Vegan Restaurants in Columbia, SC
Though this may surprise you, there are a lot of great spots for vegan food in Columbia! There are actually a handful dedicated to plant-based food where everything on their menus is vegan. And in some cases, you would have no idea!
Others on this list have options for all diets, but have a few vegan dishes that are worth a mention. Before we jump to the list of Columbia’s vegan restaurants, let’s first check out a map!
Where To Get Vegan Food in Columbia, SC
Awesome Vegan Restaurants in Columbia
We are kicking this list off with restaurants in Columbia with vegan-only menus. Everything you’ll find at these restaurants will be plant-based and full of flavor!
There is definitely a bit of magic happening in the kitchen at A Peace of Soul.
If you haven’t already, you are sure to fall in love with vegan food with just one taste of their collard greens or their chili cheeseburger. Or their fried ‘chicken’ sandwich. Or their chicken “wings”. Wow, their food is seriously delicious!
Not only do they have great lunch and dinner options, but they have the best vegan breakfast in Columbia, SC. Their amazing breakfast definitely deserves a shout-out! You’ll find vegan biscuits, gluten-free French toast sticks, a chicken biscuit and even a waffle or pancake platter with your choice of sausage or eggs. All vegan, of course!
They also have a great 3-day meal prep option for $33 where you get three meals to refrigerate and reheat and home. Their meal prep menu changes often but you can always plan on a few delicious options.
A Peace of Soul is a Black-owned takeout-only Vegan restaurant in Columbia. They have vegan breakfast options, as well as lunch and dinner. It’s actually by the same family behind the former Lamb’s Bread– the current owner bought the restaurant from her dad and did a bit of rebranding and updating of the old menu.
For the quickest service, order online!
Known as Columbia’s original vegan restaurant, Good Life Cafe is a great destination for healthy, delicious plant-based food.
Their menu includes shareables like nachos, spring rolls and a trio of dips. You’ll also find larger dishes like quesadillas, burgers, wraps, salads, soups and more.
Their chili is excellent, especially when paired with their grilled cheese. And their buffalo cauliflower bites (pictured!) are amazing!
They have a ton of smoothies on their menu that are packed with fruit, veggies and oat milk. You can opt for house-made almond milk for $1 extra. Good Life Cafe also has vegan smoothie bowls that will leave you full and feeling great.
And, of course, we can’t forget Good Life is the perfect spot in Columbia for vegan ice cream and desserts! Their coconut cream base ice cream is great (flavors change weekly), especially when you upgrade to a milkshake. Milkshakes come topped with coconut whip cream.
Good Life Cafe has a barista bar with a section of ‘healthy coffee’ options. Their Golden Latte with turmeric, vanilla, ginger, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup is such a treat!
Good Life Cafe will begin serving protein options in their new Taylor Street space in April 2023.
Reizod Vegan Experience is one of those Vegan restaurants in Columbia where your non-vegan friends will fall in love with plant-based food. They make it easy to follow a plant-based diet, with options like broccoli and beef, wings, egg rolls and mac & cheese.
Their food is really fresh and you can tell how passionate everyone is about their mission to give Columbia the best plant-based options around. Also, Reizod Vegan Experience is a Black-owned restaurant!
My favorite thing about Reizod is that their menu is just fun! It’s not at all what I first expected when I heard about a vegan restaurant. They have hibachi and egg rolls! A delicious alfredo pasta special. And their famous Philly cheesesteak! But all is vegan. It’s truly an experience!
Located on Millwood Ave near Devine Street, Tasty as Fit is a plant-based, gluten-free grab-and-go spot. Their food is fresh and, as the name suggests, very tasty indeed!
Tasty As Fit makes their food fresh daily and has it ready and waiting in a grab-and-go fridge. It’s a great way to eat healthy food in Columbia.
You’ll find everything from grain bowls to salads and even their famous vegan Snickers!
Restaurants in Columbia with Delicious Vegan Options
And now onto the next part of our vegan food in Columbia, SC list: local restaurants with great vegan options. These are restaurants that either have a dedicated menu of vegan options or have a few on their regular menu worth trying.
Coa Agaveria is an upscale Mexican restaurant in Columbia with a dedicated vegan menu. You’ll find taquitos with cashew queso, a Beyond Meat chorizo lettuce wrap and a great salad with roasted beets.
My favorite vegan Mexican dish is their ‘Tasty As Fit bowl’ with lettuce, rice, black beans wild mushrooms, corn, pico and guacamole. It’s all just so fresh!
Arabesque is a great Mediterranean restaurant in Columbia with several vegan options. Their hummus is vegan, as well as the zaatar dip, falafel appetizer, stuffed grape leaves, fattoush, and tabbouleh.
You’ll also find vegan entrees on the menu like their amazing grilled vegetable skewer dinner that comes with a choice of two sides (rice, pesto, pita and green beans.)
Arabesque also has vegan cheese available, so you can substitute it for regular cheese on any of their many pizza options.
If you are looking for a great vegan lunch in Columbia, head to Sound Bites!
It’s located downtown and is home to my favorite vegan lunch: a vegan wrap made with a black bean vegan burger. The burger is topped with hummus, avocado, red pepper spread, rosemary dijon and spinach. I have gotten it several times and it’s always so delicious and filling!
Apart from the wrap, you’ll also find pita a great build-your-own salad menu. The black bean vegan burger is actually one of the protein options. You can choose your greens (bibb lettuce, arugula, mixed greens, spinach and romaine), protein and four toppings.
Kao Thai is one of the best Thai restaurants in Columbia. It’s located in the Vista and always has such great food and service.
Though it’s not called out specifically on their menu, several of Kao Thai Cuisine’s dishes can be made vegan. They offer a fried tofu protein option that can be substituted in several of their dishes, one of which is their delicious drunken noodles!
Speaking of great salads, Verde in Trenholm Plaza is the perfect place for a vegan lunch in Columbia. Their menu includes several signature dishes, all of which can be ordered as a tossed salad, chopped salad or as a wrap.
My favorite vegan item on their menu is the ‘Unbeanlievable Burger.’ It’s a Black Bean Burger with Vegan cheddar cheese, dill pickles, avocado, pickled onion and tomatoes.
Their Bowled Buddha is also great. It comes with roasted broccoli, chickpeas, pickled onion, roasted sweet potatoes, avocado, pickled ginger and power seeds with turmeric vinaigrette.
Both are so delicious that they feel like a treat. The added bonus is that they are as healthy as they are tasty.
The deli at Rosewood Market is a great place for a vegan lunch in Columbia.
They have several gluten-free and vegan bowls, like their black bean and roasted sweet potato bowl and a tempeh bowl. They also have salads, soups and a great grab & go section with vegan options.
Apart from the deli section at Rosewood Market, you’ll also find fresh produce, teas, supplements and a ton of healthy grocery options.
If you are looking for vegan breakfast in Columbia, SC, head to Flying Biscuit in Five Points! They have a tofu wrap and tofu scramble on the menu. They also have avocado toast and oatmeal.
If you are looking for a lunch item, check out their beyond burger.
Flying Biscuit is located in Five Points and has a casual, relaxed atmosphere.
We really enjoy dining at Mellow Mushroom and were excited to see they have vegan options as well. That’s not the case at all of the pizza restaurants in Columbia!
They actually have a dedicated Vegan menu at Mellow Mushroom. One great option on the menu is their Vegan Veg Out pizza that includes Follow Your Heart vegan cheese and lots of toppings (spinach, green peppers, mushrooms, onions, olives and tomatoes.)
There’s also a vegan pretzel appetizer, a tempeh hoagie and a few salads.
