted on King, Mint Indian Cuisine, Melanie's Food Fantasy, Wildwood Community Market, and Lily's Snack Bar.
Wildcraft Eatery
- Options for Vegans: Numerous and Inspired
- Average Price per Entrée: $13-15
- Favorite Dishes: Nori Amore and Chaing Maya Noodles
- Atmosphere: Relaxed but a bit noisy
- Best For: Families and other vegans that appreciate international fare in a casual setting
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Gluten Free: Numerous and well-marked
Right in downtown Boone, Wildcraft Eatery has a variety of clearly labeled vegan options on the menu. They try to source local and organic ingredients. And their vegan options tend to be inspired and delicious. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind an Impossible Burger from time to time. But when it’s the only option at a restaurant, I’m unlikely to visit there frequently.
Luckily, that isn’t the case with Wildcraft Eatery. Many of their vegan options are Asian-inspired noodle dishes, curries, and fresh rice dishes. They also have quite a few Mexican-inspired plates including enchiladas and tacos. But for those with a more western palate, they also offer burgers.
Plus, they have a kids’ menu with vegan options! And if you’re gluten-free, they have plenty of variety for you as well with clearly labeled options on the menu. If cocktails are your thing, they have plenty of creative and affordable options for you as well. This is by far our favorite vegan restaurant in Boone NC.
Coyote Kitchen
- Options for Vegans: Numerous, hearty, and delicious
- Average Price per Entrée: $12-17
- Favorite Dishes: Sedona Bowl and Yuca Fries
- Atmosphere: Laid back and colorful
- Best For: Families and other vegans that like Mexican food and want to leave feeling full.
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Gluten Free: Numerous and well-marked
Further away from downtown, Coyote Kitchen is still located in a convenient spot for a lot of hotels and practical shopping in Boone. Its Mexican-inspired menu has plenty of vegan sauces and proteins that boost the flavor of your meals. They also take gluten-free pretty seriously and even have separate prep areas if you mention allergies.
You’ll find dishes like yuca fries with a vegan aioli, a house-made veggie burger, burritos, and mexi-bowls. And there is usually some vegan dessert available if you save room!
Their kids’ menu has vegan options available as well. Plus, there are certain kids’ meals that are free with the purchase of an adult entrée!
The Local
- Options for Vegans: Inspired and delicious
- Average Price per Entree: $13-18
- Favorite Dishes: Quinoa Bowl with added tofu and Huevos Rancheros
- Atmosphere: Gastropub, friendly feel
- Best For: Special occasions and inspired dishes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Gluten Free: Numerous and well-marked
Situated in downtown Boone, The Local is a higher-end option while still being family-friendly. It tends to be a gathering place for special occasions, especially because they do take reservations. They are also one of the only places to get vegan brunch on Sundays in Boone.
You can get vegan dishes like pizza, burgers, quinoa bowls, and brussel sprouts. For brunch, they offer some inspired dishes like Truffled Florentine, Vegan Eggs Benedict, or a fancy Avo on Toast. Plus, their cocktails are unique and delicious and there are plenty of marked gluten free options.
Their kids’ menu doesn’t have anything specifically vegan, but our server was knowledgeable and was able to provide us with pasta in marinara sauce. He also noted that the noodles are usually heated in butter first, but that he would make sure they didn’t do that for us. For a more upscale vegan dinner or brunch in Boone NC, The Local could be a perfect option.
Rooted on King
- Options for Vegans: Delicious and fresh
- Average Price per Entree: $8-12
- Favorite Dishes: Grain Bowl
- Atmosphere: Friendly and Cozy
- Best For: A fresh lunch in town
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Gluten Free: Yes
Rooted on King is a weekday lunch spot located at Neighborhood Yoga Studio. They have a number of vegan options like fresh grain bowls, smoothie bowls, and a fancy avo toast available. The grain bowls are delicious, plentiful, and fresh. The avo toast is delicious but a bit messy. And all of their sauces are delicious and homemade.
For a quick vegan lunch in Boone NC, it's worth heading up to Rooted on King.
Mint Indian Cuisine
- Options for Vegans: Plentiful and fresh
- Average Price per Entrée: $14-15
- Favorite Dishes: Eggplant Bharta and Chana Masala
- Atmosphere: Higher End and Simple
- Best For: A nicer Indian date night
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Gluten Free: Yes
Your top Indian cuisine option in Boone, Mint is located outside of downtown but still in a convenient location. The authentic, high-quality Indian cuisine is no secret in Boone. It can get busy in there on weekends, so reservations are recommended.
Even when we didn’t know exactly what the dish was supposed to be, everything had deep, complex flavor and was absolutely delicious. Their vegan options are clearly marked, as well as their gluten-free dishes. And they even have an entire vegan section on the menu.
Each dish is able to be prepared to your spice level of choice. There is no children’s menu available, but you could easily share your dishes with them. If you’re a fan of Indian cuisine, Mint is the place to go in Boone!
Melanie’s Food Fantasy
- Options for Vegans: Scrambles and Sammies
- Average Price per Entree: $13-14
- Favorite Dishes: Paul’s Tempeh Scramble
- Atmosphere: Laid back
- Best For: Brunch when you have time to wait
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Gluten Free: Limited
Melanie’s is the week-long brunch staple in town. And it’s no hidden gem! Expect to wait for a table, especially on weekends. So if someone in your group has a case of the “hangry’s”, I would try somewhere else for a vegan brunch in Boone.
They have two breakfast scrambles, a burger, and a tempeh sandwich available for vegans. The scrambles can easily be made gluten-free, but they don’t have gluten free bread available for the lunch dishes.
If the word brunch only means some breakfast with a side of mimosa to you, then you’re in luck! In addition to coffee, tea, and juices, they have mimosas and local beer available to enjoy with your meal.
Wildwood Community Market
- Options for Vegans: Sammies, soups, and sides
- Average Price per Entree: $12
- Favorite Dishes: Falafel sandwich
- Atmosphere: Forward-Thinking and Busy
- Best For: A quick lunch and people watching
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Gluten Free: Yes
In addition to being a health food store that sources local goods, Wildwood Community Market also has a deli counter with some pretty delicious options.
They always have some sandwiches available that are vegan, one of the soups is often vegan, and their rotating sides always have plenty of vegan options. Plus, they have gluten-free bread available at no extra cost. Oh, and did I mention that everything is delicious?
They speak “vegan”, and even all of their creamy sauces are made vegan, so you have no need to substitute. If you’re feeling thirsty, you can grab a drink from the grocery section, or warm up with some Hatchet coffee.
The seating area has a little kids play area, which is probably my favorite part. So after the kids gobble down their meals and get antsy, they have something to do while you actually taste your food for once. Plus, you may have time to browse all the unique local goods they have available.
Pro tip: Parking in town is only free on Sundays. But on Saturdays, parking on campus is free! The Peacock Lot is convenient if you’re headed into town.
Lily’s Snack Bar
- Options for Vegans: Hearty and numerous
- Average Price per Entree: $12-14
- Favorite Dishes: Spicy Cauliflower Sandwich
- Atmosphere: College Bar
- Best For: Indulging
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Gluten Free: Yes
If you’re really feeling like some hearty fare, Lily’s has plenty of vegan options available to do this for you! Think indulgences like Fried Cauliflower, Tempeh Tenders, and Po’ Boys. Oh yeah, and did I mention they have gluten-free bread?
It’s definitely more the “college bar” feel, but the atmosphere fits the fried-friendly menu. Plus, that social atmosphere can be fun with weekly events like Trivia and Karaoke nights. For some vegan comfort food in Boone NC, head to Lily's!
Honorable Mentions for Vegan in Boone NC:
Booneshine Brewing Co
This local brewery has a fantastic outdoor scene in the summer. And they often have a food truck outside that offers a vegan burger. It’s pretty pricey for what you get, but it’s an option at least. Their Tasting Room offers indoor and covered patio seating. It’s often difficult to get a table, and they have a quinoa salad and a burger available for vegans.
Mellow Mushroom
Sure, there are plenty of vegan and gluten free options at Mellow Mushroom. But personally, our family tends to prioritize local restaurants over chains. But it could be a good option if you’re in the mood for pizza and a beer.
F.A.R.M. Cafe
F.A.R.M. Cafe has a mission that I can get behind. They operate on pay-what-you-can pricing and are run mostly by volunteers. They are open for lunch on weekdays. The reason it’s an honorable mention is that you can’t always count on there being a vegan main dish being served, and their menu rotates every day. So for vegan options in Boone, NC, it can't always be counted on.
Boone Bagelry
There is oftentimes a line out the door for Boone Bagelry on weekends. Unfortunately, options for vegans are limited to a bagel with hummus or a very simple tempeh sandwich.
Venture Chocolate and Wine Bar
Venture has espresso drinks and chocolate upstairs, and a wine bar with bar snacks downstairs. They have chocolate bars that are vegan, and a couple of small chocolate barks. But none of their bon bons or pastries are vegan. The wine bar does have a few vegan snacks like bread and olive oil, olives, and almonds. Just don't count on fully filling your vegan belly in Boone at Venture.
The Cardinal
The Cardinal boasts the best fries in town. And we’ve definitely made a meal of their fries alone when the food truck they have shows up at baseball games and other events. It’s in honorable mentions because, beyond fries, the vegan options are limited to a burger or tempeh sandwich. As a bonus, though, their kids’ menu actually has a veggie dog on it!
Cobo Sushi Bistro and Bar
Cobo would make a great date night without the kids. They have some vegan rolls available, as well as tofu available for Hibachi and teriyaki. But beyond that, options are limited. If you’re going in a group with non-vegans, it could still be a doable option for you!
Black Cat Burrito
Black Cat serves a variety of unique burritos, tacos, and other mexican-inspired dishes. They offer tofu with a lot of their menu items. But they do take some customization with eliminating cheese, sour cream, etc. And some dishes could take some question asking to ensure your meal is vegan.
Lost Province Brewing Co.
Lost Province is a local brewery, but their location downtown is a brewpub. They do offer pizzas that could be made vegan by eliminating the cheese, and have a few other veganizable options including a Portobello Sandwich and a Falafel Wrap.
Juice Boone
Juice Boone is your go-to smoothie shop in Boone. Their menu is mostly vegan, with the occasional honey in an item. But you’ll have plenty of options for smoothies, smoothie bowls, and premade salads.
Hatchet Coffee Roasters
With some of the best coffee in town, Hatchet becomes even more enticing with its vegan and gluten free cookie options. They’re huge and delicious. Aside from cookies, they also offer an Avocado Toast and a rotating granola option. But really, just get the cookie.
Of course, food preferences are all just personal opinions. So what do you think? Do you agree with my top choices? Let me know in the comments below!
If you’re in Boone NC with kids, you may find some of these articles helpful or planning your trip:
Love the post and all the vegan options! Looking forward to trying some of the places when we visit!