Where are the best vegan restaurants in Pinellas? Read on! Photo by Morgan Banno
I remember a time when the word “vegan” was synonymous with skinny, pachouli-sprayed hippies protesting the meat industry, and the only vegan options in restaurants were bland, no-frills salads. Today, thankfully, vegan dishes are more popular than ever, and the creative offerings of plant-based cuisine are absolutely outstanding.
For this edition of The best flavors of the Gabber newspaperwe tried vegan delicacies at three restaurants in the area, including Golden Dinosaurs, Good Intentions and World Vegan Cuisine.
The best vegan restaurants in Pinellas
The Buffalo Tempeh Sandwich is my favorite item at Golden Dinosaurs. Photo by Morgan Banno
Most Creative Menu – Golden Dinosaurs Vegan Deli ($12.99)
Golden Dinosaurs, which recently celebrated its six-year anniversary, is located on Beach Boulevard in the heart of Gulfport.
Golden Dino’s power couple, Audrey and Brian Dingeman, also co-own the vegan restaurant Good Intentions in downtown St. Pete, so you can be sure they know what they’re doing when it comes to fun vegan dishes.
The Buffalo Tempeh sandwich is my favorite dish at Golden Dino because of the spicy, crispy tempeh and melty pepper cheese on fresh sourdough bread. Expect fun snacks like the Tactagon (their version of a Taco Bell Crunchwrap), a wide variety of plant-based burgers, big-box hot dogs, and vegan takes on classic deli sandwiches.
Golden Dinosaurs, 2930 Beach Blvd. S., Gulfport. Mon.-Tues., noon-8 p.m.; Thurs.-Fri., noon-8 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; and closed Wednesday. 727-873-6901, goldendinosaurs.com.
Read the latest Top Tastes where our top taster found the best ice cream in South Pinellas.
The stuffed French toast at Good Intentions is to die for. Photo by Morgan Banno
Best Vegan Brunch – Good Intentions ($17)
Wake up to the best vegan brunch in town at Good Intentions. Everything on the menu is 100% vegan and 100% delicious.
The stuffed French toast on homemade babka was like dessert for breakfast. My maple sausages had a gentle maple flavor that made them crispy on the grill. I’ve had pork sausage patties that weren’t even close to this good.
My favorite dish, however, was the ricotta appetizer. I know it sounds weird to order something like that for brunch, but this dish is an absolute gem. You can’t beat the pistachio pesto, Sichuan chili agave, and homemade sourdough crostini.
Good intentions, 1900 First Ave. S., St. Petersburg. Tues.-Thurs., 5-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; closed Mondays. 727-202-8441, goodintentionsfl.com.
Read our popular “Top Tastes” where we find the best cafes in Gulfport.
At World Vegan Cuisine you can look forward to fresh ingredients and large portions. Photo by Morgan Banno
Most Menu Options – World Vegan Cuisine ($15.95)
If you like Asian cuisine or appreciate a random menu, World Vegan Cuisine is for you. While the menu is mostly Asian-inspired with dishes like pho, curry fried rice, and chow mein, they also serve a few varieties of plant-based burgers, raw noodles, salads, and pasta.
I tried the fresh summer rolls ($6.95), which were filled with tofu, rice noodles and vegetables. They were plump and full of ingredients. My spicy soup ($15.95) was big enough for two people.
While this place isn’t the most popular, it offers a wide selection of vegan delicacies, all made with love on a plant-based basis.
World vegan cuisine, 3375 34th St. N., Unit 101, St. Petersburg. Tues.-Sat., 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun., noon-7 p.m.; closed Mondays. 727-954-5409, worldvegancuisine.com.
what is Best flavors?
The Tampa Bay dining scene is fantastic. It’s constantly growing as new places pop up and there are now different dining concepts everywhere. In addition to restaurant reviews, I’ll spend months trying specific dishes at different locations and then ranking my favorites. Follow along as I try everything from salads and sushi to Cuban dishes and coffee in St. Pete, Gulfport, and the Gulf Beaches. This is a collection of food comparisons from a small selection of restaurants in the area. I have not eaten at every establishment that serves every category of food in this competition.
If you disagree with my review, that’s perfectly fine, but please be polite about it. And finally, you won’t see me writing about Stella’s or Salty Nun. It’s not that they don’t deserve the love, but my wife owns Stella’s and is part owner of Salty Nun, so in the interest of fairness (and marital harmony), those restaurants don’t come into play.
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