Best Vegan Restaurants in Sonoma County

With some of the most talented chefs and gorgeous organic and sustainably-farmed produce in America, Sonoma County restaurants have every diet covered—including vegan.

We know that vegans—who focus on plant-based foods and avoid animal-based ingredients like eggs, milk, cheese, and honey—are always on the hunt for eateries to satisfy both their hunger and their taste buds, so here’s a handy guide to the most palate-pleasing vegan cuisine here in Sonoma County.

Cozy Plum Bistro, Santa Rosa

Cozy Plum Bistro specializes in organic, gluten-free, and local ingredients from a 100% dedicated vegan kitchen. Using the power of potatoes, soy, peas and more, they make delicious plant-based versions of burgers, breakfast sandwiches, seafood, and artisan cheese (hello, jalapeno havarti and sharp cheddar). Creativity shines through their trumpet-mushroom pesto and cashew sour cream, and the crunchy oven-baked tater tots are a real crowd pleaser.

Sunflower Caffé, Sonoma

Open since 2007 in a historic landmark building on Sonoma Plaza, Sunflower is almost as lauded for its juicy cocktails and high-powered espresso drinks as for its healthy California cuisine, which relies on organic produce from local farmers. Several dishes here can be made vegan at your request, but officially vegan offerings on the menu include smoothies like the PB&C (peanut butter, banana and cocoa) with almond milk; a roasted cauliflower wrap on a spinach tortilla; a Golden Bowl with quinoa, roasted sweet potato, and sauteed greens; and a Hippie Salad with kale, avocado, spiced chickpeas, and sweet pepper cashew dressing.

The Mill at Glen Ellen, Glen Ellen

Perhaps best known for its house-brewed beers and lovely garden patio, this laid-back neighborhood spot is also popular for its scrumptious vegan desserts. Note that most of the comfort-food-focused menu here isn’t vegan, but you can safely enjoy the coconut kheer, a warm rice pudding made with raisins, pistachios, and rose water, and a decadent chocolate mousse topped with seasonal fresh fruit. Either dessert makes an ideal break amidst a day of sightseeing, or a delightful after-dinner treat.

Stockhome, Petaluma

Chef Roberth Sundell (who along with his wife Andrea also owns San Francisco’s PLÄJ Restaurant) created this Scandinavian-Middle Eastern eatery to celebrate his favorite Stockholm street foods, which are heavily influenced by Turkish cuisine. Though not a strictly vegan restaurant, this family-friendly, counter-service lunch and dinner spot does have a dedicated vegan menu, which includes a meze plate with humus, baba ghanouj, tabouleh, and grilled pita; and a broccolini wrap served with pommes frites. At your meal’s end, you can reward yourself with fresh mint tea and some honey-kissed baklava.

Pub Republic, Petaluma

This comfortable, lively, kid-friendly spot offers creative twists on traditional pub fare, with an emphasis on local ingredients and a mix of guilty pleasures and healthier options. Vegan dishes include a house-made chickpea burger with green goddess dressing; avocado hummus; and cauliflower tacos. Several types of vegan bread are also served, including ciabatta and sourdough. Lunch and dinner are served every day, and brunch is offered on weekends, and Petaluma’s Abobe Creek, with its bankside weeping willow trees, is the backdrop for the huge garden patio.

Hazel, Occidental

Committed to using local, seasonal and sustainable produce, meats, and fish to create rustic, Mediterranean inspired cuisine and all kinds of sweets, cozy, romantic Hazel is that restaurant rarity: a date-night spot with vegan offerings. The zingy dressing on their Caesar salad is vegan, their crispy-chewy wood-fired pizzas can be prepared with vegan cheese, and their organic red quinoa plate includes organic local mushrooms, a West County delicacy. Be sure to inquire about the daily desserts, too, as they usually have a vegan-friendly option.

East West Cafe, Sebastopol

A downtown Sebastopol favorite since 1989, this casual, family-owned Mediterranean-style cafe serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily in a terracotta-tiled, Ionian-columned diner that evokes “coffee shop meets Greece.” The extensive menu includes an array of tasty vegan options, such as a hearty lentil soup; muhamara, a spicy walnut-red pepper dip; crispy sweet potato fries; salads topped with lemon tahini dressing and well-seasoned tofu or tempeh; and a rich German chocolate cake. They also offer vegan red and white wines by the glass, made by Santa Rosa-based Frei Brothers Sonoma Reserve.

Viva Mexicana, Sebastopol

Specializing in gourmet Oaxacan-style Mexican food since 1986, this sunny neighborhood joint—cheerfully hung with the work of local artists—is a paradise for hungry vegans. There’s no lard in the beans; chips are GMO-free; the horchata is made without dairy; fruit and veggies are organic whenever possible; and oil use is minimal when creating vegan-friendly elote, huevos rancheros, quesadillas, nachos, tacos, and even a meat-free burrito in a tomato tortilla.

The Nectary – Healdsburg, Healdsburg

With a seasonal menu supported by Sonoma County’s abundant organic produce, this juice and smoothie apothecary bar chain specializes in fresh cold-pressed juices; superfood and green smoothies; hot tonics and teas; and probiotic beverages such as fruit-and-herb-infused kefir and kombucha.

However, they also offer a menu of vegan snacks—such as gluten-free tartines and zesty bowls powered by açai, bee pollen, and coconut—that will keep you deliciously fueled through a day of getting outside and exploring.

For more vegan options in Sonoma County, check out Sebastopol Offers Some of the Best Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants and Where to Go on a Vegan-Friendly Sonoma Valley Trip.