Around Town

What’s it like to be vegan in Charlotte?

By Tori Wright

Charlotte has a vegan scene. I’ve been slow to see it. But now that I’ve started to look, it’s all around.

My interest started when my friend converted to a vegan diet some months ago, not as a way to throw red paint on fur or become an animal-rights yuppy (not that anything is wrong with supporting animal rights) but she did it for the health benefits. She’s always talking about how energized and healthy she feels.

We both work in a restaurant that primarily serves steak and fish, so when she eats at work, it seems to be a huge ordeal. It’s hard to find any vegan food on our block. I assumed a vegan lifestyle was difficult in Charlotte. Then I opened my eyes and saw the vegan all around. The site Queen City Vegan is a good starting point to the best vegan in town.

Not knowing where to start, my friend gave me a guide to her favorite vegan restaurants in the city, so here is my adventure through three of her favorite spots.

My first stop was Luna’s Living Kitchen in South End. Recommended by several people, it’s a vegetarian and vegan raw bar. The interior is a grand, open space with high ceilings, brick walls, and ceiling-high windows letting light in.

Anything avocado on a menu always stands out for me, so naturally I had the avocado and basil sandwich with a beet salad. Now I’m not lying when I say that that sandwich is literally one of the best things I’ve ever eaten.

If all raw vegan is this good, I would convert in an instant. It’s also picture-perfect, and within 20 minutes of posting it to Instagram, it was instantly my most popular photo (but then again, I’m not so Instagram famous).

I’m a huge sucker for ginger, and being that it’s raw, I had to try the ginger ale (also photogenic), made with ginger, lemonade, sparkling water and agave. Yum.

Lastly, I had the carrot cake. I think I’ll switch to vegan desserts from here on out: they’re just as good and quite a bit healthier.

Luna’s left an impression on me, and seeing as how it’s right down the road from where I work, I know I’ll turn into a regular.

//><!--Right??//--><!

Next time, I need give their juices a try.

//><!--Bean Vegan Cuisine came next. According to my friend, everything is fried, which is delicious, but not so great for staying slim. The interior reminds me of family-run restaurants from back home. And the fried vegetables… definitely reminds me of home cooking— I’m Southern… we fry all our vegetables.//--><!

I ordered the jackfruit carnitas tacos with grilled zucchini and fried squash. I grew up on fried squash, and I’ve hardly eaten any fried food since I’ve moved to Charlotte. Bean wasn’t quite as good as I had hoped, but nothing is ever as good as mom’s cooking.

To drink, I had a Lenny Boy ginger kombucha. I wasn’t sure what it was. I had to Google it. Apparently it’s a kind of tea. More modern versions are fizzy sodas. Once again, I fell victim to ginger (thankfully, not a ginger). It was quite good. I’ve stopped drinking soda, so this sounds like a good alternative.

Also news for the restaurant:

Finally, I visited Fern. Located in Plaza-Midwood, the space reminded me of restaurants in Brooklyn, which I love. It’s a cozy space with mason jar lights hanging from the ceiling. As for the name, “Fern,” I wonder if it’s associated with “Charlotte’s Web,” and the girl, Fern, who adopted a pig as a pet (not food).

I visited for brunch, which they offer on the weekends. As one of those who can’t function without coffee, it was of course the first thing I ordered… and I love a good coffee set up.

At the suggestion of my friend, I tried the chicken and waffles. I’ll confess, I’ve never indulged in the original, deep-fried poultry delicacy, so I have no base line to compare it to. The tofu chicken was a bit too spicy for me, but I boxed it up for my friend who was excited for the treat.

I enjoyed the atmosphere and definitely plan on returning. They have some pretty rad drink specials during the week.

All-in-all, I’m glad I gave this vegan experience a shot. I’ve learned about a different style of food and drink culture, and I’ve been introduced to some great restaurants. I’ve even done a little research and considered taking dairy out of my diet (yeah, just Google how weird it is that we drink another species’ milk).

This story was originally published February 24, 2015 at 12:55 AM with the headline "What’s it like to be vegan in Charlotte?."

Get unlimited digital access
#ReadLocal

Try 1 month for $1

CLAIM OFFER