Louisiana’s state capital, Baton Rouge, is often referred to as the “Red Stick City” and is famous for its wealth of French and Spanish history. From the eclectic culture, unparalleled architecture, hiking trails and exceptional food, Baton Rouge has earned its reputation for being a perfect holiday and day-trip destination.
Luckily there’s excellent dining options here too, including many choices for vegans and vegetarians!
Since we know this city well, we’ve picked out what we believe are the eight best vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Baton Rouge for food and dining experiences.
Some restaurants on our list serve meat as well, but as they also have an excellent selection of vegetarian, gluten free and plant-based dishes, we just had to include them.
The Eight Best Vegan & Vegetarian Restaurants In Baton Rouge
1. Vegan Friendly Foods
Vegan Friendly Foods is one of our favorite exclusively vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Baton Rouge, not just for the excellent selection of plant-based lunch and brunch dishes here, but also for their super friendly service and generous portion sizes.
Located just a seven minute walk from Village Square shopping mall, this vegan restaurant in Baton Rouge is the perfect stop to refuel after some retail therapy.
This minimal restaurant features a cozy outdoor patio where you can catch up with friends over some great soul food. And with an extensive menu to choose from, you can just kick back and indulge in some delectable comfort food.
Some of our top picks from the menu are their famous Back Sliding Vegan Burger comprising of a Beyond Burger patty, cashew nut cheese, avocado and even incredible coconut bacon. Their Veggie Platter, Vegetable Medley and their Jambalaya prepared with a nice fusion of rice, tomato sauce, onions, bell pepper and plant based sausage.
You should also make the most of their indulgent Chik’n & Waffles which are available on Saturday and Sunday. This super thoughtful spot also gives you the opportunity to donate a meal to someone in need – you can just ask for the ‘Donation Meal’.
We know coming across some delicious beignets when vegan can be quite challenging, but luckily Vegan Friendly Foods make some of the best beignets around, topped with powdered sugar to satisfy your sweet cravings. Sounds good, right?
This vegan and vegetarian restaurant in Baton Rouge is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 5pm, but is closed on Monday.
Address: 4608 Bennington Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
2. MJ’S Café
When it comes to finding a restaurant that offers some of our all-time favorite cuisines, MJ’s Café fits the bill perfectly.
This place has diverse cuisines to choose from. So whether you’re a fan of Italian, French or American Southwest fare, you’ll surely find something up your alley here.
The decor here is bright and fun thanks to the silly wall art that adds character to this vegan and vegetarian restaurant in Baton Rouge. All of that creates a laid-back vibe perfect for chatting, and what better way to make new friends than to grab a seat on one of their bar stools and enjoy a coffee. You can then grab their extensive menu and browse through all of those appealing dishes that are on offer.
Their farm to table menu includes some of the freshest and most nutritious dishes around. Some of our top picks are their BLT consisting of coconut bacon, tomatoes, avocado on a sourdough toast, the Hummus Platter, Breakfast Tacos and French Toast – can you believe all of these dishes are purely vegan?
This restaurant is open from Monday to Saturday from 10am to 3pm, but is closed on Sunday.
Address: 5162 Government Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70806
3. Cocha
Looking for the ideal brunch spot where you can soak in the rays, eat locally sourced food, whilst also making the most of happy hour?
Cocha offers you just that and much more! This restaurant’s happy hour is available everyday from 3pm to 5pm so is a great way to try some seasonal cocktails and international wine. Or if the weather’s not so nice then grab a seat inside and appreciate their rustic and sleek wood interior décor.
As for food, this vegan-friendly and vegetarian restaurant in Baton Rouge is unlikely to disappoint with its seasonal organic produce, all prepared to help you experience globally inspired cuisine closest to its true essence.
Their lunch, brunch and dinner menu includes an indulgent Jack Fruit dish which includes a serving of coconut rice, black beans and plantains on the side. Some other great picks include their Shaved Brussel Sprouts, Golden & Red Beetroot Salad and excellent sautéed Rice Noodles dish.
This vegan-friendly and vegetarian restaurant in Baton Rouge is open from Wednesday to Monday from 11am to 9pm, but is closed on Tuesday.
Address: 445 North 6th Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
4. Ava Street Café
If you love hearty vegan and vegetarian Vietnamese cuisine, then Ava Street Café will be a great pick.
The casual indoor setting with plenty of space and seating here creates a super cozy atmosphere to catch up with friends around delicious food. You can also grab some of the popular Spring Rolls and head to their outdoor patio to dine al fresco – which is always nice when the sun is setting and the fairy lights are on.
We recommend trying their Bao Steam Buns filled with lemongrass tofu and avocado, Kim Chi Fries or Vegan Bowl Vermicelli. You can also ask their super friendly staff to customize your Pho Bowl to accommodate any dietary needs.
As for dessert, why not try their Coconut Lemon Cake – the hint of tartness from the lemon really adds to the flavor. And if that sounds good, but you don’t fancy a full three course meal, this a popular grab and go spot too.
This vegan and vegetarian-friendly restaurant in Baton Rouge is open from Tuesday to Friday for lunch from 11am to 3pm and for dinner from 4pm to 8:30pm. As for Saturday and Sunday, Ava Street Café is open from 11am to 8:30pm, but is closed on Monday.
Address: 5207 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, LA 70809
5. Bay Leaf Indian Cuisine
Treat yourself to a fine dining experience at this vegan-friendly and vegetarian restaurant in Baton Rouge. We love Bay Leaf Indian Cuisine‘s spacious and bright interior thanks to the large windows and gleaming hanging lights. And with the white table sheets, napkins and beautifully presented dishes, you’ll feel like you’re dining in stye.
With an exceptional menu, expect an abundance of fresh ingredients allowing you to experience Indian cuisine’s finest spices and seasoning.
If you’re new to trying authentic Indian cuisine, then we highly recommend going for their daily lunch buffet available from Monday to Friday from 11am to 2:15pm, and on weekends from 11:30am to 4pm. It’s a great way to get acquainted to the large variety of traditional and contemporary dishes. Just ask the friendly servers about what to try if you need some guidance.
Apart from that, we’d highly recommend trying their Gobi Lasuni, Assorted Appetizers, Vegetable Navratan Korma and Beans Poriyal.
This vegan-friendly and vegetarian restaurant is open from Monday to Friday for lunch as from 11am to 2:15pm, and for dinner from 5pm to 9:45pm. As for Saturday and Sunday, it is open from11:30am to 9:45pm.
Address: 5160 S Sherwood Forest Blvd, Baton Rouge
6. JINYA Ramen Bar
Who doesn’t love a big bowl of warm ramen to keep you full and satisfied during your Baton Rouge adventures?
JINYA Ramen Bar serves some of the best Japanese cuisine around, and in a super chic photogenic setting as well. With their customizable menu, feel free to let your imagination run wild and enjoy some of the best ramen you can get in Baton Rouge in a contemporary and fun environment.
We recommend trying their Flying Vegan Harvest, Tsunami White Pearl, Brussels Sprouts Tempura or their Impossible Rice Bowl.
And in the evening things just get more atmospheric here, as ceiling lights that resemble fairy lights illuminate the restaurant and give you a classy place to un-classily slurp up your ramen! At least you can grab a Japanese whisky on the rocks to try and ramp up the upscale vibes afterwards.
If you’re on the search for gluten-free options then we have good news for you – you can get gluten free ramen here too.
This restaurant is open from Sunday to Thursday from 11am to 10pm, and on Friday and Saturday from 11am to 11pm.
Address: 10000 Perkins Rowe Suite 160, Baton Rouge, LA 70810
7. Soji
Soji stands for “a gathering of people” in ancient Chinese. In true fashion, this vegetarian-friendly restaurant has incorporated that family-style dining in their concept with shared plates to create lasting memories with family and friends.
Some of our top picks from their modern Asian cuisine menu are the V Roll, Lemongrass Edamame, Miso Soup with tofu and Mapo Cauliflower.
Out of the large variety of drinks to choose from, we recommend their Cherry Bouquet and Silver Mountain Sake, as well as the Hakushu 12 year Japanese whisky. After all, if you’re eating Asian food, might as well indulge in Asian spirits too, right!
This vegan-friendly and vegetarian restaurant is open for lunch from Tuesday to Saturday from 11am to 2pm, for dinner on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday from 5pm to 9pm. As for Friday and Saturday, Soji’s open for dinner from 5pm to 10pm, but closed on Monday.
Address: 5050 Government Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70806
8. BB & PF
We just had to include this place, because at BB & PF you can get some of the most unique cuisine in the city.
This takeout spot in Baton Rouge doesn’t have the most extensive vegan and vegetarian menu, but it sure will give you an experience and a half. That’s because BB & PF will give you the chance to try some fantastic authentic African cuisine.
You can grab a quick bite for lunch with the likes of their Bean Burgers and Plantain Fries, knowing that not only is this food tasty and most likely a new food experience, but that it comes all a very affordable price too.
As for dinner, we recommend trying their Fufu served with Plantain or Sweet Potatoes, as well as their soup of the day. A Nigerian delicacy – the Ogbono soup – is also worth trying. It’s nutrition-packed and great to tuck into on colder days. You can even choose how spicy you’d like it.
This take-out restaurant is open from Monday to Friday from 11am to 8pm and on weekends from 1pm to 8pm.
Address: 10248 Florida Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70815