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26 Cincinnati Restaurants Offering Excellent Vegetarian Dishes

By CityBeat Staff on Tue, Sep 28, 2021 at 2:56 am

Eating a vegetarian diet is becoming more popular among human beings, even if it's just adding a "Meat-Free Monday" to your weekly dinner rotation. Whether it's for your own health, the health of the planet or for the health of animals — or part of your Lenten fast — the idea that meatless dishes are boring is being tossed out the window at the same time as major fast food chains are adding vegetarian substitutions to their menus. Being a vegetarian doesn't have to be limiting and these Greater Cincinnati restaurants are proving the point. Are these the city's only vegetarian options? No. Obviously not. Are they a great alternative when your friends/family are sick of you trying to make them eat Indian for the second time in a week and you cannot handle another slice of pizza, bowl of pasta topped with some kind of weird vegetable medley and cream sauce or a baked potato and salad combo? Yes. All of these eateries offer something beyond a carb-and-cheese dish for vegetarians. While some are more health-focused "rabbit food"-type destinations and some have vegan goetta, each has a menu to appeal to those who forgo dining on flesh... and their omnivore friends.

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The Loving Hut

6227 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge
The mission behind Loving Hut is to offer affordable, healthy, vegan cuisine. The restaurant’s environment was created using many found, reclaimed and reused materials. For disposable goods like containers, cups and utensils, they choose biodegradable and/or recyclable products. As far as the menu, there are tons of panini, wraps, sandwiches and burgers to choose from.
Photo: Facebook.com/LovingHutCincinnati

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Baladi Restaurant and Bakery

3307 Clifton Ave., Clifton
This Syrian restaurant offers a broad menu: there’s hummus, falafel, kebabs and gyros, but branch out and try something you won’t find on other Middle Eastern-leaning menus, like Foul (fava beans, olive oil and lemon juice) or Fatayir (a “cheese boat” baked in handmade dough). Do yourself a favor and save room for a handmade dessert, like kunafa (filo dough, ricotta cheese and cream) or the mint lemonade.
Photo: facebook.com/BaladiRestaurantandBakery

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Maplewood Kitchen and Bar

525 Race St., Downtown
Maplewood serves up dishes and ingredients that would be right at home on the West Coast: cold pressed juices, superfood salads, egg-white omelets and somewhat nutritious cocktails. Helmed by Thunderdome, Maplewood gets high marks for its veggie burger: a housemade black-bean patty topped with Havarti cheese, avocado, lemon-caper Dijonnaise and mixed greens on a Sixteen Bricks sesame bun.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

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Melt Revival

4100 Hamilton Ave., Northside
Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free diners aren’t an afterthought at Melt. But no worries — the carnivorous can feast, too. A plethora of sandwiches, wraps, soups and salads tempt every palate. Sandwiches include a veggie cheesesteak made with seitan, a vegan bánh mì with tofu and the Avocado Bliss, topped with white cheddar. For the vegetarian looking for the classic Cincinnati flavor, try out the Veggie 3-Way. Sunday brunch offers a tofu scramble and even vegan biscuits and gravy.
Photo: Facebook.com/MeltRevival

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Wodka Bar

1200 Main St., Over-the-Rhine
According to Esquire magazine’s 2020 list of the Best Bars in America, Over-the-Rhine’s Wodka Bar is one of the top 27 drinking destinations in the U.S. The Eastern European-inspired cocktail lounge is a celebration of its namesake beverage, offering unique vodka infusions that feature dill pickle, coffee bean and peanut brittle. Those on the go can visit the takeout window to pick up borscht and pierogies, including a popular four-way pierogi made with vegetarian Cincinnati chili. Inside, rotating options always include a delicious and unique veggie dish.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

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Tickle Pickle

4176 Hamilton Ave., Northside; 915 N. Ft. Thomas Ave., Ft. Thomas
Northside's Rock & Roll-inspired environmentally conscious burgers cater to both meat-eaters and non. Vegetarians can opt for a Buns N Roses (a housemade vegan black bean burger on a vegan bun topped with ketchup, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle) or a When Buns Cry (a mushroom cap topped with balsamic, spinach, tomato and caramelized onion on a pretzel bun). Or sub in a plant-based Impossible Burger on any meaty menu creation. They’re also known for their thick and creamy vegan milkshakes.
Photo: Mary LeBus

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