The Top Eight Vegetarian Restaurants in America

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Let's say you got a big check as a holiday gift. Or maybe you just have the post–New Year's blues and need something to look forward to. Either way, we know what you need: a really great meal. But it can be tricky to find the right place—one that will bring the big vegan yum-liciousness in style. So we've put together a list (you know how we love lists) of the eight most outstanding veggie restaurants in the good ol' U.S. of A.

• Candle 79, New York City: I was lucky enough to eat here a couple of years ago—almost too yummy. It made me a seitan worshipper. And check it out: The food is not only vegan but also organic.
• Madeleine Bistro, Los Angeles: OK, technically, it's in Tarzana, but it's definitely worth the trip! Hey, Proust wrote his seven-volume masterpiece after eating a madeleine—just imagine what you'll accomplish after eating this Madeleine's chocolate soufflé.
• Green Zebra, Chicago: Chef and owner Shawn McClain won the 2006 James Beard award for Best Chef in the Midwest, so it's no surprise that this veggie hotspot features phenomenal food.
• Horizons, Philadelphia: Horizons specializes in "new vegan cuisine." What does that mean? Well, the current menu features delicious dishes such as saffron cauliflower soup and Pacific Rim grilled tofu. If that's new vegan cuisine, count me in!
• Millennium, San Francisco: A pioneer in gourmet vegan dining, Millennium features multi-culture fusion food. Heck, the whiskey chocolate tiramisu cake may be worth a cross-country trek all by itself!
• Sublime, Fort Lauderdale: A fine-dining experience like no other, Sublime offers exquisite, fresh vegan cuisine from across the globe. Known for its creative dishes and upbeat, unique atmosphere, Sublime's delectable entrees—such as the sublime picatta, Bangkok raw, Tuscan quiche, and ravioli—will leave you begging for more.
• Dragonfly Neo-V, Columbus, Ohio: Chef Magdiale Wolmark describes it as "fun, whimsical, and a great introduction to vegan cuisine." That sounds just about right. And the first call any vegan Columbus resident should make after getting engaged is to Neo-V—it caters events too.
• VegiTerranean, Akron, Ohio: Opened by rock legend Chrissie Hynde in her hometown, this sleek, modern eatery offers gourmet vegan fare with an Italian flare.

Of course, if you don't live in any of these cities, don't worry—there are more and more vegetarian (and vegetarian-friendly) joints popping up every day all over the place. And if you need help finding them, we can hook you up.

Know another restaurant that should be on our list? Tell us about it in the comments.

Written by Jeff Mackey