Wondering about vegetarian restaurants portland maine offers? You can eat well: one dedicated vegetarian restaurant, a vegan food truck and many veg-friendly menus. The table below has the key facts.
For the broader dining picture, start with this guide to portland maine restaurants.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Green Elephant opened | 2007 |
| Green Elephant address | 608 Congress St. |
| Green Elephant heat scale | One to four |
| Strictly vegan restaurants (guide updated March 20, 2025) | None, plus one vegan food truck |
| Vegan food truck service | Lunch Thursday to Saturday; brunch on Sundays |
These figures come from Justin Plus Lauren’s vegan guide and The Maine Mag’s Green Elephant profile. Menus, hours and openings change, so check the source and the venue before you rely on them.
What counts as a vegetarian restaurant in Portland?
A strictly vegetarian restaurant serves no meat at all, while a veg-friendly one has a regular menu with plant-based choices. Portland has both, and the second group is much larger.
According to Justin Plus Lauren’s guide, updated March 20, 2025, there aren’t any strictly vegan restaurants in the city, but there is one vegan food truck. The same guide says there are some vegetarian restaurants and many vegan options at other establishments, and it notes that Bon Appetit magazine named Portland Restaurant City of the Year.
That leaves you with three kinds of meal:
- A fully vegetarian sit-down restaurant.
- Restaurants with a regular menu where vegan or vegetarian dishes are easy to find.
- Food trucks and juice bars for quick plant-based stops.
Green Elephant: the dedicated vegetarian restaurant
For a fully meat-free sit-down meal, Green Elephant is the name to know, on Congress St. In its December 2015 profile,The Maine Mag said the restaurant opened in 2007 and was the first strictly vegetarian restaurant in Portland.
The profile stresses that it is not just for vegetarians and vegans. Dishes draw on Thai, Indian, Malaysian and Japanese influences, and the writer singled out a Brussels sprouts appetizer seasoned with tamari and brown sugar. Its pad thai had been declared “the best in town” by more than a few diners.
Heat is adjustable: every dish can be prepared on a scale of one to four. Tofu came from Heiwa in Belfast, Maine, and fresh tempeh from Lalibela Farm in Bowdoinham, according to the same profile.
A separate feature in Green & Healthy Maine describes it as a full-service restaurant with curries, stir fries, soups and vegan desserts. Because the Maine Mag profile is older, treat individual dishes as examples and not a guaranteed menu.
Where to find vegan dishes at veg-friendly restaurants
Most plant-based meals in Portland come from restaurants that are not meat-free. The Justin Plus Lauren guide names these examples:
- LFK is not strictly vegan or vegetarian, but the guide says it has vegan cheese and can do vegan pizzas, burgers and nachos. The menu rotates with the seasons, so ask staff if you are unsure about an item.
- Sichuan Kitchen marks vegan dishes with a green “V”, or “VO” when a dish can be prepared vegan. Vegetarian dishes are labeled “VG”.
- Mi Sen Noodle Bar makes its noodles from scratch. Many items can be made “vegetarian upon request” or “gluten-free upon request”.
- Otto is a pizzeria with options for omnivores, vegetarians and vegans.
Mi Sen’s staff are described as familiar with what vegan means, which makes a request such as no egg and added tofu straightforward.
Food trucks, juice bars and quick stops
The Totally Awesome Vegan Foodtruck was described, as of the March 20, 2025 update of Justin Plus Lauren’s guide, as the only all-vegan establishment in Portland. It moves around the city, so check its Instagram account to see where it is parked. It serves lunch from Thursday to Saturday and brunch on Sundays.
If you are planning a weekend, pair it with the ideas for brunch in portland maine.
Green & Healthy Maine lists several other plant-based options in Portland:
- Falafel Mafia Food Truck, with falafel pitas, falafel bowls and shawarma-dusted fries.
- The Juicery, a juice and smoothie bar with salads, toasts and baked goods.
- The Grateful Cup, a juice and smoothie bar with grab-and-go salads.
Plant-based spots elsewhere in Maine
If you are travelling beyond the city, the same Green & Healthy Maine feature highlights vegan restaurants in other towns. Salt + Pepper Social in Newcastle has a deck over the Damariscotta River and house-made vegan soft-serve.
Curbside Comforts in Gorham makes cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, mac and cheese, shakes and sundaes that are all vegan. Vickie’s Veggie Table in Biddeford specializes in juices, smoothies, sandwiches and salads.
Tips for ordering plant-based in Portland
- Look for menu labels first, such as the V, VO and VG marks at Sichuan Kitchen.
- Ask staff about swaps, for example leaving out egg and adding tofu in a noodle dish.
- Check a food truck’s Instagram account for its location before you go.
- Choose your heat level where it is offered, as at Green Elephant.
If you would rather have a guided route, read about portland maine food tours and ask the operator about vegetarian menus before you book anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a fully vegetarian restaurant in Portland, Maine?
Show answer
Green Elephant at 608 Congress St. is one. The Maine Mag called it the first strictly vegetarian restaurant in Portland in its December 2015 profile.
Are there any all-vegan restaurants in Portland?
Show answer
As of Justin Plus Lauren’s guide, updated March 20, 2025, there were no strictly vegan restaurants, but there was one vegan food truck.
Can vegans eat at Green Elephant?
Show answer
The Maine Mag’s 2015 profile says the restaurant works with special diets such as gluten free and vegan, and that the kitchen is prepared for just about any request.
How do I know which dishes are vegan?
Show answer
Some menus label them, as Sichuan Kitchen does with V, VO and VG. Where they don’t, ask staff, since Mi Sen offers many dishes vegetarian or gluten-free on request.
