Going vegan in 2024? Here are 10 plant-based meals to try at Charlotte restaurants.
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So, your New Year’s resolution is to eat less meat, or maybe go meatless in 2024? You’re not alone. Many people across the world — including those in Charlotte — are choosing to ditch all animal food products and follow a vegan diet. But going vegan doesn’t mean giving up your favorite savory dishes for all-vegetable meals.
In fact, the way of eating is streaming these days: Netflix recently studied the diet as part of its “You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment” documentary series that follows the health of identical twins, with one eating vegan and the other eating an omnivore diet.
Meat alternatives are everywhere — and they go beyond tofu. Seitan, a protein-packed food made from gluten, has been used as a vegan meat alternative for centuries in China and Japan. Plant-based alternatives include jackfruit, a tropical tree fruit grown in Asia, Africa and South America. It has fiber and protein and some say tastes like pulled pork when cooked.
Restaurants in the Charlotte area use these ingredients every day to cater to plant-based diets. Whether you are a lifelong vegan or you are switching to the diet for the new year, here are 10 dishes to try in Charlotte:
Fern, Flavors from the Garden
Location: 1419 East Blvd. Suite A, Charlotte, NC 28203
Cuisine: Plant-based Southern
Dish to try: ICYMI, Fern changed its menu from vegetarian to full vegan a year or so ago, so order anything that calls your name without worrying if there’s any dairy. The Buddha Bowl (shown above), is made with a daily marinated vegetable, carrots, red cabbage, avocado, tomatoes, cucumber, fried oyster mushrooms, togarashi rice, scallions, gojuchang aioli, ponzu dashi and black sesame seeds.
Futo Buta
Location: 222 E Bland St, Charlotte, NC 28203
Cuisine: Ramen
Dish to try: Order the Niwa bowl, which has vegan broth, organic mushroom, bok choy, roasted and julienne leek, arugula, sesame, sprouts, scallions, golden pea shoots and watermelon radish. Ask for spices on the side and give them a try!
Hello, Me Vietnamese Kitchen
Location: 38 Village View Dr Suite 103, Mooresville, NC 28117
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Dish to try: Slurp up the Pho Chay, a vegan broth with your choice of fried or steamed tofu, smoked vegan ham or veggies only. You can pair it with a vegan crispy spring roll.
Living Kitchen
Location: 2000 South Blvd Suite 300, Charlotte, NC 28203
Cuisine: Vegan
Dish to try: The restaurant’s 100 percent organic menu includes favorites like the Living Burrito, with chipotle hummus, cilantro cauliflower rice, guacamole, pico, cashew sour cream and sprouts. It’s wrapped in a collard leaf with fire and brimstone sauce and comes with a side.
Maharani Indian Cuisine
Location: 901 S Kings Dr, Charlotte, NC 28204
Cuisine: Indian
Dish to try: Select the Chana masala, which is chickpeas cooked in a blend of North Indian spices.
Oh My Soul
Location: 3046 N. Davidson St., Charlotte, NC 28205
Cuisine: South African, plant-based/vegan
Dish to try: Stop in for brunch and get the Veggs Benedict. It comes with a house-made vegan Hollandaise, sautéed spinach, vegan bacon, avocado, tomato, Just Egg, cheese and chives, served on an English muffin with breakfast potatoes.
The People’s Market
Location: 1609 Elizabeth Ave, Charlotte, NC 28204
Cuisine: American
Dish to try: The Cali Sammi has cucumber, avocado, lettuce, pimiento hummus, tomato, alfalfa sprouts, pickled onions, carrot and vegan cheese. It’s served on ciabatta bread.
Sanctuary Bistro
Location: 6414 Rea Road Suite C2, Charlotte, NC 28277
Cuisine: Plant-based/vegan
Dish to try: Order up the sweet potato gnocchi and spinach, topped with a cashew, mushroom and thyme sauce with crispy tofu and chili oil drizzle.
Soul Miner’s Garden
Location: 1801 N Graham St #101, Charlotte, NC 28206
Location: 3204 Union Rd, Gastonia, NC 28056
Cuisine: Plant-based/vegan
Dish to try: If you’re ok with a little splurge (being the fried chips), loaded nachos are a must-try. The locally sourced and freshly fried chips are doubled layered with black beans, homemade nut-free and dairy-free queso, lettuce, green onion, fresh salsa and guacamole, and fresh jalapeno slices, with a spicy crema drizzle on top.
Yanni Bistro
Location: 131 E John St, Matthews, NC 28105
Cuisine: Vegan and gluten-free forward restaurant
Dish to try: Fonio Tabouleh, served with chopped parsley, tomatoes, red onions, beets, fresh mint, olive oil and squeezed lemon.
Melissa Oyler and Heidi Finley contributed to this story.
This story was originally published January 8, 2024 at 5:15 AM.
