A&J King’s Artisan Bakery
48 Central Street & 139 Boston Street
The Central Street location is in the heart of downtown, and is a nice spot to stop early in the day for a coffee and avocado on fresh bread or a bagel. Not too much else for vegans, but they have lots of sandwich selections for carnivores.
All Soul’s Lounge
282 Derby Street
A retro cocktail bar with a small but vegan friendly menu. All Souls is an excellent place to go for drinks, but it also works as a good vegan dinner spot with your choice of variously adorned vegan hot dogs, corn dogs and grilled cheese as well as some small plates and specials. They also have gluten free options and can help you veganize on the fly.
Bit Bar
278 Derby Street
Bit Bar is an arcade restaurant/bar with vintage video games and a retro feel. They only have a few vegan items on their menu, but it’s a fun place to go and their vegan nachos appetizer is huge and quite good. Other than that, you’ll find a Beyond Burger, an odd pakora sandwich, the occasional vegan special and lots for your omni friends to gobble. Wakka wakka.
Brew Box
131 Essex Street
A tiny but cute take-out only coffee shop near the PEM museum and the Armory Park (which is a good place to sit on a neolithic-esque stone bench and sip your brew). They have fun coffee specials with homemade syrups in weird combinations and always a couple vegan items on their food menu. If you get there early, you may find vegan pop tarts or other treats in their bakery case.
Deacon Giles Distillery
75 Canal Street
A stylish bar where they magically create many spirits from scratch. They don’t serve food outside the occasional pop-up event, but this is the place for a unique cocktail experience.
Super Taco
177 Fort Avenue
If you’re at Salem Willows and need food-food, Super Taco can offer you a veggie burrito or tacos.
The Friendly Toast
50 Independence Way, Danvers MA
Once a mom and pop late night breakfast joint in Portsmouth NH, The Friendly Toast now has several locations in MA as well. You can count on them for a veggie burger and fries, but they also often have some interesting Asian and/or pasta vegan entrées.
Front Street Coffee
20 Front Street
A pleasant dine-in coffee shop downtown with a mild punk rock vibe. Coffee from Atomic, another local roaster and all the usual fancy coffee drinks made by knowledgeable baristas. Front Street always has one or two simple vegan sandwiches or bagels on the menu.
Gulu Gulu Cafe
247 Essex Street
Next door to Flying Saucer, Gulu Gulu is another good choice for mixed parties of vegans and non-vegans. With simple dishes like vegan mac and cheese, grilled cheese, a burger, and a hummus plate you’re sure to find something for a light meal no matter the hour. They also have extensive coffee and beer menus and oftentimes entertainment in the evenings. Has outdoor seating.
Life Alive
281 Essex Street
A vegetarian spot that’s great for lunch or dinner. Their specialty is grain and vegetable bowls with their famously yummy sauces. Order a bowl that’s vegan by default or ask to customize one with tofu or nuts instead of egg or cheese. They also have lots of smoothies, coffee, tea, and fresh squeezed juices. One of the healthiest vegan choices in town.
Longboards Restaurant and Bar
72 Wharf Street in Pickering Wharf
Great outdoor seating for people watching in Pickering Wharf and a bit of water view, but not a ton of variety for vegans. You’ll find a hummus plate and a veggie burger. As well as a full menu for doggies!
Paprika Grill
2 Liberty Street
Since the pandemic, this place has literally become a walk up window where you order, with a few outdoor seats. That said, it’s good falafel and other vegan Middle Eastern you can get in a hurry when you’re downtown or visiting PEM.
Ray Adea’s Mediterranean Kitchen
90 Lafayette Street
Everything here is either vegan or able to be made vegan easily. And everything is very delicious. A selection of Israeli casual food and the best fries in town, without a doubt. An excellent choice to take out for lunch or early dinner.
Sage’s Fusion Kitchen
177 Fort Avenue
Sage’s offers vegan pho, a bbq tofu sandwich and some vegan sides including a nice slaw. This is not the Salem Willows of old!
Spitfire Tacos
105 Lafayette Street
Can you say vegan quesadilla? It’s really something. Also vegan tacos and very good rice and beans as well as the usual chips and salsa or guac. A great choice for lunch or dinner. It’s tiny so plan to take your food to go.
The Gyro Spot
128 Washington Street
Several vegan-by-default wraps in both gyro and (Mediterranean) burrito form as well as a lot of vegetarian options that could probably have the tzatziki easily omitted. A casual spot downtown for a quick bite.
The Tavern at the Hawthorne Hotel
18 Washington Square West
t might not look it from its gorgeous Victorian Gentleman’s club interiors, but The Tavern does actually offer changing vegan options, along with cocktails galore.
Wolf Next Door Coffee
142 Derby Street
If you like excellent, strong, locally-roasted coffee, Wolf Next Door is for you. This tiny shop brews Jim’s coffee and offers the usual complement of fake mylks and even a vegan coffee special. They serve simple breakfast sandwiches to go, and these include some unfussy vegan options like hummus, avocado and/or Beyond sausage on a bagel. This spot is take out only — although if you go when the lunch and dinner place next door isn’t open yet, you can use their outside seating. Also a quick walk to a big grassy field and some spots to sit by the ocean. (Salem Maritime National Historic Site).