Despite a growing number of vegan restaurants in Detroit and the suburbs in recent years, the city still ranks low among large cities. But fear not. If you’re interested in eating vegan in Detroit, it can be done easily when armed with the right resources!
Here’s your guide:
What does it mean to be vegan?
When someone says they’re vegan, they mean that their diet excludes foods of any animal origin. Vegans do not eat meat, but being vegan goes beyond not eating things like chicken, beef, or pork. It also means abstaining from seafood, dairy products, honey, and byproducts of animals, such as gelatin or lard. In addition to staying away from animal food products, vegans do not use animal-based skin care products or clothing.
Some people choose to become vegan because they are firmly against animal cruelty and the exploitation of animals to produce food for human consumption. Others prefer the practice to reduce their environmental impact and health.Consuming vegetables has documented health benefits, including lower rates of heart disease and diabetes. Low saturated fat intake makes most vegan individuals leaner and less prone to obesity, and eliminating dairy intake can reduce digestive issues caused by drinking milk. Research also supports plant-based eating as a climate solution.
What are some popular Detroit restaurants with good vegan options?
It seems like Detroit is continuously opening new vegan restaurants and pushing our restaurants to include more vegan options for customers. Here are a few:
Trap Vegan
20198 Livernois Detroit, MI 48221
(313) 340-2988
Trap Vegan is a plant-based burger restaurant located south of Eight Mile in Detroit. Opening in 2021, owner Jasmine Raiford’s restaurant offers vegan burgers in different styles, smoothies with a range of flavors, salads, and wraps for people looking for something simple but still vegan. The names of menu items represent Detroit slang and influential Black artists.
Seva Detroit
66 E Forest Ave Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 974-6661
Seva Restaurant was first known as Seva Longevity Cookery when it opened in Columbus, Ohio, in 1971. Since then, the restaurant has moved from Ohio to having two locations: Ann Arbor and Detroit. The owner of the Detroit location, George N’Namdi, opened Seva Detroit in December 2011 and shares a building with the G. R. N’Namdi Gallery. The menu offers appetizers, soups, salads, bowls, entrees, breakfast, sandwiches, and desserts that are entirely vegan and are labeled vegan under the specific dishes that qualify as such.
NeeHee’s Indian Vegetarian Street Food
45656 Ford Rd, Canton, MI 48187
4924 Rochester Rd, Troy, MI 48085
(734) 737-9777
Located in the suburbs, two Patel brothers and their wives strive to make vegan Indian food accessible while bringing the community together. They offer expansive dining areas and over 150 Indian dishes, many of which are vegan. NeeHee’s began its journey in 2004 at Suraj Indian Grocery. From selling homemade samosas and freshly squeezed sugarcane juice, the brothers moved into their Canton location in 2009 and Troy in 2016. NeeHee’s vegan menu is separate, allowing customers to see vegan foods.
Cold Truth
4240 Cass Ave suite 100 Detroit, MI 48207
(313) 500-7443
Cold Truth, located near Tou & Mai on Cass Ave, serves vegan soft-serve ice cream with a boatload of prepared toppings. The store also makes gluten-free waffle cones with vegan soft serve, suitable for vegan and gluten-free customers. They also have a completely vegan ice cream sandwich and an arrangement of vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free items.
How can I find vegan options at non-vegan restaurants?
Eating at non-vegan restaurants as a vegan can be intimidating. Scouting the menu to ensure there’s something for you to eat can be challenging. Here’s some guidance for finding options at restaurants that aren’t necessarily known for being ‘vegan-friendly’:
Understanding the restaurant’s type and cuisine before going can help you know what food you will encounter. Communicating with restaurant staff can also help you navigate the menu without causing disruptions during meal service. Apps like Happy Cow can help guide you.
Asian, Mediterranean, and Mexican cuisines offer many vegan options with plant-based items like fruits, rice, tofu, beans (ones made without lard), and grains. Just ask if anything is cooked in meat-based broths or uses meat as a topping. Also, ask about less obvious things, like dressings or extras. Previewing a restaurant’s menu can help alleviate any questions or concerns.
Expressing gratitude can also go a long way toward ensuring that your experience at a restaurant is the same as that of a non-vegan.
I want something sweet. Where are the Detroit vegan-friendly cafes or bakeries?
With the rise of new vegan restaurants in Detroit, vegan-friendly desserts are also rising. Rivertown Market and Whole Foods have a good selection of vegan baked goods. Below are a few vegan-friendly Detroit bakeries in Detroit that offer a variety of desserts and treats to end off any good vegan meal or to grab on a nice day:
Estella’s Vegan Cuisine and Desserts
19120 Grand River Ave Detroit, MI 48223
(313) 288-2206
Owner Chantele Jones has made it her mission to bring the goodness of a plant-based lifestyle to her community. Jones began sharing recipes in a restaurant called VDaLish, which Detroit now knows as Estella’s. Estella’s offers a menu of salads, wraps and sandwiches that are all completely vegan, along with an array of vegan desserts to enjoy. Desserts include pies, peach cobbler, no “cheese” cake, pastries and cakes that can be made to order.
For the Love of Sugar
100 Erskine St Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 788-7111
For the Love of Sugar started with Founder Manal combining her Eastern roots with her love for sugar to create a dessert shop tailored to their creative mind. For the Love of Sugar offers vegan and non-vegan options, ranging from cupcakes, slices of cake, macaroons and more. The shop began in 2010 with desserts, treats, and coffee and specialty drinks. Some vegan items include vegan chocolate chunk cookies, fudge brownies, white chocolate chip birthday cake cookies and more!
Which grocery stores in Detroit have the best vegan products?
Most grocery stores offer traditional plant-based options for food such as beans, grains, lentils, and tofu and are branching out to provide newer alternative plant-based products such as plant-based cheese.
Checking labels can help ensure that plant-based cheese or meat alternatives are actually vegan, as the term plant-based does not automatically mean vegan.
Eating vegan does not have to be expensive. Buying food in bulk, such as dried grains, rice, beans, and fresh produce, can help you save money.
Here are some grocery stores in Detroit dedicated to having fresh products for cooking vegan at home:
Detroit People’s Food Co-op
8324 Woodward Ave Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 338-3111
Detroit People’s Food Co-op is the new grocery store on Woodward Avenue in Detroit. It is Black and community-led, dedicated to providing and promoting healthy food for Detroit residents. Its location and purpose make this co-op unique, as it is located in a low and moderate-income community, serving minorities who lack access to grocery stores far away. The store has many weekly or daily deals, including fresh vegetables and fruit, allowing customers to make healthier meals without hurting their bank account. For vegans, this grocery store is a place to locate meal items quickly and even gain inspiration based on what’s in stock or score deals. They also offer bulk shopping, perfect for vegans or non-vegans wanting to stock up on grains, flour, nuts, beans, and dried fruit.
Whole Foods
115 Mack Ave Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 576-5300
Whole Foods allows customers to experience a variety of brands and products, with specific details on vegan-friendly products. From fresh greens and fruit to organic squeezed juices, Whole Foods has drinks, meals, and desserts ready for vegan customers who want to do their weekly or monthly grocery shopping. The grocery store also offers supplements and vitamins to add to foods or a workout routine that fits their lifestyle.
Rivertown Market
1475 E. Jefferson Detroit, MI 48207
(313) 259-6200
Rivertown Market, located on Jefferson, offers various fresh produce options and delivery services that will deliver your grocery items same-day in 2 hours. Rivertown Market offers national brand products and low prices to help people get more for their buck when grocery shopping. It has a department dedicated to “gluten-free, vegan, and alternative diet” shoppers, who can find things such as vegan proteins, gluten-free baked goods, plant-based ice creams, meat substitutes, and more!
How can I transition into a vegan lifestyle without feeling overwhelmed?
Making lifestyle changes at any point in life can be challenging. Completely changing how and what you eat can become overwhelming. It’s important to find community resources and people on the same journey as you to help boost morality around what you are doing.
A notable resource to help you get started eating plant-based foods is VegMichigan. Signing up for a 30-day pledge offers people looking to alter their lifestyle with plant-based foods to sample and try. VegMichigan hosts its annual spring event, VegFest, in Eastern Market. At the event, people can try food from over 100 vendors, and they even offer a Meetup Group for people to join and connect with them further.
Reaching out to neighbors who have experience with veganism or joining grocery store memberships can help connect you with community leaders and organizations involving people on the same journey.
It’s okay to feel worried or unsure. However, remember that Detroit is stacked with restaurants and stores offering vegan services and people wanting to become vegan, ensuring those customers are satisfied and heard.
Detroiter Amy Hemmeter contributed to this piece.
Updated July 18, 2024.