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STL Vegan Punk, 400 Landmarks Blvd, Alton, IL (2026)

05/19/2026

Why did I wait so long?!

How does a vegan punk live near South Grand for three and a half years and not visit The Vine Cafe and Market? That’s a question I cannot answer. Several mutuals and friends have suggested this Mediterranean cafe down the street for years, and it finally got through.

While The Vine isn’t strictly vegan or vegetarian, the options are substantial. From appetizers, soups, salad, sandwiches, and dinner entrees. Not to mention their juice bar!

Yes, I’ve been slow to the game, but I made up for it on Sunday. I walked in with a mad hunger and was ready to tackle some plant based items on this menu.

First of all, I had to try the falafel. You can have it as an appetizer, on pita bread, or for the main course. I chose the four count, which comes tahini sauce. A nice way to start the meal!

The dinner menu has six different vegan meals to choose from. I went with the Batata Harra: cubed potatoes, cilantro, garlic, and hot spices sautéed in olive oil. They definitely had a little heat but nothing too aggressive. Served on a bed of rice, I was in starch heaven!

The dinner also comes with your choice of soup or salad. I knew that I had to have the Lentil Soup: a creamy blend of lentils, onions, and spices. This made my day. Simple and hearty, I could eat it daily.

They also have a $12 lunch special. You can choose any sandwich on the menu, and it includes a side of fries. Four sandwich choices are vegan.

I don’t have any excuses. This visit should have happened a long time ago. But it’s better late than never.

The Vine isn’t a secret to most vegetarians and vegans in Saint Louis. But if you haven’t been yet, they have same hours every day, 11-8:30. Kitchen closes at eight.

I look forward to my next visit!

05/12/2026

Craft beer and vegan options!

As we close in on this blog’s seventh anniversary, you may have noticed a trend of pint glasses and beer cans in many of my photos. Yes, it’s true. While discovering new vegan spots has been a passion, enjoying local beer is not too far behind. When I can combine the two, it brings me great joy.

The Old Bakery Beer Company lets me combine these two passions.

I called my mother midweek to see if she had plans on Sunday. Much to my surprise, neither one of my two brothers was taking her out that day, choosing alternate dates. She didn’t want to go to brunch, and her two favorite vegan spots were closed. I suggested Old Bakery, and you can imagine how thrilled I was when she agreed to go.

This brewery was established in 2015. Known for beers like their Citrus Wheat, Up River IPA, Blueberry, and Porter, you’ve probably seen their product in cans or on tap. What I didn’t know was how vegan friendly their food menu was.

Every section of it has an option. From starters, salads, sandwiches, burgers, tacos, and sides, anyone exploring a plant based lifestyle won’t feel stuck when choosing an item.

For my starter, I chose the Crabby Bites: artichoke and chickpea “crab” bites with a Cajun dipping sauce.

My main course was the Vegan Chicken Sandwich: a crispy “chicken” sandwich, dill pickle mayo, pickle chips, and lettuce on a toasted bun. Each sandwich and burger comes with a side. I chose French fries!

I couldn’t decide if the patty was house made, but it tasted like a premium vegan chicken patty, nonetheless. Meanwhile, the crab snacks were also a great choice. My mother and I shared them, and I cooked the rest in the air fryer for lunch the next day.

The options don’t end there. I still have four or five things I could have tried, so there will be another trip to the brewery in the near future.

If you’re not a fan of craft beer, Old Bakery offers an array of beverages, including NA options. Family friendly and a great menu, it’s not too far into the city of Alton, just on the other side of the Missouri River.

Visit them every day but Monday. Hours vary. And they have vegan options at brunch, too!

05/06/2026

Vegan Breakfast Tacos!

Austin, Texas, is one of my favorite cities to visit. I’ve been there four out of the last six years. And every trip has included a meal at The Vegan Nom.

A lifelong friend had moved to Leander, a suburb north of the city, so I was looking for a reason to visit. Florence + The Machine was scheduled to play in Austin, so it was the perfect opportunity.

However, I wasn’t sure that I would make it to Vegan Nom this time. While Leander offers a train service to downtown Austin, the timing had to be right. With a few hours to spare before my flight, I was destined to make another stop at this amazing vegan taco truck.

I posted about these breakfast tacos a few years back, but they are worth highlighting again! From 8-11 in the morning, they offer breakfast tacos for three dollars each.

However, the 3AM (Three Amigos) isn’t a part of the deal, but it’s well worth the price of $5.25. Country-style vegan sausage, tofu scramble, and vegan cheese. It’s been nearly a whole day, and I’m still thinking about this taco!

The next two are included in the early bird special. I normally don’t care for tempeh, but I was really impressed by their Tempeh Bacon. Tender and well seasoned. Also, the potato taco is always a great choice. Both come with tofu scramble and vegan cheese.

I met owner Chris Rios while waiting for my Lyft, and he was incredibly nice and thanked me for my continued support. The Vegan Nom just celebrated its fourteenth year in business, and I am grateful that they continue to make their wonderful food.

Heading to Austin? Well, Vegan Nom should be at the top of your vegan priority list. Affordable and some of the best tacos I’ve ever enjoyed.

05/01/2026

Value Vegan!

Last month I asked my Instagram mutuals what their favorite inexpensive vegan meals were, and I was given many great suggestions.

Here are five of my favorite options under $15.

I am currently obsessed with New China’s tofu. You can get it in their sesame or General Tso sauce, and it comes with a side of white rice. For $12.99 they basically give you a brick of tofu. Find them at 3730 South Kingshighway Blvd.

I just wrote about Pizza Head, but I cannot stress enough their $8 lunch special: two slices of pizza and a soda or Stag. How do you beat that?!

Everything at Terror Tacos is reasonably priced, but I especially like their bowls at $11.95. They range from mild to spicy. Also, happy hour deals run Tuesday through Thursday from 4-6.

In the STL Vegan Punk household, tofu is king. Lona's Lil Eats continues to be a great value, with spicy tofu wraps and plates at $11.75. Also, KBOP STL has spicy tofu bop for $12.

Finally, Yaquis on Cherokee has half price pizza on Wednesday, dine-in only. They have two vegan pies on the menu, one spicy and one supreme. Happy hour happens every day from 4-6 with buy one get one drafts and loaded hummus.

What are your favorite value vegan options? Drop those comments below!

04/24/2026

Here’s to 43 years!

A few weeks back, I took the train to Chicago, seeing Lily Allen perform her West End Girl album. Of course, no trip to the Windy City is complete until I visit The Chicago Diner, Lakeview.

However, things were different this time. My preferred location in Logan Square closed in December, and I had never been to the one in Lakeview. So despite having enjoyed their food for nearly a decade, this trip would be both joyous and bittersweet.

I positioned myself perfectly, staying a mere 500 feet from the original spot. While I usually work in at least one other vegan restaurant, I was dedicating my meal budget entirely to Chicago Diner.

Little did I know that this day would be the 43rd anniversary of their meat-free opening.

I had to have the Radical Reuben: corned beef-style seitan, onion, peppers, sauerkraut, vegan cheese, and thousand island on marbled rye. I always pair this with their BBQ wings: breaded seitan strips with celery and a side of ranch.

It was Holy Thursday, for those who celebrate. During Lent, Catholics commonly give up meat and eat fish instead. While my days of worshipping an invisible sky daddy are well behind me, I couldn’t say no to their Fish and Chips special: beer battered seitan and tofu served with hand cut fries, creamy coleslaw, and tartar sauce.

Finally, once the leftovers were gone, I made another trip, having their Breakfast Combo: scrambled tofu, potato hash, bacon-style seitan, fruit garnish, and biscuits and gravy.

That’s a lot of Chicago Diner.

I am forever thankful for places like this, and even though I wasn’t that adventurous this time around, I have no regrets about enjoying the comfort of this meatless staple.

Congrats to Chicago Diner for 43 years! May you outlive us all.

03/20/2026

The door is open!

Pizza Head was the first post of this blog. A punk rock vegan/vegetarian pizza place seemed like the perfect way to begin sharing my plant based journey.

Here we are, nearly seven years removed from that post, and this establishment has been through some tough phases. New ownership took it over four years ago, and up until recently, they still hadn’t opened the dining area.

This changed earlier in the month. They set the grand reopening for 314 Day, but the inside opened quietly just days before then.

While we wait patiently for new events to take place there, we can also celebrate their lunch special. From 11-3 daily, they have two slices and a soda or Stag for $8. This includes the vegan options and the slice of the day.

I stopped by Wednesday, and the special was bacon and spinach on vegan mozzarella. They recently ran a contest to choose a new plant based cheese. This one is gooier than the what they were using. Of course, you can still get the classic cashew cheese. Some like to order the two together.

If you’re looking for a new vegan lunch spot, Pizza Head has you covered, both hourly and monetarily. Visit the reopened space every day but Tuesday, 11-9.

02/10/2026

Bop Time!

Another suggestion came from one of my band mates. He thought I should try KBOP STL, a Korean spot with locations on Delmar Boulevard and Cherokee Street. I happened to be near The Loop, so I gave their lone vegan option a try yesterday.

Please keep in mind that this establishment does serve meat and other animal products, so if that’s a dealbreaker for you, I completely understand.

Labels are a vegan’s friend. K-Bop has its vegan and vegetarian options clearly marked on the menu. Like I said, they have only one vegan bop.

The Spicy Tofu Bop comes with a healthy portion of mildly spicy and sweet braised tofu, sitting on a bed of white rice, glass noodles, and mixed greens. It’s about as simple as it gets. But the flavor is out of this world!

I’m sold. K-Bop will likely become a regular spot. You can visit either Delmar or Cherokee every day at 11:00 a.m. Closing times vary.

02/03/2026

Fresh Spot!

That might be an understatement when talking about Neon Greens. This Grove restaurant grows its own quality greens and serves them in their salads and wraps.

An Instagram mutual suggested this place a few months back, so I knew that it was only a matter of time until I got to try their healthy and delicious options. As I always like to preface, Neon Greens isn’t a vegan spot, but they have several vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free options, all labeled clearly on the menu.

I wanted to try the Rainbow Wrap: tortilla, red oak lettuce, shaved radishes, carrot jicama slaw, shredded cabbage, roasted broccoli, avocado, marinated tomatoes, protein hummus, lemon-tahini drizzle, with a side of dressed greens & garlic crunch or bag of chips.

If that seems like a lot of plant goodness packed into a tortilla, then you would be absolutely correct. I watch them load it up with everything, and when completed, this wrap was dense. Who says you can’t get full on your vegetables?

I almost went with a bag of chips instead of the greens but decided to have both. And I’m glad that I did! Simple but full of flavor and texture.

Lunch was complete with a bag of barbecue Zapp’s and a peanut butter cookie, both vegan and gluten free.

You can choose from the menu selections or build your own salad or wrap. That’s probably what I’ll do my next visit.

Looking for something, healthy, filling, and guilt free? Neon Greens may have exactly what you want. Open daily from 11 to 7. Eight on Fridays.

01/26/2026

Back in NOLA!

As we suffer through this bitter cold and heavy snow fall, let’s think warmer thoughts as I visited one of my favorite cities this past weekend.

I was invited on a friends’ trip to the Crescent City, and there was very little chance I would say no. New Orleans and I have meaningful history, having traveled there several times. Since it was a gathering of South City people, I had to balance social expectations and my own. However, I managed to hit an all-time favorite and add a new place to the list.

First of all, I cannot visit New Orleans without going to Sweet Soulfood-Nola. This vegan staple has been serving plant based cuisine for years, my first time in 2018, and their rotating menu allows you to try something new every day.

Friday’s menu features their Sweet Heat Cauliflower and Philly Pasta, but instead of the pasta, I chose jambalaya, okra gumbo, and cashew mac as my pick four. All this food was $14.99 before tax and tip.

The next stop happened by circumstance. While working down Decatur Street, a friend noticed the vegan sign in the window. 2 Phat Vegans offers lunch and late night options, open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. every day.

A diverse menu, 2 Phat Vegans serves po boys, wraps, and smoothies, but all I really wanted was a burger and fries. So I ordered the Mic Drop: Beyond Meat patty, grilled onions, cheese, and special sauce. And I love when a restaurant has sweet potato fries. A nice way to wind down after happy hour drinks!

If I had more time, I would have hit at least two more spots, I-tal Garden and Bearcat CBD.

If you love New Orleans like me, and need a break from this sh*tty weather, definitely check out some of these places. Surprisingly, this city is way more vegan friendly than you’d think.

01/19/2026

Vegan Italian!

At the beginning of November, the good people behind Bombay Food Junkies announced that they would be opening a ghost kitchen dedicated to plant based Italian food, Plant Italia. Needless to say, I was both curious and confused.

We love Bombay. They make some of the best vegan dishes in the Saint Louis area. From their delicious Butt’r Chik’n Bowl to their decadent milkshakes, there are already more than enough reasons to make the trek to Creve Coeur. So why add Italian to the mix?

I had to investigate, so I took my mother with me to try it out.

The menu is completely separate from Bombay’s. We scanned the QR code and discovered a wide range of Italian dishes, appetizers, and paninis. They also have gluten free options.

It’s always nice to have a second person to share with, so we both ordered a dish and an appetizer.

First we tried the mozzarella sticks: a vegan version of this classic, fried golden. Then we also had the toasted ravioli: four large, made from scratch squares with vegan beef and vegan ricotta cheese. Both came with marinara sauce.

Then came the main entrees. Mom chose the Meatballs Marinara Spaghetti: house made meatballs made from soy protein, sun dried tomatoes, fennel, and spices, cooked in fresh tomato sauce. I went with the Grilled Chikn Alfredo Penne: sauce also house made with vegan and gluten free grilled chicken.

Technically, we were still at Bombay, so we took advantage of the drink menu. Mom always has one of their milkshakes, this time the Belgian chocolate. I enjoyed a City Wide from 4 Hands Brewing Company.

Are you curious, too? Well, you should definitely go and find out for yourself. And if you’re not interested in the Italian menu, Bombay deserves all the love from the vegan community. Maybe mix and match!

Plant Italia is available Monday through Friday from 12 to 8 and Saturday from 12 to 5.

STL Vegan Punk

05/19/2026

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