by Noelle Kelly
Dining out as a vegetarian or vegan can sometimes be intimidating, but it is exciting to find restaurants that go out of their way to include vegetarian and vegan options on their menus. Exton in particular has a number of local haunts that make a point to offer meatless options!
Here, I’m sharing a few of my favorite local eateries that offer great options for vegetarians and vegans. One tip—be very clear with your server about any dietary restrictions; it will make your dining experience much more enjoyable!
Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza
New to Exton, though not to the East Coast, Anthony’s is a casual eatery with a cozy ambience. All of Anthony’s pizza crusts are vegan and are baked within minutes in their coal-fired oven. Pizzas are easily customizable for vegans by leaving off the cheese and choosing from six of their ten toppings that are vegan/vegetarian friendly. I enjoyed a basic tomato pie served with mushrooms and broccoli rabe and asked the chef to add fresh arugula that had been lightly tossed with Italian dressing. It is a tasty combination and very satisfying for any pizza lover.
Anthony’s also highlights a pizza specifically for vegetarians: their roasted cauliflower pizza is topped with Romano and mozzarella cheeses and bread crumbs. It is a popular and flavorful pizza dreamed up by the owner. Though it can be served vegan, I was cautioned that veganizing this particular dish was discouraged, as it would not taste the same.
All Anthony’s salads can easily be prepared vegan by asking the server to leave out all meat and dairy products. For example, ask the server to leave off the eggs from Anthony’s classic Italian salad, and you will receive a delicious salad topped with cooked chickpeas, Kalamata olives and fresh vegetables with a tangy vinaigrette accompanied by a vegan focaccia bread.
Another vegetarian highlight is their eggplant marino, which is thinly sliced eggplant served with fresh tomato sauce and grated Romano cheese. The eggplant is dipped in egg whites and flour and makes for an amazing Italian dish that is a lighter version of eggplant Parmesan.
Find Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza in Exton’s Fairfield Place Shopping Center at 123 E Swedesford Rd, Exton; (610) 594-1900; acfp.com.
The Pour House
Since opening last year, The Pour House has become a pretty popular place every night of the week. The bottle list makes the restaurant a very attractive place to gather after work, but they also have a number of vegetarian and vegan options on the menu.
For appetizers, their vegan hummus is excellent accompanied with a side of warm pita and raw vegetables. Vegetarians can enjoy their French onion dip with chips or their pretzel bites served with smoked cheddar and ale sauce. Interested in a main dish? Two healthy options are the fall harvest salad, a delightful mixture of kale, radicchio, shaved brussels sprouts, apple, fennel, toasted almonds with a lemon thyme vinaigrette. For vegans, the salad’s Parmesan cheese can easily be omitted. The Pour House’s black bean burger has onions, corn, bell peppers, feta, falafel blend, marinated cucumbers and a roasted tomato almond romesco sauce. A side of their sauteed vegetables can easily be added to the dish with the famous garlic fries.
Find The Pour House at 116 N. Pottstown Pike, Exton; (610) 280-7900; pjspourhouse.com.
Buho’s Mexican Restaurant
Two years ago, Buho’s relocated from New Jersey to Exton. The menu is full of authentic dishes selected by the Mexican and Bolivian. Also, it is a BYOB, and provides fresh margarita mixes—perfect for parties or a girl’s night out! Mexican food is super easy to order vegetarian or vegan, so dining options are countless.
The menu highlights all dishes that are vegetarian with a letter V. Of course, these dishes can be veganized simply by asking the server to omit the dairy. For vegans, consider their tomato-based tortilla soup with crunchy tortilla strips and fresh avocado; vegetarians can add their fresh queso. Both are perfectly spiced and very hearty for a starter.
Tamales are often not an option for vegetarians or vegans because they are usually made of pork; however, Buho’s offers spectacular vegetarian tamales. Steamed in banana leaves and filled with queso and grilled peppers, they taste very authentic.These tamales can either be ordered a la carte or as a meal with a side of vegetarian beans and rice.
Vegetarians will also enjoy Buho’s enchiladas, made with sauteed tomatoes, onions and potatoes and rolled in tortillas. Try topping them with either molé or salsa verde!
Buho’s also offers some specialty drinks that should not be overlooked. Aguas frescas (fresh waters) cool the palate with their varied flavors, and it’s hard to only choose one. Specialties include agua de jamaica (hibiscus flower water—vegan), jugo de tamarindo (tamarind juice—vegan), and horchata (cinnamon rice milk—vegetarian).
Find Buho’s Mexican Restaurant in Exton’s Fairfield Place Shopping Center at 115 E Swedesford Rd, Exton; (484) 872-8840; buhosmexicanfood.com.
Devi Indian Restaurant
Devi Indian is a vegetarian paradise and an exotic experience in Exton. The menu can be a little intimidating, but ask your server to explain their most popular dishes and one should find it easier to choose!
Dining at Devi is an adventure. Beans and potatoes are the staple of most dishes with lots of vegetables and spices. Many of the dishes are accompanied with sauces and chutney. Ghee, clarified butter, is a staple in India and is used in most dishes, making them vegetarian. A vegan dining at Devi should ask their server what menu items are cooked in ghee or served with paneer, a type of Indian cheese.
Vegetable samosas are a sustaining appetizer, easily shared, and paired with a chutney that cools down the spice in each samosa. The restaurant uses vegetable oil for frying, so fried items are vegan. Devi’s masala dosa is a large pancake filled with spiced potatoes and served with sambar, a flavorful lentil soup that is, by the way, a great first time meal for less adventurous eaters!
Find Devi Indian Restaurant at 151 West Lincoln Hwy Exton; (610) 594-9250; deviexton.com.
Appetites on Main
Celebrating their tenth anniversary this year, Appetites is a casual bar scene that boasts a large menu with options for all diets—even those eating gluten-free! Their extensive menu can be overwhelming for any vegetarian or vegan, but vegetarian items are clearly marked on the menu. Some regular dishes have a vegetarian options, too, which could be easily be missed.
You could even make a complete meal simply with appetizers. Green bean fries, mozzarella sticks, individual mozzarella and marinara flatbread pizza, and pretzel bites are all delicious vegetarian options, while vegans can enjoy sweet potato fries and chips and salsa.
Appetites’ owners are proud of their Philly fake steaks, comprised of meat substitute, which they have been serving since they opened. Comparable to a Philly cheesesteak, the vegan option was very tasty topped with banana peppers, onions, and mushrooms. A “chicken” version of the sandwich is also available, and vegetarians can top it with a side of cheese sauce.
My favorite of Appetites’ vegetarian hoagies is the Hoboken version. It’s served with fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, fresh basil, and oil, and can be served cold or on a toasted roll. It’s flavorful and satisfying.
A vegan hot hoagie proved large enough to share, loaded with mushrooms, roasted red peppers, and onions and could be vegetarian with melted mozzarella. Hoagies typically come with shoestring fries or fresh potato chips, but they are happy to substitute a side salad.
Find Appetites on Main at 286 Main Street, Exton; (610) 594-2030; appetitesonmain.com.
Nudy’s Cafe
Vegetarians and vegans alike will be happy at Nudy’s Cafe. They serve breakfast through the lunch hour, and vegetarians will love their selection of French toast, pancakes and omelets…enough to make any person indecisive in the morning.
Though breakfast at Nudy’s for vegans might be limited to fewer items, like their dairy-free steel cut oats, fruit, and home fries, lunch is a different story. The harvest sandwich is a hearty portion of grilled portabella mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini, spinach, and roasted red peppers served on focaccia bread, and can be served without the crumbled feta as offered in the menu. When I asked my server if the vegetables were cooked in butter or oil, they very helpfully confirmed that they were cooked in non-dairy shortening.
Though there are no salads at Nudy’s that are advertised as being vegan or vegetarian, every salad is customizable upon request. For example, the tasty barbeque chopped salad, if ordered vegan, would have their signature barbeque sauce, chopped lettuce, tomatoes, sliced avocado, corn, tortilla chips and black beans.
Find Nudy’s Cafe at 420 W. Lincoln Hwy., Exton; (610) 524-1508; nudyscafes.com.
Photo credits: Noelle Kelly
