The Best Vegan Restaurants in Portland Maine

I loved visiting the coastal city of Portland, and I found it surprisingly easy to go vegan in Portland, Maine. There are so many restaurants and establishments offering delicious plant-based eats across this New England city. In fact, one of my favorite things to do in Portland was discover the food and beverage scene.

Portland Maine was named the Restaurant City of the Year by Bon Appetit magazine. The city celebrates all sorts of cuisines and restaurants from a variety of culinary backgrounds. While there aren’t actually any strictly vegan restaurants (however there is one vegan food truck!), there are some vegetarian restaurants in Portland Maine.

And there are tons of vegan options at many establishments around the city. So, where to eat in Portland Maine? I’m going to show you exactly where to find all of the best options with this vegan Portland Maine food blog post.

I went on a road trip from Toronto to Portland, Maine in the spring to attend WITS (Women in Travel Summit). It’s about a 10 hour drive from home, so I made a few stops along the way, including Albany, Dutchess County, Portsmouth (NH), and Hudson, New York on the way back.

As much as I was excited to visit all of the places and attend the conference, I was thrilled at the possibility of sampling all the vegan food in Portland Maine. And to follow that up, excited to write this vegan Portland Maine restaurant guide for you, too!

Vegan Portland Maine: Green Elephant Vegetarian Bistro

The Green Elephant Vegetarian Bistro is an Asian inspired culinary experience in healthy, vegetarian dining. Chef and owner, Dan Sriprasert, aims to combine compassion and indulgence for this mindful dining experience. It was my favorite spot to dine throughout this vegan Portland Maine guide, so be sure to check it out when you’re in the city.

Starting with influences from Thailand, Green Elephant offers flavors reminiscent of voyages to Japan, China, Malaysia and India. They also support local businesses as much as possible, including local beer, tea, sodas, and locally roasted coffee.

It was really difficult to decide what to order because everything seemed amazing. I wanted to choose some menu items that were unique and I couldn’t necessarily find anywhere else. To start, I ordered the Crispy Wontons (stuffed with soy cheese and spinach, served with chili sauce). They were tasty little fried morsels that paired perfectly with the sauce.

For my main course, I chose the Chinese Broccoli with Crispy Breaded Soy Filet (stir fried broccoli, Chinese broccoli, carrots and Thai bird chili in a brown sauce). The dish was moderately spicy (in a good way!) and the soy filet was super crispy.

If you’re looking for where to eat in Portland Maine, don’t miss dining at the Green Elephant Vegetarian Bistro. Vegetarian, vegan, or omnivore, I’m convinced that you’ll love dining here. I’m still dreaming about my meal here!

Vegan in Portland Maine: LFK

With all of the yummy selections I’ve provided so far, and you still looking for where to eat in Portland Maine? Here’s another great establishment for you. LFK is another eclectic restaurant and bar in Portland, Maine.

It’s not a strictly vegan or vegetarian eatery, but you’ll find loads of vegan food. To accompany the food, they offer craft beer, signature cocktails, spirits and wine. You’ll also discover lots of interesting art, bursts of color, and interesting design features all over the restaurant.

LFK has a rotating menu that changes with the seasons. If you’re not sure if an item is vegan, just ask the staff. LFK has vegan cheese and can do vegan pizzas, burgers, nachos, and more.

I ordered the LFK Veggie Burger with vegan cheese on top (also comes with greens, tomato, onion and dill tahini), and served with a side of pickles and a bag of chips. LFK is a great addition to this vegan Portland Maine guide for those seeking next level pub grub.

Sichuan Kitchen

Sichuan Kitchen is a vegan-friendly Chinese restaurant in Portland. It’s so easy to find all of the best vegan food on the menu. Everything that’s vegan is marked with a green “V” or “VO” if there’s the option to prepare it vegan. The vegetarian dishes are labeled “VG”.

For small plates, try the tian shui noodles, daikon salad, cucumber salad, mushroom salad, or smoky tofu salad. There are vegetable meals like sweet and sour cabbage and fried green beans. When it comes to entrees, I suggest ordering the mapo tofu, ants climbing a tree, spicy noodles, cold noodles or spicy sour soup noodles.

Vegan Portland Maine: Mi Sen Noodle Bar

Mi Sen is a noodle bar in downtown Portland, Maine with several vegan and vegetarian friendly meals on the menu. The noodles are made from scratch, and you’ll find lots of delicious Thai noodle and soup dishes here. Simply ask the staff if you’re unsure as to which items are vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free.

Many of the items can be made “vegetarian upon request” or “gluten-free upon request”. Just ask for the dish to be prepared vegan. The restaurant staff are very familiar with what vegan means, so you won’t have any issues.

I ordered the Drunken Noodles made vegan, which meant leaving out the egg and adding tofu. You’ll receive a tasty dish of stir-fried flat noodles, broccoli, bell peppers, basil leaves, and carrots in a spicy sauce. Delish!

Vegan Portland Maine: Totally Awesome Vegan Foodtruck

This is the only all-vegan establishment in Portland, Maine, and it’s a food truck aptly named Totally Awesome Vegan Foodtruck! This food truck is always popping up in new locations around Portland, so the best thing you can do is check their Instagram account to see where you can find them. They also list weekly specials on Instagram.

They offer lunch from Thursday to Saturday and brunch on Sundays. On select days, they also do delivery through various apps, though it’s best to call in your order and pick it up yourself to avoid paying higher rates.

For lunch, try the Totally Awesome Burger, the Baconator, Junkfood Cheeseburger, Crispy Chick’n Sandwich, Buffalo Chick’n Sandwich, Totally Awesome Fries, or Jalapeno Cheesy Fries. For Sunday brunch, try their breakfast sandwich, 80s Drive-In Burger, Texas Drive-In Burger, the 420 Dawg, Maple-Chipotle Tots, and some of the chicken burgers that they offer during lunchtime.

Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in Portland Maine: Otto

Looking for vegan pizza in Portland Maine? Head directly to Otto! It’s a pizzeria with options for omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans. I’m so happy to include a pizza place in my vegan Portland Maine guide as I don’t think that I can live without pizza in my life.

You can make your own pizza with vegetable toppings and vegan cheese. I recommend you try one of their vegan pizzas either from the vegetarian menu or the spicy menu. I ordered the Buffalo cauliflower, Scallion and Blue Cheese pizza, substituting the vegan cheese for the blue cheese. It was amazing!

I loved the spicy cauliflower and the green onions, and it matched the vegan cheese perfectly. Otto was a great dining choice for myself and a few of my travel blogging buddies as there was something that appealed to everyone.

Vegan in Portland Maine: LB Kitchen

LB Kitchen is the place to go for breakfast, lunch or a cup of coffee. From their menu, “LB” stands for “lunch and breakfast; life and business; Lee and Bryna; LB Kitchen… To us, food is life, love, medicine and community.”

It’s a really vegan-friendly establishment in town for both food and drink. For your coffee, there are many plant-based milk alternatives: oat, almond, pistachio, coconut, as well as vegan coconut caramel syrup and a vegan collagen add-on.

There are numerous bowls, toasts, sandwiches, and even vegan pancakes available on request. Try the vegan breakfast sandwich, chickpea curry bowl, LB bowl, avocado toast or acai bowl. There are also many smoothies and slushies to try apart from the usual coffee and tea drinks you’ll find at cafes.

The Thirsty Pig

Who knew you could get vegan food in Portland Maine at a spot called The Thirsty Pig? Normally, I’d never imagine going to an establishment with a name like that. But, believe it or not, there are vegan options here and I highly recommend checking them out. It’s my choice for where to eat in Portland Maine if you’re looking to indulge in hot dogs and beer on an amazing patio.

When I traveled to Portland, the weather was not cooperating at all. It was rainy, overcast, and a little bit cold for most of my stay. But, on one glorious Saturday afternoon, the skies opened up. It was sunny and warm on this beautiful spring day. I was so happy to dine outdoors, and The Thirsty Pig has a wonderful patio behind the restaurant.

On the menu, the vegan and veg-curious folks can enjoy the vegan chili, the hummus, and the Vegan Bratwurst (homemade vegan link made with vital wheat gluten and nutritional yeast, topped with caramelized onions and house spicy brown mustard). The coleslaw is also vegan. Add this spot to your vegan Portland Maine dining list, stat!

Asmara Restaurant

Asmara Restaurant is an Eritrean restaurant in Portland, Maine with many vegetarian and vegan options on the menu. While there is an entire vegetarian section on the menu, I believe that all of them are vegan (double check with your server).

Order the vegetarian sampler if you’d like to try several items, or ask to try spicy okra and potatoes, alit’cha (a veggie stew), birsen (stewed lentils), shiro (chickpea dish), tsebhi hamli (stewed greens) or others. They also have veggie sambusa to start and African coffee or sweet tea.

The Friendly Toast

The Friendly Toast has a location in Portland, Maine now! I’ve dined at their restaurants in Boston and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This restaurant is a classic American diner that has many vegan options for breakfast and lunch.

Try the vegan pancakes, breakfast burrito, or tofu scramble for breakfast. For lunch, there’s a veggie burger, vegan mac n cheese and so much more. All-day breakfast is always a good idea, and now you can try it, vegan style in Portland, Maine.

BaoBao Dumpling House

It can be tricky to find vegan dumplings, but BaoBao Dumpling House happens to be a very vegan-friendly place to dine in Portland, Maine. They have vegan dumplings as well as several cold side dishes.

For cold dishes, order 88 slaw, smashed cucumbers or somen noodles. For dumplings, they have the shiitake wontons that can be made vegan, simply ask for it.

Cheese Louise

Cheese Louise is a grilled cheese eatery in Portland, and they have a few different vegan grilled cheese sandwiches. First, you can substitute vegan cheese for any of their sandwiches. Next, there is one vegan grilled cheese sandwich on the menu: The No Porkin’ Way (shredded BBQ sweet potatoes and caramelized onions, vegan slaw, and then request vegan cheese).

The Juicery

When I visited Portland, this juice bar was known as Maine Squeeze Juice Cafe, but they’ve renamed and transformed the location to their main brand called The Juicery. If you’re looking for the Maine Squeeze Juice Cafe and can’t find it, head over to The Juicery to reach the same owners and a similar business.

As The Juicery has multiple locations around the state, I ended up visiting on a couple of occasions during my time in Maine and Southern Maine. I ordered a smoothie in Kittery and an acai bowl in Portland. Their acai bowls are hearty and delicious, with a big dollop of peanut butter on top and freshly sliced banana.

Definitely visit the The Juicery if you’re looking for a refreshing and healthy serving of fruit. It’s one of the best vegan restaurants in Portland Maine, especially if you’re looking for something quick and healthy on the go.

Bird & Co

Bird & Co is a taco restaurant with quite a few vegetarian and vegan items on the menu. The menu is easy to navigate with the vegetarian and vegan choices clearly marked. For tacos, try the crispy tofu, fried plantain, or BBQ cauliflower taco. I love that they have vegan crema, too.

Under the “not tacos” section, the vegan offerings are chips & salsa, chips & guac, bean & sweet potato taquitos, and crispy brussels sprouts. There’s even a vegan dessert – a blueberry crumble cheesecake!

Three Dollar Deweys

Three Dollar Deweys is a historic pub in the heart of the Old Port in Portland. Dating back to its time as the Portland Ale House, they helped shape the craft beer scene in the region. With a great selection of beer on tap, Three Dollar Deweys is the place to try some of Portland’s finest craft ales. They have 45 different beers on tap!

Even though Three Dollar Deweys has a bit of a reputation as a dive bar, it surprisingly has a vegan section of their menu. They take pride in the fact that anyone should be able to enjoy a great meal at a pub, no matter their dietary restrictions.

Three Dollar Deweys offers vegan nachos, a BBQ jackfruit sandwich, BBQ jackfruit tacos, a crispy Buffalo tofu sandwich, vegan poutine, and a build-your-own veggie burger with the toppings of your choice (plus vegan cheese!).

The Holy Donut

Seeking a sweet indulgence? The Holy Donut is an institution in Portland, Maine. It’s almost as though you never visited Portland if you didn’t try a donut from The Holy Donut.

These aren’t your average donuts: they’re made from potatoes! And even if you follow a special diet, the Holy Donut has got you covered: they make lots of vegan donuts and gluten-free donuts. Holy Donut is also a great coffee shop to visit. For coffee fans, check out my coffee shops guide to Portland.

When I visited, there were several varieties of vegan doughnuts, including cinnamon sugar, triple berry, fresh lemon, toasted coconut, and vanilla. The vegan donuts are all marked with a “V” on the top shelf. Why not try…all of them? The Holy Donut is my top choice for dessert in this vegan Portland Maine dining guide.

Vegan Portland Maine: Sticky Sweet

Sticky Sweet is a 100% vegan and gluten-free ice cream shop in Portland, Maine. This vegan ice cream is made from scratch in Portland by two sisters on a mission to deliver the best plant-based ice cream around.

They have a walk-up window where you can order your vegan ice cream in a freshly made waffle cone or in a bowl. Sticky Sweet also sells their ice cream by the pint. The walk-up window is open year round!

Some of the flavors you can purchase are sea salted maple, caramel chocolate chip, spiced cider cookie, pumpkin ginger pie, peanut butter cookie, lemon cheesecake, peppermint brownie batter, and more.

B&B Bakery

Formerly known as Baristas and Bites, B&B Bakery is a former breakfast and lunch joint turned vegan-friendly bakery. From back when they were called Baristas and Bites to now that they’ve reinvented themselves as B&B Bakery, they’ve always been very vegan-friendly (and gluten-free friendly, too).

There are a number of vegan cupcakes available to pre-order or for sale at their shop. For example, there are vegan carrot cake cupcakes, cookie dough cupcakes, quadruple chocolate cupcakes, celebration cupcakes, and pride rainbow cupcakes.

Would you rather try one of their cookies? From first glance on their website, all of their cookies are vegan. There are cowboy cookies, pumpkin chocolate chip, double chocolate walnut espresso, macaroons, molasses spice, peanut butter, and the list goes on. And they also have a wide variety of vegan whoopie pies!

Gorgeous Gelato

I got a little bit obsessed with eating gelato in Italy, and Gorgeous Gelato is the best gelato that I’ve had outside of Italy. They always have a couple of vegan flavors that are clearly marked.

There’s also Vegan Gelato Fridays at Gorgeous Gelato! I’m so sad that I missed out on the event as I was quite busy at the conference on Friday, but I went straight to Gorgeous Gelato the next day for a scoop.

I love how committed Gorgeous Gelato is to providing vegan options every day, and even hosting a special vegan event each week. You must go there when you travel to Portland, Maine for a taste of Italy in the USA.

Grocery Options: Whole Foods & Trader Joe’s

Portland has a Whole Foods Market and a Trader Joe’s, and both are not too far away from one another. I went to both grocery stores for some breakfast foods and vegan snacks to nibble on in my hotel room.

Whole Foods has a fabulous buffet with lots of vegan meals, while Trader Joe’s has some grab n’ go prepared meals that are vegan.

Looking for More Vegan Guides in the USA?

I try to write vegan guides to every city that I visit around the world. As I’ve traveled to many cities in the US, I’ve compiled several vegan guides so far. Here’s a list of our vegan restaurant and city guides:

• Vegan Guide to New Orleans, Louisiana
• Vegan Guide to Billings, Montana
• The Best Vegan Restaurants in Key West, Florida
• Vegan in Dutchess County, New York (Hudson Valley)
• Vegan Restaurants in San Diego, California
• Huntington Beach, California Vegan Restaurants
• Where to Find Vegan Food in Buena Park, California
• The Best Vegan Restaurants in Sedona, Arizona
• Taking a Self-Guided Vegan Food Tour in Miami
• Tempe Arizona Vegan Restaurants
• Vegan Guide to Buffalo, New York
• Nashville Vegan Guide
• Milwaukee Vegan Guide