Vegan-Friendly Restaurants

    We have surveyed approximately 60 area restaurants to help us determine the best choices for vegan dining in Western New York.  Each of the restaurants listed below asked to be listed on this site and indicated a willingness to accomodate vegan diners.   All information below was provided by the restaurants and has not been independently verified by BVIS.  It is a good idea to tell your server that you are vegan and enlist your server's help in ensuring that the kitchen staff is alerted to your dietary preference. A copy of our restaurant questionnaire is reproduced below at the end of the restaurant listings.

Amherst:

Natalie's Cafe-Deli, Grover Cleveland Plaza, 807 1/2 Millersport Highway (716) 446-9715

Sandwiches:  Megaderra, Hummous & Tabouli, Ratatouille, Red Lentil & Millet Burger, Roasted Eggplant & Tofu Burger,  Zucchini & Pine Nuts Burger, Broccoli Cashew Burger

The Cafe in the Square, 4476 Main Street (716) 839-5330 www.cafeinthesquareinsnydersquare.com

Entrees: Eggplant steak topped with chickpeas, roasted red peppers and kalamata olives (ask for no feta).  Other menu items can be modified upon request. Low sodium items and brown rice are available.

Buffalo:

Amy's Place, 3234 Main Street (716) 832-6666

Appetizers: Hummus, tabouleh, eggplant dip, spinach pie    Soups: Veggie chili    Sandwiches:  Veggie pita, falafel, hummus, eggplant, hummus tabouleh    Entrees:  Vegetarian grapeleaves (10 grapeleaves stuffed w/ground chick peas & rice, cooked in a tangy lemon & olive oil sauce, served w/a side of tabouleh, hummus and a warm pita), Cait's Plate (spicy grilled lentils, onions & mushrooms, on grilled flatbread, topped w/steamed spinach and house dressing).  In addition, there are many other  items listed on the menu as vegetarian which can be served vegan upon request.  The owner is in the process of creating a separate vegan menu.     

Central Park Grill, 2519 Main Street (716) 836-9466

Appetizers: deep fried veggies, deep fried pickles, french fries, potato wedges.    Salad:  chef salad    Entrees: garden burger, veggie taco (available on request)

Cafe 59, 59 Allen Street (716) 883-1880  www.cafe59.com

Soups: corn and curry, vegan stew   Salads: field greens, make your own (choose from a wide variety of vegetables, dried fruits and nuts)  Pita Platters: toasted pita and balsamic dressed field greens with your choice of eggplant, hummus or roasted vegetables   Sandwiches: hummus, roasted vegetable (zucchini, eggplant, charred red pepper and portobello mushroom with Italian dressing and field greens) Whole grain bread is available.  

Cafe Garangelo, 1197 Hertel Avenue (716) 875-8940

Appetizers:fava beans, sauteed w/garlic, spinach and olive oil; beans'n greens; and, garlic bread.     Soups: Ask about the soup d'jour.    Salads: chef salad, veggie antipasto and olive salad.     Sandwiches: roasted eggplant on garlic bread and portabello mushroom w/sweet peppers and romaine (ask to leave out the provolone).     Pasta: lentils ditalini, pasta fasola, baby shells and peas, basil fettucini, spaghetti spinach a'la olio, penne broccoli.  You can also try the marinara sauce with your choice of spaghetti, penne, fettucini, linguini, angel hair, ditalini or baby shells.  Remember to tell the wait staff to omit the cheese.  For those concerned about sodium intake, note that they do not salt their pasta water. 

Merge, 439 Delaware Avenue (716) 381-8502 www.mergebuffalo.com

Soups: Sweet potato and peanut soup;  Salads: Marinated Vegetable and quinoa (quinoa, zucchini, carrots, yellow squash, mushroom, fennel-based marinade); Spinach Salad (clementine/mandarin oranges,toasted coconut, caraway dressing, rye croutons); Garden Salad (mixed greens, cherry tomato, red onion, carrots). Tempeh may be added to the salads.  Vegan dressings include ranch, green goddess/house, balsamic, red wine and lemon basil.  Appetizers:  Polenta Medallions (pan-fried polenta in a tomato mushroom sauce, with a balsamic reduction).  Wraps: Chopin (baked potato, cabbage, hummus, hot sauce); Mediterranean (black bean cake, chi chi beans, tzaziki, chutney); Tex-Mex (black bean cake, corn, cajun vegan ranch, salsa).  Paninis:  Katie (grilled cheese panini with cheddar, granny smith apples, lightly pickled jicama); Tease (grilled vegan mozzarella sundried tomatoes, pesto).  Sides:  Kale Salad (kale, cranberries, pine nuts); Brown Rice, Sweet Potato Fries, Green Salad (mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions) Vegan Mac and Cheese  Dinners:  Ambrosia's Lasagna (pine nut cheese lasagna with brown rice noodles, spinach, eggplant in a tomato sauce, served with a side of sauteed broccoli; Raw Pizza (walnut flax crust, tomato sauce, nut cheese, marinated vegetables, served with a side salad and lemon basil dressing; Stir-Fried Vegetables (seasonal vegetables sauteed with a light mushroom sauce and served over brown rice); Ratatouille (tomato-based vegetable medley served with fried eggplant on a buckwheat pancake, topped with toasted pine nuts). 

  Saigan Cafe, 1098 Elmwood Avenue (716) 883-1252  www.thesaigoncafe.com

Soups: Vegetarian soup w/ water base (assorted vegetables and tofu)     Noodles: Hu Tieu Xao (stir fried rice noodles w/vegetables and ground peanuts - Ask for water base and no garlic sauce).     Fried Rice:  Both the Saigan fried rice and basil fried rice can be ordered without eggs.  Entrees:  Mang Tay (asparagus, onions, baby corn and carrots) and Bong Cai (broccoli, onions baby corn and carrots) can be stir-fried in a water base instead of the brown sauce.     Curries: Green, Red, Mango and Panang Curry dishes with tofu.    Most dishes in the Vegetarian Corner section of the menu can be served vegan, including the Vegetable Rainbow, Tofu Curry, Potato Curry, Thai Garden, Vegetable Green Curry, Eggplant Curry and Ginger Scallion Vegetables.   Note that low sodium options are available.

Salsarita's Fresh Cantina, 110 West Chippewa Street              (716) 845-5237 www.salsaritas.com

Burritos, Tacos, Nachos and Salads: featuring your choice of roasted vegetables, rice, black beans, fresh salsas, guacamole, tomatoes, black olives, cilantro, tomatilo, iceberg lettuce and romaine lettuce.  Whole wheat tortillas are available.

 Cheektowaga:

Salsarita's Fresh Cantina, 3901 Union Road (716) 633-8484 www.salsaritas.com 

See Buffalo listing above.    

 Hamburg:

Common Ground, 327 Buffalo Street (716) 649-4967

Soups: Black Bean    Salads: Tossed salad (fresh garden vegetables), House (marinated tofu, cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds, kalamata olives, tomatoes, red onions, bell peppers and sprouts)     Wraps:  House (house salad in a wrap)   They also serve organic herbal teas.  

  HERE IS A COPY OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE SENT TO SELECTED AREA RESTAURANTS:

Vegans are strict vegetarians who do not eat meat, fish, seafood, milk, cheese, eggs, butter, honey or any other animal product. Many vegans have strong religious beliefs or ethical reasons for not eating food derived from animals. Others do not eat animal products for health reasons.

Many restaurants add animal products to vegetable dishes without listing them in their menu. For this reason, vegans are very careful about where they eat out. The purpose of this questionnaire is to help us compile a list of area restaurants where vegans can be confident that they can enjoy a meal without worrying that they might be eating animal products. Vegans avoid animal products such as beef or chicken stock in soups, lard in beans, cheese baked into veggie burgers, pesto sauce containing cheese, fish sauce, cream sauces containing dairy products and egg noodles. We would be grateful if you would fill out this questionnaire and return it to us in the stamped self-addressed envelope provided.

QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Does your menu offer vegan items? ___ yes ___no

2. If you answered "yes" above, please list a sample of vegan items from your menu; or if you prefer, please return a copy of your menu with vegan items highlighted:

___________________________________________________________________

3. Can you make a vegan version of any of your entrees at the request of a customer?    ___yes ___no

4. Do you offer any of the following healthy items which might appeal to someone on a restricted diet?

     Whole grain bread, pasta or noodles ___yes ___no

     Brown or wild rice  ___yes ___no

     Low salt entrees  ___yes ___no

     Sugar-free desserts  ___yes ___no

5. Do you wish to be listed as a "vegan friendly" restaurant on our website?

___yes ___no

6. Would you like a link to your website to appear on our links page?

___yes ___no ___not applicable

 __________________________________________________________________________

     In addition to the restaurants surveyed above, here are some additional area restaurants with vegan options:

     Sue's New York Deli, Taste of India, The Gourmet Store, India Gate, Saigan Bangkok, Papaya, Korner Kaffe, Palace of Dosas, Poppy Seed and Pizza Plant.