Veg out
Maine restaurants featuring top-notch vegan & vegetarian food
Photo: Jenny Nelson, courtesy of Cafe This Way
By Avery Yale Kamila
This article was originally published June 2018. It was last updated June 2023.
HERE IN THE PINE TREE STATE, chefs know how to do plant-based food right. It is estimated by Kansas State University, Americans identifying as vegetarian and vegan had doubled by 2022, with nearly 134,100 people in Maine identifying with these dietary choices. If you’re seeking plant-powered adventure, you’ll love Maine, where our farms overflow with choice vegetables, fruits, beans and grains, and our restaurants brim with top-notch veg-positive meals.
Maine’s vegetarian eats can be found at fast food joints—such as the tempeh burritos at El El Frijoles in Sargentville and in the finest dining rooms—such as the daily vegan special at Sea Glass Restaurant inside the Inn By the Sea in Cape Elizabeth. At the all-vegetarian Frinklepod Farm in Arundel, the farm store stocks fresh produce alongside plant-based food goods from Maine.
Across the state, health food stores—such as Lois’ Natural Marketplace & Cafe in Scarborough, Good Tern Co-op & Café in Rockland and Rising Tide Community Market in Damariscotta—and juice bars—including Thrive Juice Bar & Kitchen in Bar Harbor and Nectar in Bridgton—dot the Maine landscape.
The restaurants highlighted here include multiple all-vegetarian eateries and vegetarian-friendly spots you’re likely to cross paths with on your travels in Vacationland.
*Restaurants with an asterisk are all-vegetarian
Southern Maine
Bandaloop
1200 Portland Rd, Arundel
207-967-4994
Find veg-friendly fine dining at this eatery in Kennebunkport’s bustling Dock Square shopping district. Open Tuesday through Saturday, the restaurant’s menu is filled with vegetarian and vegan dishes such as the signature egg rolls and the vegan chickpea stew. Maine-made, organic Heiwa Tofu is featured in multiple offerings and a fried version can be added to any dish. Also look for their veg-friendly kids’ menu and vegan desserts.
Green Elephant Vegetarian Bistro *
608 Congress Street, Portland
207-347-3111
Open for lunch and dinner, this elegant eatery serving pan-Asian cuisine is well-loved by Portland’s plant-based crowd. Many dishes are gluten-free and almost all can be made vegan. Don’t miss the fried Brussels sprouts, Thai ginger noodles or the panang curry vegetable with tempeh. And make sure to save room for dessert, with options such as vegan chocolate mousse and fried bananas with coconut ice cream.
Public Market House
28 Monument Way, Portland
207-284-1016
This two-story eatery is stuffed with food booths with plentiful veggie options. On a sunny day, opt for a miso ginger salad from Daily Greens, while a foggy day calls for hot soup at Kamasouptra, where daily vegan options include veggie chili and curried lentil. Or try a veggie roll from Mr. Tuna or the vegan pho from Pho Huong. Most food stalls serve breakfast or lunch, with some staying open for an early dinner.
Find fresh vegetables alongside prepared food inside the all-vegetarian Frinklepod Farm store in Arundel. Photo: Avery Yale Kamila
Central & Western Maine
A1 Diner
3 Bridge Street, Gardiner
207-582-4804
Step back in time inside this well-preserved Worcester Lunch Car, which serves up veg choices alongside the traditional diner fare. Tuck into the soba noodle bowl topped with fermented black bean sauce, tofu and steamed vegetables, or choose something from the daily specials, which might include wild mushroom ragout on polenta or spicy corn pakoras with mango chutney. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day except Sunday night and Wednesday.
She Doesn’t Like Guthries
115 Middle Street, Lewiston
207-376-3344
Open for lunch and dinner during the week and closed on the weekends, this casual eatery has a Mexican bent and abundant veggie choices. Nosh on vegetable-based burritos such as the Grilled Vegan, the Soultrane or the Rebel Rebel, or go for a veggie bowl, tacos, nachos or a panini. Tempeh and smoked tofu can be added to any meal. Look for live music on Thursday and Friday nights.
Alongside traditional diner fare, the A1 Diner in Gardiner features vegetarian and vegan dishes such as the soba noodle bowl topped with fermented black bean sauce, tofu and steamed vegetables. Photo: Avery Yale Kamila
Midcoast
Taste of Maine
161 Main Street, Woolwich
207-443-4554
Many are surprised to find veg-friendly options tucked among the lobster and haddock dishes at this old-school seafood restaurant along heavily traveled U.S. Route 1. Check out the impressive soy-cheese ravioli topped with marinara sauce. Stuffed shells, nachos, fried pickles, and onion rings round off the short but satisfying vegetarian menu. Kids will appreciate the play area and the young-at-heart will enjoy the campy decor. Open every day for lunch and dinner.
Chase’s Daily *
96 Main Street, Belfast
207-338-0555
Part-farm stand, part-bakery and part-restaurant, this eatery showcases produce from the 500-acre Chase Family Farm by transforming it into uncomplicated vegetarian and vegan dishes. Stop in for lunch or Sunday brunch, and check online to see what night’s dinner is on offer. You may wait for a table, but it is worth it for a menu that changes with the harvest and might include blueberry pancakes, curried lentil soup, pizza Margherita or fresh tomato and cheese sandwiches.
Cafe This Way is open for breakfast and dinner seven nights a week and serves a mix of traditional, vegan and vegetarian fare including pancakes with wild Maine blueberries. Photo: Jenny Nelson, courtesy of Cafe This Way
Downeast
Reel Pizza Cinerama
33 Kennebec Place, Bar Harbor
207-288-3811
Get dinner and see a movie all in one place at this pizza parlor that shows first- and second-run films. Arrive early to snag a sofa with a TV tray and enjoy one of the many vegetarian pies, such as Some Like It Hot, Manchurian Candidate, Casino Royale and Moonstruck. This unique eatery also serves beer and wine. Any pizza can be made with gluten free crust or soy mozzarella. Open every night.
Cafe This Way
14 ½ Mount Desert Street, Bar Harbor
207-288-4483
Stop in for breakfast or dinner at this popular spot where you can expect a wait in the morning, and in the evening you should make a reservation. Breakfast serves up choices such as omelets, blueberry pancakes, French toast and seasonal tofu scramble, while the dinner menu changes every summer but always offers ample veggie options. Past delights have included sweet potato quinoa cakes, tofu tikka masala and Southwest Shepherd’s pie, and seasonal highlights like beet carpaccio and Kung Pao chickpeas.
Jeannie’s Great Maine Breakfast
15 Cottage Street, Bar Harbor
207-288-4166
You know the food is good when you have to wait, and that’s the case here, where the doors open early for sunrise hikers. Dig into the generous portions of Betty’s blueberry buttermilk pancakes, vegan apple spice pancakes, veggie Benedict or the island tofu scramble. Vegetarian baked beans are a traditional Maine breakfast treat, and don’t miss the restaurant’s own fresh-baked oatmeal bread.
