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It’s the city of the cheesesteak, that delicious sandwich of sliced steak and cheese. Yet, the home of the Philly cheesesteak has a rich vegetarian history. A new book, Revolutionary Peace: How Philadelphia Launched the U.S. Vegetarian and Vegan Movement, says that the vegetarian movement in the US can be traced back to 1817 in Philadelphia. It was the arrival of members of a religious sect, the Bible Christians, who believed that humans were not meant to eat animals. Some years later, in 1850, the American Vegetarian Society was established and held its first convention in Philadelphia.
Today, the vegetarian and vegan movement is thriving in the city, with restaurants, bakeries and bars offering unique, creative dishes that spotlight plant-based, vegetarian and vegan food. If visiting Philadelphia and seeking some plant-based nourishment, here’s where to go.
Vedge
James Beard-nominated chefs, Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby, have a vegan restaurant that ticks all the boxes: it is seasonal, local, and effortlessly elevates meatless dining in a way that will make you return for more. The chefs turned a historic brownstone mansion into an elegant restaurant. On their menu, mushrooms can impersonate a carpaccio, broccoli turns into a steak, the rutabaga becomes a fondue, and eggplant gets the stuffed braciole treatment. Even dessert is not spared from their experiments, with coconut tres leches with a tamarind-miso caramel, and biko brulee with pineapple, tender coconut, and a calamansi-avocado sorbet. The drinks are inventive too, with pickle brine, beet shrubs and coconut milk adding a touch of freshness to the cocktails.
Bar Bombón
Nicole Marquis, the founder of vegan chain HipCityVeg, launched this Rittenhouse restaurant, introducing vegan Latin flavours to the city. Bar Bombón uses veggies and proteins (non-GMO soy and organic grains) in dishes that are a twist on authentic Puerto Rican recipes and highlight plant-based ingredients. Some standouts are the buffalo cauliflower tacos, double chorizo burger, and breakfast tacos with organic sausages. Everything ‘meat’ is vegan here, from the Philly steak empanadas to Spanish meatballs. Wash these dishes down with drinks like cantaloupe paloma and a piquant salted grapefruit margarita.
Fitz On 4th
The vegan tapas restaurant in Queen Village is run by a mother and son duo, Alison Fitzpatrick and Alex Soto. They use produce from local vendors to create an exciting, unfussy menu that stars edamame wontons, mac and cheese, grilled sourdough with cashew ricotta, artichoke-based crab cakes, Nonna’s meatballs (with pea protein and chickpeas), and chorizo empanadas. Drinks, too, are vegan with curated cocktails like Neon Lotus with dragon fruit-infused rum, and Nightbird Martini with tequila and coffee liqueur, and mocktails with zero-proof gins and rums. The owners want everyone to have at least one vegan meal per week, and they’ve made Fitz the ideal place to accomplish that goal.
Pietramala
Can humble everyday vegetables like pumpkins, beets, and sweet potatoes be put on an international pedestal? Chef Ian Graye certainly thinks so. At Pietramala in the hip Northern Liberties neighbourhood, he serves everyday plants in a reimagined, fine dining style. There are no meat substitutes or fake flavours here. Instead, he treats vegetables with care, using techniques like charring and fermenting. Think cucumbers with freshly made tofu, charred peas with cashew ricotta, broccoli with spring onion and green garlic, and Maitake mushrooms with polenta. It’s a small menu, so go with friends and try everything.
Charlie Was A Sinner
A vegan speakeasy may sound odd but Charlie Was a Sinner makes it work. The elevated speakeasy serves small plates, plant-forward drinks and zero-proof drinks. The menu is small with easy, familiar options like potato croquettes, wild mushroom pâté, mama’s meatballs, and whole grain pasta. A section called Iterations looks at vegan takes on protein-rich dishes — crab cake sliders, fried calamari, and grilled cheese. Beyond zero-proof drinks are fun cocktails named Cougar (vodka, vermouth, strawberry), Fetish (thyme-infused mezcal, maraschino liqueur, grapefruit) and Red Light District (vodka, hibiscus aperitivo, grape cordial).
Miss Rachel's Pantry
It’s a pantry that masquerades as a supper club, with a BYOB philosophy. The cosy dining room, in South Philly, serves up vegan food that is influenced by homestyle cooking and world cuisine. Menus change weekly, but there is always pasta, house-made cheese and dessert. Expect dishes like homemade havarti (cheese) stuffed pastries, oyster mushroom cabbage roll, lemongrass and green pea soup, bagel-spiced caramelised onion-beet-carrot bun with rutabaga remoulade and mushroom bourguignon. Though BYOB, they do serve tea, coffee and seasonal beverages. It’s a small space, so you have to reserve in advance.