With its wealth and diversity of restaurants, Boston provides a wide variety of choices for the vegetarian. Covering all price ranges, and ranging from hole in the walls to elegant restaurants, it isn't hard to find a variety of options in any area of the city.

Certain cuisines lend themselves naturally to vegetarianism. Italian restaurants always provide a variety of vegetarian options, since many typical Italian dishes are naturally meatless. Most will have a variety of vegetarian pastas and pizzas. Boston's North End is its Little Italy, and is filled with authentic Italian Restaurants.

Another cuisine that is an excellent option for vegetarians is Indian. Indian restaurants can be found scattered throughout the Boston area. One of particular note is Tamarind Bay, located in Harvard Square. Known for its innovative cuisine, Tamarind Bay offers more than the standard Indian vegetarian offerings. From their Tawa Paneer (cottage cheese grilled with spring onions and homemade spices) to the Chukunder Ke Sheekh (beetroot kabobs) Tamarind Bay has some unique vegetarian offerings.

Middle eastern restaurants normally have a number of vegetarian choices as well. When most people think of Middle Eastern vegetarian food they think of falafel and humus. While these are very common and popular dishes, the variety of dishes goes well beyond this. Boston is home to restaurants from across the Middle East, including cuisines from Afghanistan, Ethiopia, and Persia.

Located in Cambridge, is the truly hands-on Asmara Restaurant, which specializes in Eritrean - Ethiopian Dishes. While many of the dishes on the menu contain meat, there are several intriguing vegetarian dishes. All of them however, are quite spicy, so if you are expecting the typical mild Middle Eastern food you've come to the wrong place.

Not a problem though - just down the street are both Moody's Falafel Palace and Rangzen Tibet Restaurant. Moody's has a full selection of traditional Middle Eastern dishes including hummus and baba ganoush. Rangzen offers a tantalizing selection of meatless soups, stuffed breads and dishes; the vegetarian dishes here take up a substantial part of the menu.

For vegans who are tired of restaurants that cater to omnivores and milk drinkers, there are several restaurants in the greater Boston area that are strictly vegan. Grasshopper is located at One North Beacon St. in Allston, the Greater Boston Buddhist Cultural Center is at 950 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge, Original Buddha's Delight is at 3 Beach Street in Chinatown, and T. J. Scallywaggle's Vegan House of Pizza and Subs is at 487 Cambridge Street in Allston.

Learn more about this author, Frances Simon.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about Guide to vegetarian-friendly restaurants in Boston?
We want to hear your view. Write now!