The Best Vegan Food In Redmond
Written by Jenni Baldwin
Redmond is a bustling city on the outskirts of Seattle. It’s home to the Microsoft campus, beautiful parks, and a vibrant dining scene. And lucky for us, there are plenty of vegan-friendly restaurants in Redmond the next time you venture that way.
Enjoy the guide!
Vegan-Friendly Restaurants In Redmond
65 Cafe
Photo Credit: Jenni Baldwin
This family-owned business has been serving Redmond since 2013 and is known by locals as having the best Pad See Ew in town. Authentic Thai but with a leaning toward plant-based foods, 65 Café offers a number of “as is” vegan items on the menu including their Popia Sot appetizer (fresh rolls made of tofu, herbs and mixed greens wrapped in rice paper and served with vegan peanut sauce) and the Gang Gari entrée (a lovely and pleasantly spicy aromatic yellow curry with slow roasted tofu, potatoes, carrots, and tomatoes).
The Kao Pad Pong Gari fried rice dish also has a kick of yellow curry, but it hits a sweeter note thanks to the unexpected addition of grilled pineapple. It’s also worth noting that 65 Café uses as many local ingredients as possible in an effort to support other Washington businesses.
Speaking of ingredients, vegans can rest assured that most of 65 Café’s sauces are fish sauce and animal product free - a rarity in Asian cuisine - and the kitchen’s careful use of separate ingredients and utensils and cookware during food prep limits any chances of cross-contamination. This cozy but bright little café is a hidden gem in an unassuming strip mall in downtown Redmond.
Woodblock
Photo Credit: Jenni Baldwin
Named after owners, Carolyn and Tony Scott’s, love of woodblock art which involves layers of color, Woodblock chefs strive to layer flavor into every dish. Proof in point is the falafel bowl, a nod to a deconstructed tabouleh dish thanks to the perfectly in season cherry tomatoes and cucumbers atop lemony rice pilaf that accompanied the crispy falafel bites.
The roasted cauliflower rested on a spread of curried carrot puree lined with mint cilantro sauce, dotted with crisp green apples and golden raisins. The cauliflower wings were the surprise of the night; often over-sauced and heavy, this was a light take on wings thanks to the garlic honey glaze (a dish that non-honey eating vegans could skip).
Also worth noting were the spring green salad (locally sourced mixed greens, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, watermelon radishes, and toasted sunflower seeds, all tossed in a lemon thyme vinaigrette), and the always consistent French fries.
Though the menu at Woodblock might not scream “vegan” at first glance, the chefs know what they are doing and they are more than happy to modify anything on the menu. As manager Ira and server Menno explained, the restaurant is trending toward customizable items such as the falafel bowl that could be ordered with falafel for vegans and vegetarians, or salmon for fish eaters. Aside from their stellar craft cocktails like the seasonal berry shrub and their 3-5 pm daily happy hour, one of Woodblock’s best features is their patio with park views.
Come by on a warm afternoon, enjoy a plant-based meal, and people watch. Woodblock is elevated Pacific Northwest food and upscale service, but with a casual neighborhood feel, and it’s easily the best meal you’ll have in Redmond.
Spark Pizza
Photo Credit: Jenni Baldwin
Owned and operated by the same family as Woodblock, Spark Pizza is the perfect place for a family gathering, especially in summer months, thanks to their large picnic tables and deck space.
Vegan pizza at its best, the house signature pies are epically good and pithily named.
Fire in the Hole (Calabrian chilies, basil, Mama Lil’s peppers, and broccoli rabe, sans sausage), Buffy the Vegan Slayer (an elevated take on supreme pizza with a base of sundried tomato pesto and pickled red onions, artichoke hearts, black olives, and roasted red peppers), and Everyday I’m Trufflin’ (mandolin-thin sliced Yukon golds, black truffles, and garlic confit) are just three examples – and favorites that shouldn’t be missed.
The summer gems salad with tahini basil dressing and blistered pickled tomatoes was such a delightful surprise and a confirmation that briny char is a definite yes when it comes to flavor pairings.
The 24 Karrot Gold fire roasted carrot dish is a standout veggie side that you will want to order a second time to take home thanks to the harissa and emerald-hued pistou that blanketed the carrots. In addition, Spark serves up craft cocktails that help you wash down all the pizza.
The Lost in Tijuana and the pineapple jalapeno infused Umm… I Want a Skinny Rita cocktails were expertly mixed and fun to say aloud when ordering. For those longtime Redmond locals who remember Frankie’s, this is your new pizza joint, but so much better.
Plant Life Meals
Photo Credit: Plant Life Meals
Plant Life Meals is a vegan prepared meal service based in Redmond. Begun by owners Liz and David who found limited options when dining out, Plant Life Meals serves up fresh, local, and organic vegan meals at a fraction of the cost of most prepared meal services.
Offering convenient weekly pick-ups on Sundays, even more convenient free home delivery, and additional discounts through subscription “bundles”, Plant Life Meals are a life saver for the health and budget conscious vegan, or the busy working millennial. But cutting on cost and calories doesn’t mean cutting on taste or quality. Plant Life Meals are always flavorful and beautifully plated in 100% compostable containers.
The OG menu item – and the most popular item – is the brunch burrito. Nestled within a perfect flour tortilla is a tofu scramble and roasted golden potatoes, all served with a house-made salsa roja. Vegan barbacoa tacos, the sunshine curried cauliflower bowl, and the summer pasta salad are all popular items that clock in at just 400 calories or less, but are packed with protein and other healthy nutrients. Recent additions include their sides such as organic baked tofu and garlic roasted broccoli which can accompany any of the main dishes or be added to your own meals at home.
Best of all, if you can’t get it together to order ahead for weekly pick up or delivery, you can pop by any one of their local retail partners (like downtown Redmond’s River Trail Roasters or Redmond Ridge’s Cypress Coffee) to buy meals as one-offs. And, aside from the fact that you will quickly become addicted to Plant Life Meals, there’s no catch to keep you hooked like Ross and Chandler’s endless gym membership from Friends as you can order as little or as much as you want each week, without any obligation to order the following week. But if you order once, you can be guaranteed to order again.
Yummy Pho
Photo Credit: USA Restaurants
A little off the beaten path is Yummy Pho, nestled in the strip mall that accompanies Bella Bottega Theater, Yummy Pho may be unassuming from the outside, but the food is pho-real. Case in point: an entire section of the menu dedicated to 11 vegan dishes.
The Yummy Vegan Pho is the obvious dish to order, and it is both substantially filling and incredibly flavorful with the fresh herbs and light broth. Insider tip: order the tofu deep fried; it adds an extra depth to the pho that is worth it. Looking for something comforting? Try the Curry Tofu, served with vegetables and steamed rice.
Want lighter fare? Order the Tofu and Vegetables dish over steamed rice, a simply prepared meal for pickier eaters. They have plenty of seating for fast- casual indoor dining, but have a quick turnaround for takeout orders and a record for accuracy which is important for takeaway. When that hankering for pho calls, look no pho-ther than Yummy Pho.
Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream
Photo Credit: Molly Moon’s
Though Molly Moons’s motto may be “ice cream makes people happy” it should really be “ice cream makes vegans happy”. Launched in 2008, this local chain uses locally-sourced ingredients and focuses on community building by donating ice cream and funds to fight hunger, as well as through special events, like Summer 2021’s vote and scoop event aimed to encourage locals to vote by offering free scoops in exchange for a voting stub.
Socially conscious diners can feel good that their dollars are going toward a good cause at Molly Moons. A menu mainstay is the vegan coconut chunk which can be topped with any number of vegan toppings such as Thin Mint crumble, coconut whip, or everyone’s favorite vegan chocolate hard shell. Each month, a new seasonal vegan flavor rotates in. Some vegan notables from the past include cherry chunk, mocha chip, scout mint, chocolate cake, and candy bar.
Unlike most creameries that offer a sad sorbet as the only vegan option, Molly Moons serves decadent and indulgent scoops that will satisfy any vegan’s ice cream craving – no dairy missed! A bright spot just off the Downtown Redmond Park where you can enjoy your cone or bowl from a park bench, Molly Moons is a must for any time of day.
What’s your favorite place to go for a vegan meal in Redmond? Let me know in the comments!
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