Las Vegas vegan blogger. Here are my 10 favorite vegan and plant-based restaurants

I’ve lived in Las Vegas for nearly two decades and began exploring the city’s greatest vegan restaurants in 2016.

Over the years, I have sampled the top vegan restaurants in Las Vegas.

Becca Fritz

When I went to Las Vegas about 20 years ago, there were few plant-based restaurants. However, in recent years and especially after 2016, the city has seen a surge of new vegan restaurants and chefs.

I became vegan in 2016 and felt it would be tough to dine out, so I set out to explore and post all the vegan food I was eating in the Valley to show people that it was possible to become vegan and still enjoy dining out.

I’ve spent the last six years exploring vegan cuisine in Las Vegas and blogging about it to promote the city as a vegan destination. In that time, I’ve established Vegan Dining Month in January, arranged Las Vegas-themed dinners at the James Beard House in New York, and led one of the top nine vegan food tours. It is my objective to find the best vegan foods and demonstrate that vegan food isn’t boring; in fact, it can be downright delicious.

In 2015, there were just five totally vegan restaurants in the city; there are now over twenty, and dozens more provide vegan options. The city has become a mecca for plant-based food. Consistently regarded as one of the most vegan and vegetarian-friendly cities in the United States. Here are my top 10 choices for the most wonderful vegan and vegan-friendly eateries in Las Vegas.

Garden Grill has the juiciest fried chicken, so I go there.

Garden Grill’s Nashville spicy chicken slider.

Diana Edelman

What began as a pop-up nearly a decade ago is now one of the most popular vegan restaurants in Las Vegas. It began as a pop-up and quickly gained a cult following before opening as a brick-and-mortar establishment years later.

Garden Grill provides crispy fried chicken with succulent meat in a number of forms, including a fried chicken sandwich, a buffalo chicken sandwich, a Nashville Hot (my personal favorite due to the wonderful crunch, heat, and slaw with dill), and even a bucket o’ chicken. Additionally, they provide tasty side dishes such as beer-battered mushrooms and carne asada fries with plant-based meat.

Save space for dessert; their soft-serve cone dipped in butterscotch, appropriately titled the butterscotch dip cone, transports me back to my pre-vegan childhood, when Dairy Queen trips were commonplace.

Tacotarian’s plant-based birria satisfies my cravings for Mexican cuisine.

Birria tacos from Tacotarian.

Diana Edelman

Tacotarian, an additional vegan restaurant, has developed rapidly in Las Vegas, opening four outlets in just four years.

The restaurant claims to have “the widest selection of plant-based tacos in the universe,” and based on my experience, I believe that claim to be accurate. Tacos range from flavorful mushroom asada to soft jackfruit birria in melted cheese. They also offer the “World’s Largest Vegan Taco,” which is longer than my forearm and stuffed with taco toppings.

Tacotarian also offers burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, cauliflower ceviche, and desserts like as arroz con leche and a to-die-for coconut cake.

Asian vegan food is served at Chef Kenny’s Asian Vegan Restaurant and Chef Kenny’s Dim Sum.

Orange chicken prepared by Chef Kenny.

Diana Edelman

I believe Chef Kenny Chey has mastered veganizing the most popular dishes from Chinese and other Asian cuisines. In my opinion, Chef Kenny’s Asian Vegan Restaurant is exceptional, from the rich, orange-sauce-drenched chicken puffs to the sushi. On my first visit, if I hadn’t realized it was a vegan restaurant, I would have questioned whether or not I was fed meat.

There is also Chef Kenny’s Dim Sum, which offers many of the same dishes as his original restaurant in addition to a full dim sum menu with vegan pig dumplings and mushroom tofu wrap — my personal favorite is sesame balls.

Chiky Vegan Sushi and Izakaya is my go-to for a wholesome meal of fruits and vegetables.

Dessert Gold, a roll offered by Chiky Vegan Sushi and Izakaya.

Diana Edelman

When I’m not in the mood for vegan meat replacements, I head to Chiky, whose veggie-forward dishes stand out. The colourful sushi rolls, sashimi, ramen, and other dishes showcase the variety of fruits and vegetables. Enjoy some sake with your sushi, as it is one of the few vegan eateries with a license to sell alcohol.

Desert Gold is the one roll I consistently receive, regardless of how I arrange my dice. It consists of tempura-fried tofu and tapioca with shredded, spicy tofu, negi, ito togarashi, sesame, microgreens, and a secret, spicy sauce poured on top; it’s a dish I can’t stop thinking about.

Graze Kitchen is one of my favorite restaurants for vegan comfort cuisine and appetizers to share with friends.

Cauliflower gratin from Graze Kitchen.

Diana Edelman

Graze Kitchen is a vegetarian restaurant that delivers hearty, satisfying meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as an excellent weekend brunch.

I can’t get enough of their fried cauliflower served with biscuits and gravy for brunch, or their Korean nachos with properly seasoned, meaty TVP (textured vegetable protein) on top, which are available at any time of day. Both of these meals, as well as others, are designed to be shared, making them ideal for dining with friends so you may sample a little bit of everything.

For an elegant breakfast or dinner, I reserve a table at Crossroads Kitchen.

Chips and vegan caviar from Crossroads Kitchen.

Diana Edelman

Crossroads Kitchen is one of the only vegan restaurants on The Strip and the only high-end vegan restaurant in town that challenges the celebrity-chef-driven, white tablecloth restaurants. In addition to spaghetti and pizza, they also provide eggplant filets, vegan caviar with chips, and chestnut foie gras. I believe this is the perfect place to take non-vegans for a nice evening out and demonstrate the magical potential of veganizing food.

It’s difficult for me to pick a favorite dish at this restaurant, but I really enjoy their heavy lasagna bolognese and the new weekend brunch, which includes filled french toast and vegan chicken and waffles. Expect to pay more than you would off-Strip, as it is posh.

Guerrilla Pizza offers pizzas topped with vegan cheese and vegetables.

A Detroit-style pizza from Guerrilla Pizza made with vegan cheese and vegetable toppings.

Diana Edelman

Pizza has always been one of my favorite foods, and when I became vegan, the thought of never eating pizza again was difficult to accept.

The arrival of Guerrilla Pizza put an end to my concerns. This restaurant’s Detroit-style pizzas with vegan substitutes are the greatest I’ve ever tasted. It’s located in the historic Hard Hat Lounge, just north of The Strip.

The crispy-edged crust is covered with a tangy sauce that has a hint of spice, vegan cheese, and vegetables. I find it to be delicious and filling after a long day of sightseeing in Las Vegas.

For a steakhouse that will appeal to both vegans and carnivores, I recommend Barry’s Downtown Prime.

Barry’s Downtown Prime offers a vegan meatloaf.

Diana Edelman

There is now Barry’s Downtown Prime. Barry’s is an upmarket steakhouse in Circa Las Vegas Downtown that offers numerous steak and seafood selections for meat eaters, as well as equally good vegan cuisine. The meatloaf with truffles is one of my faves since it is hearty, umami-rich, and indulgent.

Save room for one of the two vegan sweets, a dense chocolate cake overflowing with berries or a creamy cheesecake baked in-house.

I hope that any visitor to Las Vegas would see that our plant-based options provide something for everyone. As you visit the many vegan restaurants in town, keep in mind that both vegans and non-vegans will enjoy their meals at these establishments.