Brian Nagele
Detroit is a vibrant city that’s best known for the automobile industry. But you may not realize how many delicious vegan eateries there are across the city.
Part of the appeal of living or traveling somewhere new is exploring all the delicious food the town offers.
But although vegan food is growing in popularity due to environmental and ethical concerns, vegans may still find it challenging to find restaurants that meet their dietary needs.
Additionally, when they do find vegan restaurants, they are not also satisfying in terms of taste, smell, and texture.
Luckily, I know several of the best vegan restaurants in Detroit, and I’ll share why they are my favorites.
Seva Detroit
66 E Forest Ave, Detroit, MI 48201
Phone: 313-974-6661
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Seva Detroit is a popular vegetarian restaurant with lots of tasty vegan options.
It’s located in Midtown, right near the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, and has a laid-back, calming vibe.
The menu is pretty expansive, filled with so many creative dishes.
If you’ve recently started a vegan or vegetarian diet and have thought there’s “nothing to eat,” Seva will surely change your mind about that!
You can find rice dishes, quesadillas, salads, sandwiches, soups, and much more.
My favorite dish is their veggie burger, and I get it with General Tso’s “chicken” on the side.
I even love their desserts, like their pumpkin chai cheesecake. Seva is a must-try when you’re in Detroit.
Chili Mustard Onions
3411 Brush St, Detroit, MI 48201
Phone: 313-462-4949
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Also, in Midtown, Chili Mustard Onions is an excellent vegan restaurant for people who aren’t necessarily vegan to be healthy and are in the mood for some tasty comfort food.
Chili Mustard Onions, otherwise known locally as CMO, serve burgers, hot dogs, and loaded fries, so you can indulge in foods typically associated with meat without feeling guilty about actually eating meat.
The vegetarian hot dog with chili is incredible.
It doesn’t necessarily taste like a real hot dog, but it might even be better.
And if that wasn’t surprising enough, their vegan cheese tasted real, and the hot dog tasted like a true coney dog.
Detroit Vegan Soul
19614 Grand River Ave, Detroit, MI 48223
Phone: 313-766-5728
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A bit further outside Downtown Detroit, in Minock Park, you’ll find a highly-rated vegan restaurant called Detroit Vegan Soul.
As its name implies, you can order Southern-style soul food, but the vegan versions.
It’s nice to find health-conscious vegan places that serve salads, wraps, and juices.
But it’s much more exciting, in my opinion, to be able to eat all the foods you find delectable without having to worry about there being any animal product in them.
This bright and cheery restaurant serves dishes like mac and cheese with vegan cheese, vegan catfish, and collard greens without real bacon.
I love all their dishes, so it’s hard to choose my favorite, but a plate with all three of those items plus cornbread and candied yams will make your belly full and your heart happy!
ima
Multiple locations
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Ima is a Japanese restaurant with multiple locations in Detroit, and it’s one of the best places to get vegan sushi.
I typically go to the location on John R Rd in Madison Heights because it has a hip and fun atmosphere.
In addition to vegan sushi, I love ordering their vegan pho and forest udon soup.
They are not necessarily a fully vegan restaurant, but they have so many vegan, vegetarian, and even gluten-free options that I had to include them on this list.
Pie-Sci Pizza
5163 Trumbull, Detroit, MI 48208
Phone: 313-818-0290
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In the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit, you’ll find Pie-Sci Pizza.
As you can probably guess from Pie-Sci Pizza’s name, it’s a pizza place, but it has some of the most creative and delicious vegan pizzas I’ve ever had.
I also like that they have weekly specials, so you can try a different pizza every week and never get bored.
But if you like to stick with the basics, they have a great Margherita pizza with fresh ingredients.
My absolute favorite pizza is their BLT, which has bacon, mixed greens, and a herb mayo drizzle.
However, it’s not real bacon! You would never guess if it weren’t for the vegan label on the menu.
They also have substitutes for chicken, ham, salami, and various cheeses, so you can pretty much get any pizza you desire, but the vegan version.
The Kitchen, by Cooking with Que
6529 Woodward Ave suite a, Detroit, MI 48202
Phone: 313-462-4184
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The Kitchen is a small, bright, vibrant eatery in Tech Town — right by the Fisher Building — where almost all of the food is vegan.
When it comes to vegan food, I usually don’t mind alternative meats, but I try to stay away from alternative cheeses.
However, The Kitchen offers an incredibly tasty vegan mac and cheese that’s simply hard to resist!
I also love their leek sandwich, cauliflower wings, and super healthy harvest bowl.
The drinks and smoothies at The Kitchen are amazing too.
I tend to go for their Vitality smoothie or Everlasting Energy smoothie, especially in the morning.
Maru Sushi & Grill
160 W Fort St, Detroit, MI 48226
Phone: 313-315-3100
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If you want a more upscale vegan sushi experience, then Maru Sushi & Grill is the place for you.
This Japanese restaurant is located in downtown Detroit and has a modern and sleek interior.
Many people don’t realize this, but they actually have an entirely separate vegan menu with many more vegan options than the standard menu they hand out.
Don’t be afraid to ask for it if you go there to eat.
The staff at Maru are excellent and will happily provide you with what you need.
Mudgie’s Deli and Bar
1413 Brooklyn St, Detroit, MI 48226
Phone: 313-961-2000
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Sandwiches and alcohol are an excellent combo, in my opinion, so naturally, I’m obsessed with Muskie’s Deli and Bar.
This cozy, casual deli is in Corktown, right by Murphy Playlot, and has a very intriguing selection of both food and drinks.
On the surface, It doesn’t look like a place that would offer great vegan food but trust me.
You will love items like the vegan tempeh Reuben, the “Bella,” and the vegan patty melt.
Plus, you have the option to make your own sandwich, which I find to be a bit easier than selecting something off the menu.
That way, I know I’m getting what I want and don’t have to worry about whether there’s a non-vegan ingredient in it.
NeeHee’s Indian Vegetarian Street Food
Multiple locations
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NeeHee’s is an Indian and Indo-Chinese fast-food chain with multiple locations in the Detroit area.
While it might seem like they’d have at least a few meat options on the menu, it’s truly all vegan-friendly!
They have a bright, yellow counter-serve space, and I usually visit the one on Rochester Rd in Troy, but the one in Canton is very similar in terms of style and atmosphere.
You can get great Indian eats like thali, pad bhaji, and pani puri.
There are many more choices, but those are just a few of my favorites.
And if you’re not too full of all of this excellent vegan food, you should definitely try their chiku ice cream. It’s so creamy and delicious.
PJ’s Lager House
1254 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
Phone: 313-961-4668
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PJ’s Lager House is a fantastic place to go for some vegan comfort food.
This rock music venue and restaurant is located in Corktown and has a pretty extensive vegan menu.
I love PJ’s Before The Butcher Burger, a vegan version of a classic American burger.
It comes with all the fixings, and it’s one of the best burgers I’ve ever had — vegan or not.
And if you like the sound of their other burgers, you can substitute it with a vegan patty.
They also have several Cajun-style dishes, my favorite being the vegan jambalaya with rice, beans, jackfruit, garlic, mushrooms, poblano peppers, and other tasty, rich ingredients.
