Is Arizona vegan friendly? Here’s where the state ranks nationally

One study says options abound in Arizona for plant-based eaters.

July 16, 2024

Tacos Veganos is one of the top plant-based eateries in the Valley. Dominic Armato

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "18478561",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2",
          
          "watchElement": ".fdn-content-body",
          "astAdList": [
            {
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "mobile"
            }
          ]
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "16759093",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1",
          
          "watchElement": ".fdn-content-body",
          "astAdList": [
            {
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet"
            },{
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet|mobile"
            }
          ]
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759092",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25,
          
          "watchElement": ".fdn-content-body",
          "astAdList": [
            {
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet"
            },{
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet|mobile"
            }
          ]
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759094",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24,
          
          "watchElement": ".fdn-content-body",
          "astAdList": [
            {
              "adType": "leaderboardInlineContent",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet"
            },{
              "adType": "tower",
              "displayTargets": "mobile"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]

Plant-based eating is becoming more popular as consumers take the environment and their health into account. Grocery stores have more options than ever for veggie burgers, sausages and "cheez" along with vegan baked goods and plant-based frozen meals.

One area that has seemingly struggled is vegan restaurants. Metro Phoenix has seen many excellent options open with top-notch plant-based menus, only to close a few months later. Restaurants famously operate on extremely thin profit margins. When eateries narrow their customer base, they frequently struggle to make ends meet.

In contrast to restaurants, the Valley is seeing growth in its selection of vegan food trucks and pop-ups, many of which gather at Vegan Social, a downtown Phoenix event that takes place on the second Saturday of each month. These businesses have lower operational costs and often grow a loyal following.

But despite the growing pains the vegan food movement is experiencing in Phoenix, Arizona is doing well on the plant-based front compared to states nationwide.

Restaurant Furniture, a commercial supplier that works with restaurants across the country, ran a study to determine the top vegan-friendly states. Factors determining each state's "index score" in the study were the number of vegan restaurants or restaurants with vegan options in comparison to state population size and the number of monthly searches for terms like "vegan restaurant" and "vegan food."

Hawaii ranked number one, with 352 vegan restaurants for its population of 1.4 million. It was followed by Nevada, Oregon and Colorado.

Arizona came in at number five with 1,115 vegan restaurants, or restaurants with vegan options, serving our state population of 7.4 million.

Plant-based diners may be quick to point out that not all vegan food is created equal. Some of our go-to spots include our 2023 Best of Phoenix winners. Dark Hall Coffee was named the Best Vegan Coffeehouse, Tacos Veganos won the award for Best Vegan Mexican Food and our overall pick for the Best Vegan Restaurant went to Earth Plant Based Cuisine.

Become A Member

BEFORE YOU GO...
Can you help us continue to share our stories? Since the beginning, Phoenix New Times has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix — and we'd like to keep it that way. Our members allow us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls.

Tirion Boan is the Food Editor of Phoenix New Times where she’s worked since May 2022. Tirion keeps a close eye on restaurant openings and closings, offers dining recommendations and reports on metro Phoenix food news and trends. She also publishes major annual lists like Top 100 Bars and Top 100 Restaurants, and contributes to the Best of Phoenix project. Tirion previously worked for publications including The Arizona Republic and The Tucson Weekly. She holds a bachelor’s of arts in journalism from the University of Arizona.

Contact: Tirion Boan

Follow:

Instagram: @tirionrose