Let’s get this out of the way – New Orleans isn’t the first city that anyone is going to name when they think of places with great vegetarian food. BUT my city does a lot better than most people think when it comes to vegetarian options.
This list is ever growing, because I have a frequently updated list of new restaurants that I want to try. For now, though, these are my favorite breakfast and brunch restaurants in New Orleans with vegetarian food – according to me! Note that these restaurants aren’t exclusively vegetarian, so I’ll outline some of my favorite menu items at each place.
Table of Contents
Here’s my list – the best vegetarian breakfast (and brunch!) restaurants in New Orleans in 2024.
Small Mart
I finally just made it to Small Mart for the first time. It’s a small (aptly named) counter service spot in the Marigny. I got the Vegan LBT (lemon, butter, tomato) on an everything bagel, and my friend got the vegan bagel deluxe with tofu added. The little coffee shop inside, Pond Coffee, was incredible.
Bagels are shipped in from the owners’ favorite spot in New York, and it SHOWS.
In general I find people in New Orleans to be incredibly friendly but I’ve gotta say that the staff were extra kind at both Pond and Small Mart. I want to go back to try the side of their menu that they serve after noon: the chaat bowl and vegan poboy are calling out to me.
Breads on Oak
Breads on Oak has always been one of my favorite vegetarian restaurants in New Orleans, even before I became vegetarian a few years ago. Oak street is such a sleepy, beautiful road with book stores and coffee shops.
All items here are 100% plant-based, which makes ordering a no brainer if you are vegan or vegetarian. Breads and pastries are fresh every day. Some of my favorite menu items are the avocado scramble toast, the TLTA (tempeh, lettuce, tomato and avocado) which is pictured above, and the veggie quiche.
Flour Moon Bagels
Oooh y’all. I love Flour Moon. Located right on the Lafitte Greenway in Mid City, I finally have another favorite bagel spot (for a while their Stein’s had the only spot). NYC style bagels are made fresh daily, and they have some vegan schmears available now!
I love getting the Classic Breakfast bagel with avocado instead of meat. I’m an everything bagel girl, but I never know what kind of bagel I am going to want to order at Flour Moon because their specials are always so unique and delicious.
Bearcat Café
Bearcat Café has two locations: one in the CBD and one Uptown (this is the location I frequent). They’ve got a “good cat” and a “bad cat” menu which isn’t my favorite (we don’t moralize food here!) but the food really is great.
The Vegan Bearcat plate comes with a flavorful black bean sausage and tofu scramble. The Mushroom Soft Scramble, Vegan Ranchero, and breakfast potatoes never disappoint.
Saba
The love letter that I could write to Saba would be never ending, and potentially the most effusive piece of food-related writing. If you go and try the silky hummus and the hot, fluffy, slightly charred pita, you will understand why.
Like some of the other restaurants on this list, Saba is not exclusively a brunch restaurant. In fact, most would probably consider it more of a dinner destination. But there’s nothing I love more than heading over to Saba on a Saturday morning for an 11 AM brunch reservation with a walk down Magazine Street or in Audubon Park afterwards. So here it lives on my breakfast and brunch list.
You have to get some of the salatim; my favorites are the lutenitsa, tabbouleh, and pickles. My main focus, though, is always the hummus and pita. None of the hummus dishes will disappoint, but I love the Jerusalem breakfast and the Brussels sprouts with jalapeños. If I am going to get an entree (honestly sometimes I just fill up on dips and pita) then I’ll always go for the bright green falafel which is perfectly crunchy and flavorful every time.
Stay tuned for my next post, which I’ll be dedicating to the best lunch and dinner spots for vegetarians in New Orleans!
