If you thought Food Network’s hit show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives was all greasy spoons and meat-heavy classics, think again.
Over the years, host and restaurateur Guy Fieri has spotlighted several plant-based restaurants, each of which has proven that comfort food doesn’t need animal products to be indulgent, flavorful, or crave-worthy.
From crispy seitan sandwiches to decadent vegan waffles and kimchi-spiked brunch plates, these spots serve up meat-free meals with bold flavors and serious creativity. Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, or just veg-curious, these are some of the most memorable plant-based joints featured on Triple D.
The best vegan restaurants featured on ‘Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives’
Enjoy Guy Fieri-approved grub at these vegan restaurants featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Note: while more vegan restaurants have been featured on the show, a number of them have now shuttered. The below are still open today.
1 Veggie Galaxy
Cambridge, MA
In Season 30, Fieri visits Veggie Galaxy in an episode titled “Unique Eats.” There, he digs into the restaurant’s standout Mac N Stack—a fully vegan creation featuring crispy fried seitan “chicken,” tempeh bacon, lettuce, Sriracha, and mac and cheese waffles. “If you didn’t tell people that that was vegan, I don’t think they’d even question it,” Fieri said after trying the burger. “It’s got a lot of great flavor, a lot of texture, a lot of creativity.” Filmed in 2018, this mouthwatering waffle burger is still on the menu today. Veggie Galaxy, a vegetarian diner with plenty of vegan options, also serves up indulgent dishes like Oreo cookie pancakes, meaty po’boys, and chick’n and waffles—all without a trace of meat.
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Kindred
2Kindred
San Diego, CA
In 2022, during Season 36, Guy Fieri visited Kindred, a beloved vegan hotspot in San Diego. Two standout dishes stole the show: the chargrilled seitan skewers and the Good Morning Captain—which featured savory kimchi chickpea cakes. Known for its bold flavors and creative, plant-based fare, Kindred continues to impress diners with favorites like the vegan egg roll burger, a must-try customer favorite.
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Graze Nashville
3 Graze Nashville
Nashville, TN
In Season 41, Episode 8, titled “Classic and Comfort,” Fieri stopped by a plant-based spot serving up reimagined comfort food with a twist. He sampled the vegan chicken bacon ranch club sandwich and the seitan chorizo, a hearty, flavor-packed vegan meat that’s still a staple on the menu today. The restaurant continues to serve a lineup of vegan comfort classics, including mock tuna melts, loaded animal fries, and other indulgent, meat-free favorites that keep diners coming back for more.
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Modern Love
4 Modern Love
Brooklyn, NY
Fieri visited Modern Love, a trailblazing vegan comfort food spot in Omaha, in Series 38, Episode 7, titled “Meaty to Meatless.” Fieri dug into the meatless fried mushroom chicken, a standout dish known for its crispy coating and tender plant-based interior. After sampling it, Fieri called the texture “fantastic.” He added: “This is what I call a destination dish.” While the Omaha location featured on the episode has since closed, Modern Love remains open in Brooklyn for now, as this outpost will be closing sometime in June—but, there’s still time to enjoy fan favorites like mac and cheese, mushroom calamari, and indulgent vegan shakes.
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Harlow Portland
5 Harlow Cafe
Portland, OR
Harlow, a plant-forward café in Portland, Oregon, was one of the stars of Season 37, Episode 4, titled “Triple D Nation: Farm-to-Table Fresh.” The restaurant impressed with dishes like the Betty Bowl—a hearty combination of grains, avocado, beans, kale, and vegetables topped with jalapeño cashew sauce. Today, the café (which has three locations) offers a variety of options, including mushroom scallion biscuits with tempeh gravy, spinach-kale scrambles with chipotle cashew hollandaise, and banana-oatmeal-walnut pancakes.
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The Herbivorous Butcher
6 The Herbivorous Butcher
Minneapolis, MN
In Season 25, Episode 3, titled “Creole, Cold Cuts, and Crêpes”, Fieri visited The Herbivorous Butcher, a pioneering vegan butcher shop in Minneapolis, MN. Founded by siblings Aubry and Kale Walch, the shop specializes in plant-based meats and cheeses crafted from a blend of natural, plant-based ingredients. During the episode, Fieri sampled their Italian Sub, which features vegan versions of salami, ham, pastrami, and mozzarella, topped with lettuce, onions, and cherry peppers. ”I’d eat it all day long,” he said after taking a bite. “You get that chew, you get that texture, that meaty texture … fantastic.” At the time of writing, the shop is temporarily closed following a fire. Learn how you can support their recovery efforts here.
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El Palote Panaderia
7 El Palote Panaderia
Dallas, TX
El Palote Panadería, Dallas’s pioneering vegan Mexican restaurant, was featured on the May 2, 2025, episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives titled “Specialty Spots.” In this episode, Fieri explored unique eateries across the American South, highlighting El Palote for its flavorful plant-based takes on traditional Mexican dishes. Stop by to try Fieri’s favorites, like the Soy Al Pastor Gorditas and Picadillo Tamales. “You could bring your friends here, and you tell me that they’re gonna figure out it’s vegan. They won’t,” Fieri said in the episode.
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Pingala Cafe
8 Pingala Cafe
Burlington, VT
In the episode “Savory With a Side of Sweet,” which aired in February 2020, Fieri was impressed by Pingala Cafe’s flavorful, vegan take on a crunchwrap. Commenting on the restaurant’s “not-avocado mash,” made with ingredients like parsley, garden peas, and chickpeas, Fieri said, “The texture is spot on. Can I get it with some chips and salsa? That is probably in the top five vegan, vegetarian items I’ve ever had in my life.”
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Souley Vegan
9 Souley Vegan
Oakland, CA
In Season 24’s “Hot Meat and Cool Veg” episode, Fieri headed to Oakland, CA, to try Southern comfort food at Souley Vegan. He was blown away by the creativity and flavor of dishes like okra gumbo and seitan shrimp po’boy. Souley Vegan closed its doors nearly two years ago, but founder Tamearra Dyson recently announced on social media that she is bringing the restaurant back, complete with an event space, a learning hub for entrepreneurs, and an open kitchen.
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
