3 Places to Get a Great Vegan Meal in Phoenix

I love meat and fish. Dairy products are awesome. But now and then, I get the urge for something different - when I feel like skipping the animal products at mealtime, there are three places in the Phoenix area that can satisfy me. And they'll do the trick for just about any open-minded omnivore.

Green New American Vegetarian (greenvegetarian.com)
This South Scottsdale hipster hangout has a lot going for it. The entrees are flavorful - they're well-spiced and come stocked with soy meat substitutes. The faux Mongolian beef was particularly convincing. The coconut curry and "diablo red" also made a solid impression with some bold, peppery flavors. The desserts are a treat - think of a vegan Dairy Queen Blizzard, and you're in the ballpark. There's also a good selection of drinks, from teas to low-sugar microbrewed bottled soft drinks. The only part of my meal I'd avoid on my next visit is the crab puff appetizer. They had a funny flavor that didn't endear them to me.

Loving Hut (lovinghut.us/phoenix_02/contact.html)
The Loving Hut is an odd place. It's oddly antiseptic with bright lights and a stark white decor. A pair of TVs run a steady stream of pro-vegan messages. But I can forgive all that because I haven't had a single bad dish there. I enjoy the spring rolls, which have a nice crunch. The guru curry is light and fragrant - I'd recommend getting it with brown rice; it usually comes, oddly enough, with bread. The staff is very accommodating and quick to point out popular favorites. The various meat substitutes aren't quite as convincing as what's at Green, but it's all still tasty. I'm interested in trying some of the fried rice dishes on my next visit.

Cafe Lalibela (cafelalibela.com)
A few things set Cafe Lalibela apart from Green and Loving Hut. First, it's a long-standing institution in the Phoenix area and our gold standard for Ethiopian food. Second, it gleefully serves meat and animal products for those who won't consider a vegan meal. Finally, it's vegan-friendly Vegetable Combination doesn't have a meat substitute. It's just mounds of spiced collard greens, carrots and potatoes, green beans and lentil beans piled on a slab of injera (picture a spongy sourdough pancake that serves as a plate and an eating utensil). I've eaten at Lalibela for 10 years, and still recognize nearly every person working there - they even let me know when I haven't been visiting enough. It's a really fun place for a first date. If you have some room left over and aren't hardcore about a vegan diet, try a slice of tiramisu.