By Jessica Miller
There are many different reasons a person may choose to eat meals made entirely without meat. Some diners are omnivores that include plants and meat on their plates, then there are vegetarians who abstain from meat but will have dairy and eggs, and finally vegans who completely eschew animal products altogether. “Plant based diet” is a popular phrase that includes anyone who is eating meals completely made from vegetables for any reason, be it rooted in ethical conviction, concern for nutrition, or even simple curiosity. No matter what choices someone makes in terms of conscience or preference, there will always be a place for plant-based dining. Here are some local highlights:
Chautauqua County:
Labyrinth Press Company/Brazil Craft Beer Lounge 12 East 4th St, Jamestown: Labyrinth is a vegetarian restaurant with vegan options; Brazil has vegetarian and vegan options. Labyrinth is open Tuesdays-Thursdays 8am-9pm; Fridays and Saturdays 8am-10pm. Brazil is open Tuesdays-Thursdays 4-10pm; Fridays 3-11pm; Saturdays 12noon-11p,.
Tokyo and Beijing Asian Cuisine 816 Foote Ave, Jamestown: Vegetarian and vegan options. Open Monday 3:30-9pm; Tuesday-Thursday 11am-9:30pm; Friday-Saturday 11am-10;30pm; Sunday12noon-9:30pm.
Arctic Bites Fredonia 44 W Main St, Fredonia: Vegetarian and vegan options. Open Monday-Thursday 11am-10pm; Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm; Sunday 12noon-10pm.
Domus Fare 41 W Main St, Fredonia: Vegetarian and vegan options. Open Sundays-Thursdays 7am-3pm; Fridays-Saturdays 7am-8pm.
Om Nohm Bakery and Cafe 45 Temple St, Fredonia: Dedicated gluten free facility. Vegetarian and vegan options. Open Tuesdays-Fridays 10am-4pm; Tabling at the Winter Farmers Market Saturdays November-May 10am-1pm (321 East Main Street, Fredonia)
Cattaraugus County:
Balloons Restaurant and Night Club 20 Monroe St, Ellicottville: Vegetarian and vegan options. Kitchen is open Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 11:30am-10pm.
Rafi’s Kitchen 800 Wayne St, Olean: Vegetarian and vegan options. Open Monday-Thursday 12noon-8pm; Friday and Saturday 12noon-8:30pm.
Rockn’ Taco 100 Main St, Salamanca: Vegetarian and vegan options. Open Tuesday-Friday 11am-7pm; Saturday 10am-4pm.
Erie County:
Homegrown Kitchen 650 Main St, East Aurora: Vegetarian and vegan options. Open Monday-Saturday 11am-7pm; Sunday 11am-6pm.
Strong Hearts Buffalo 295 Niagara St, Buffalo. Fully vegan. Open Monday-Thursday 11am-9pm; Friday 11am-10pm; Saturday 10am-10pm; Sunday 10am-9pm.
Sunshine Vegan Eats 893 Jefferson Ave, Buffalo. Fully vegan. Open Monday 11am-6:30pm; Wednesday-Friday 11am-8pm; Saturday 10am-8pm; Sunday 10am-5pm.
Guud and Evul Vegan Eats 21 Main St, Tonawanda. Fuller vegan. Open Wednesday-Saturday 11:30am-8pm; Sunday 11:30am-6pm.
This list is not intended to be exhaustive, as new restaurants and options are constantly emerging. Even an establishment that is not known as vegetarian or vegan can be happy to work with diners’ needs to improvise a plate. Simply making a polite request to a server or manager for help navigating dietary needs can result in a tasty and unique entrée. Apps like Happy Cow can be another convenient resource for planning what to order and where. A combination of communication and preparation will go far to make a meal out a pleasant one, regardless of restrictions or concerns.