JOHN LOK / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Grilled asparagus salad at Carmelita.
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Vegetarian dining
Even if you aren't vegetarian, not every meal you eat must contain meat. Vegetarian cuisine has come a long way, and Seattle is one of the best cities in America for meat-free eating. Around here, you're likely to see plenty of committed omnivores chowing down right next to the veggies and vegans.
Araya Vegetarian Place
(University/Montlake)
Araya Vegetarian Place in the University District has a largely vegan Thai menu that includes nearly 60 appetizers, soups, salads and entrees. The food is fresh and seasoned with a balanced hand.
Bamboo Garden Vegetarian Cuisine
(Queen Anne/Seattle Center)
Bamboo Garden combines traditional Chinese preparations with plant-based "meat," and the results are reliably delicious and comforting. Particularly good is the kung pao "chicken."
The Cafe by Hillside Quickies
(Capitol Hill)
This vegan cafe, a spin-off of the University District's popular Hillside Quickies sandwich shop, is a hungry vegan's dream. Without dairy or eggs, the Cafe concocts delicious sandwiches, enchiladas, salads and other entrees.
Cafe Flora
(Madison Park/Madrona)
Cafe Flora in Madison Valley serves globally inspired vegetarian and vegan fare. Flora also wins over the kids with fruit-face kitty-cat pancakes and the carnivorous with beefy-tasting dishes.
Carmelita
(Greenwood/Phinney Ridge)
This arty charmer has one agenda: serving great food to vegetarians, vegans and carnivores alike. Excitement comes from the world-ranging palette of flavorings.
Chaco Canyon Cafe
(University/Montlake)
This raw-foods restaurant is a small wonder: a place where half the menu items are uncooked, almost everything is vegan and the whole lot of it tastes great. Sandwiches, soups and salads dominate the menu, but there are also raw juices and smoothies galore.
Cyber-Dogs
(Downtown)
Beer and coffee, Web terminals and vegetarian hot dogs — this tiny place has it where it counts.
Georgetown Liquor Company
(Georgetown)
Georgetown Liquor Company's beer is nice and cold and its sandwiches and entrees are 100 percent vegetarian. Punk rock blares from the speakers and retro video-game consoles offer nostalgic delight.
The Globe
(Capitol Hill)
Vegetarians and meat-heads alike go nuts for the scrumptious vegetarian biscuits and gravy up for offer at this funky coffee shop.
The Healthy Hedon
(Capitol Hill)
The Healthy Hedon on Capitol Hill specializes in soy-based products flavored to taste like chicken, pork and beef -- and they do. Try the barbecue pork skewers.
Hillside Quickies Vegan Sandwich Shop
(University/Montlake)
At Hillside Quickies, the Howell family serves up "tempehstrami" subs and macaroni and "yease" to the tune of hip-hop, dancehall and reggae.
In the Bowl Vegetarian Noodle Bistro
(Capitol Hill)
In the Bowl Vegetarian Noodle Bistro on Capitol Hill puts vegetarian cravings first, with soy-based-meat dishes, tofu, curries, stir-fries and fresh veggie rolls.
Jhanjay Vegetarian Thai Cuisine
(Wallingford)
Not the first vegetarian Thai restaurant in town, but likely one of the most interesting, Jhanjay offers a lot of deep-fried appetizers as well as noodles, soups, curries, fried rice and other Thai favorites, in many cases with creative twists.
Juliano's
(Capitol Hill)
A Capitol Hill pizzeria dedicated to turning out vegetarian pies -- and they do vegan, too.
Moonlight Cafe
(International District)
The Moonlight Cafe on the eastern edge of the Chinatown International District offers classic Vietnamese meat and seafood dishes, but the real draw is the other menu, which is 100 percent vegetarian and features all manner of convincing meat substitutes made from soy products and lotus-seed paste.
Pizza Pi
(University/Montlake)
In happy symbiosis with the U District's presumably large vegetarian and vegan populations, this neat little place keeps turning out vegan pizza and calzones.
Squid & Ink
(Georgetown)
At any meal, Squid & Ink's menu would have you believe that vegans are as omnivorous as all the rest. The food is satisfying, stick-to-your-ribs comfort chow, and there's a decent bit of fake chicken and fish on the menu.
Sunlight Cafe
(Ravenna/Roosevelt)
This cafe is a breath of fresh air (or should we say, sunlight) for vegetarian folks looking for an unpretentious, filling meal. Whole grains and tofu are big here. As is the heart.
Sutra
(Wallingford)
Sutra serves up three- to four-course, prix fixe meals of "clean vegetarian dishes ... prepared with locally-sourced organic ingredients that will invigorate the body."
Teapot Vegetarian House (Seattle)
(Capitol Hill)
The Teapot serves vegan pan-Asian dishes that are so savory and delicious that even an unapologetic carnivore might be satisfied by them.
Vegetarian Bistro
(International District)
Who said it couldn't be done? This little place in the heart of the International District makes vegetarian dim sum -- and it rivals other restaurants' meat-heavy brunch menus.
Wayward Cafe
(University/Montlake)
This worker-owned vegan shack offers tasty, unpretentious grub to the University District. It's particularly popular among the cycling set.
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