October 21, 2025

15 Plant-Based Dishes So Delicious, Even A Carnivore Would Ask For Seconds

There’s a ton of benefits of enjoying a plant-based diet, but vegan food often gets the reputation for being boring or uninspired. That couldn’t be further from the truth as there’s some incredible chefs and restaurants focusing on plant-based cuisine and the resulting dishes are so delicious, even a carnivore would be impressed.

World Vegan Day is November 1, and it’s a great opportunity to look at plant-based food in a whole new way.

Pepperoni Pizza

At Coletta in New York City, the vegan and gluten-free pizza is fired over an open flame in a brick oven and features dairy-free cheeses like blue “cheese” crema, lemon “ricotta,” and fresh vegan mozzarella. The classic vegan pepperoni pizza is made with housemade tomato sauce, fresh herbs, and generous toppings of plant-based pepperoni.

Mushroom Paella

At Le Basque in New York City, this paella from the upscale Spanish-French hotspot is made with bomba rice, smoky plant-based chorizo, king oyster and chanterelle mushrooms, saffron, and dulse flakes, mimicking the rich, oceanic depth of traditional seafood paella.

Beef Dolmas

At Anixi in New York City, the plant-based Beef Dolmas are tender, braised grape leaves that are carefully wrapped around a hearty filling of seasoned plant-based beef and fragrant basmati rice. The dish is paired with creamy plant-based labneh, sweet dried apricots, and aromatic saffron.

Candy Bar Mousse Cake

At Brooklyn-based Reverie, it’s all about the plant-based desserts. This decadent, multi-layered vegan mousse cake features a rich dark chocolate sponge base, topped with a silky caramelized white chocolate mousse and a smooth milk chocolate nougat layer.

Grilled Chicken Enchiladas

At Sentir in New York City, the plant-based chicken enchiladas is made with lime-marinated vegan chicken wrapped in soft flour tortillas, baked, and smothered in salsa verde. The dish is finished with creamy cashew crema, ripe avocado, vegan cotija, and tangy pickled onions for a balance of zest and freshness.

Rainbow Roll

At Beyond Sushi in New York City, the Rainbow Roll is a colorful, plant-based creation that is made with seasoned white rice and layered with “tuna,” “zalmon,” marinated carrots, cucumber, avocado, pickled red cabbage, dill, hijiki, and lemon zest, it’s finished with a smoky pepper sauce for the perfect balance of freshness, zest, and umami.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich

At Willow in New York City, the Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich is a prime example of this restaurant’s theme of elevated plant-based comfort food.

This sandwich features crispy “buttermilk-battered chicken” layered with confit garlic aioli, crunchy red cabbage slaw, and house pickles, balancing texture and tang. It’s finished with a drizzle of truffle chili honey, this dish is savory, spicy, and sweet.

Vegan Bolognese

At Ashland at Loews Atlanta Hotel, this dish reimagines the classic with a rich sofrito of onions, carrots and celery, hearty mushrooms, along with lentils and walnuts for texture. It’s finished with San Marzano tomato purée and fresh herbs.

Loews Atlanta Hotel and Ashland Executive Chef Olivier Senoussaoui says, “What’s special about this dish is how it delivers that deep, slow-cooked richness people usually associate with meat, without using a single ounce of it. The lentils and walnuts give it that satisfying bite, while the mushrooms build a layered umami that makes you forget you’re eating vegan. A true gem on our steak-forward menu.”

Vegan Scallops

At Koi New York, scallops like you would never imagine them. In fact, they aren’t actually scallops at all!

“For the vegan scallops, sliced daikon is cooked and simmered in a traditional soy and sake broth. This method mimics the look and texture of a seared scallop. We also make thin slit cuts in the daikon. The beauty of a daikon is not only its natural color but also the round shape, resembling a scallop. The dish is served with a cauliflower purée and a sweet soy glaze to balance the earthiness of the daikon,” said Koi NY & L.A. Executive Chef Robb Lucas.

Plant-Based Al Pastor Tacos

At Cesar’s Killer Margaritas in Chicago, three tacos filled with fresh, juicy julienne carrots and diced onions, cooked to a crisp, and bathed in Cesar’s signature adobo sauce. Topped with pineapple, onion, and cilantro.

Chef Lourdes (Lulu) Duran says, “Creating our plant-based menu in early 2024 was a big undertaking. We wanted to make sure we were true to those who follow a plant-based/vegan lifestyle while using the ingredients that are true to our kitchen. Playing with different vegetables, including the carrots cooked to mimic marinated pork, and giving them another life other than just your basic stir fry was lots of fun for me. At the end of the day, I always go back to the way my mom cooked. She made everything with gumption and with the hope that the love she had for cooking for others projected through the dish.”

Vegan Lasagna

At queensyard in New York City, this plant-based spin on lasagna is made with basil pesto, mushroom ragù, vegan béchamel, and a marinara sauce. “We wanted our vegan lasagna to feel just as rich and comforting as the classic. We layered pesto, mushroom ragù, and creamy vegan béchamel to create a decadent dish that you would never realize was vegan,” said Chef Christian Jairo.

Calamari

At Las Vegas-based Carversteak, there’s some creative dishes that will make even the most devoted carnivores do a double take. Their take on Calamari, made with King Trumpet mushrooms, sweet peppers, and tomato sauce, perfectly capturing the texture and flavor of the classic favorite, but it’s completely plant-based.

“At Carversteak, we wanted to offer a vegan menu that felt just as indulgent and seasonal as our signature dishes. The menu celebrates the richness of fresh produce, proving that plant-based dining can be just as satisfying and refined as a classic steakhouse experience,” said Daniel Ontiveros, Executive Chef, Carver Road Hospitality.

Beet Lox

At Flour Moon Bagels in New Orleans, this take on the NYC classic is made with Monty’s vegan cashew cream cheese, house marinated beet ‘lox’, cucumber, red onion, capers, and herbs.

“I wanted to offer a completely plant-based version of our Full Moon tartine. We roast yellow or candy stripe beets in oil and then let them sit in a marinade with kombu, miso, dill, and smoked wood chips to mimic the flavors of lox. We serve the sliced beets atop a schmear of Monty’s cashew cream cheese, cucumbers, capers, red onion, and dill,” said Breanne Kostyk, chef and co-owner of Flour Moon Bagels in New Orleans,.

Watermelon Tataki

At Four Flamingos, A Richard Blais Key West Kitchen, the Watermelon Tataki is an appetizer that’s plated with a horseradish-cashew crema, wakame salad, pickled daikon, preserved kumquat, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of chili oil. All garnishes are also 100% vegan.

“This dish was inspired by my time cooking in New Zealand alongside talented Asian chefs. The concept is to replicate the look and texture of fresh tuna using watermelon. Visually, it’s strikingly similar, and the flavor profile is a delicate balance of sweet and savory. We marinate the watermelon overnight in miso, sesame oil, and soy sauce, then bake it slowly until it dehydrates and develops a meaty texture. It can be a bit challenging when the watermelon is overly sweet, but we’ve refined the process to manage the sugar content effectively,” said Leandro Minelli, Executive Chef.


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