Eight Vegan Restaurants in the East Bay You Must Try All vegans have been in this situation: You go out to eat with your friends, and as they’re discussing what to order you realize that your choice has already been made. Because the restaurant only has one vegan option. If you’re lucky it might be an actual meal, but more often than not, it’s a house salad or a side of french fries. Thankfully, this is not an issue in the East Bay, where you can find everything from Mexican cuisine to Creole dishes and satisfy your dietary needs. Explore our top eight Oakland restaurants that not only have options but specialize in vegan recipes. BREAKFAST EARLY-BIRD VIBE Timeless Coffee [https://app.vibemap.com/details/5bcc4bd8-90cd-4b66-be4c-88d16574ee1f] has been roasting their own coffee and baking their in-house pastries fresh every morning since 2012. They’re fast and delicious, perfect for those of us who like to get our day started early. If you can’t decide between sweet or savory, why not get both and try the pesto roll and the chocolate donut. Timeless Coffee has locations in Berkeley, Piedmont and Downtown Oakland, each with slightly different menu selections. The Piedmont location is a short walk from Mountain View Cemetery, where the infamous Black Dahlia and Mac Dre are buried. Grab a coffee, catch a beautiful view of downtown Oakland from Mountain View, and leave a joint on Mac Dre’s headstone. COZY BRUNCH VIBE Two Mamma’s Vegan Kitchen [https://app.vibemap.com/details/7a30c9f2-a62d-4c68-a62a-ec4f10aa6529] is a short walk from the Fruitvale Bart station. It was started by Jess and Jules in 2014 after the two fell in love baking pies in 2011. Two Mamma’s is the perfect sit-down breakfast spot for a slow morning where you simply enjoy the company you’re with and eat food made with love. You can’t go wrong with the house smoothie and the mushroom Florentine – their vegan hollandaise sauce is everything. LUNCH GRAB AND GO VIBE Flacos [https://app.vibemap.com/details/5071a951-af43-4344-847b-e459aced9580] is a small taco stand that’s easy to miss if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Flaco’s debuted at the Berkeley Farmers Market in 2001 before becoming a restaurant in 2010, conveniently located across the street from Ashby Bart Station. Unfortunately, there is no seating, but their bomb vegan horchata and crispy taquitos are easy to enjoy while you window shop along Shattuck Avenue. COMFORT FOOD VIBE The Butcher’s Son [https://app.vibemap.com/details/36f6d727-ba45-410c-a465-0eac7db536ee] is a restaurant founded by siblings Peter and Christina in 2016. Their menu is perfect for those of us who want to eat healthy and still crave our comfort foods, like turkey sandwiches and chicken parmesan (tip: try the delicious pulled pork sandwich). They’re only a short two blocks from the UC Berkeley campus – perfect for a picnic on a sunny afternoon. DINNER CREOLE VIBE Souley Vegan [https://app.vibemap.com/details/8d51befa-de07-4795-8d21-a67ad97ed51b] is an authentic, Creole, plant-based restaurant started by Tamearra in 2009. When this writer first moved to Oakland, my mom sent me $30 to check out it because she had seen them on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Drives. Thank God I did because not only is there a picture of the owner with Guy Fierri just beyond the doors (this writer would die for Guy Fierri), the food is amazing. Definitely try the Ain’t Gator Po’boy and the Crispy Seitan and Waffles. Grab a plate from the Women-of-Color owned restaurant and then check out Jack London Square on the waterfront, home of Oakland’s best views. SOUL FOOD VIBE Vegan Mob [https://app.vibemap.com/details/a101d06e-c930-4e4f-8fac-f2cb1f7e09ff] is a BBQ and soul food joint also located around Lake Merritt. Started by former rapper, Toriano Gordon, in 2019, Vegan Mob blew up after Bay Area sweetheart Kehlani stopped by for a bite. No matter the season, their rib tips, smackaroni, yams, and collard greens bring this writer back to summertime barbeques with my cousins and uncles and aunties. Pull up a chair in their outdoor seating, listen to the music someone is bound to be playing at Lake Merritt, then head around the corner to catch a flick at one of Oakland’s historic movie theaters. DESSERT COOL DOWN ON A HOT DAY VIBE Curbside Creamery [https://app.vibemap.com/details/79c78f06-258c-4704-aea0-663ca45e8dbd] is located on Telegraph Ave and specializes in cashew-based vegan ice cream. I don’t know about you, but this was revolutionary for me as a vegan. Most ice cream shoppes have two, maybe three, vegan options but Curbside Creamery’s menu currently has eight plant-based flavors – including Earl Gray and salted caramel, yum! SWEET TOOTH VIBE Cinnaholic [https://app.vibemap.com/details/1ffe8cfb-b7c1-404c-a155-c8b130e6dbff], located in Berkeley, is 100% vegan and known for their deliciously fun cinnamon buns. Who cares if this ruins your healthy eating kick. Because not only can you get cinnamon rolls here on their own, at Cinnaholic you can build your own and top it with cookie dough, lavender frosting, marshmallows and sprinkles.