The place to be in Philadelphia is Fishtown, the bustling neighborhood northeast of Center City. It was once the center of the shad fishing industry in the Delaware River, and now Fishtown is so cool, it’s where Beyoncé (yes, Beyoncé) got her birthday cake and cookies for this year’s birthday bash. She went to the trendy and delicious Cake Life Bake Shop.
In Fishtown, buildings are often adorned with fish-themed sculptures, murals and decorations. Today, it’s becoming the epicenter of all things hip, especially when it comes to food and beverage. It has a rich sense of community where the old and new often dovetail to create a positive and strong vibe of productivity.
Being vegan, sometimes scouting out places to eat can be a chore, but there are many restaurants, bars and cafes in Fishtown that will please even the strictest vegan. Lace up a pair of running shoes and experience a fun vegan food stroll through this bustling Philly neighborhood.
Good Spoon Soupery
Because many delicious meals start with soup, this is a great place to begin a food stroll. This quaint soupery is located at the corner of Master Street and N. Front Street. Fresh soups, stews, salads and desserts are made daily with local ingredients, with the option to eat in or take away. The decor is charming and inviting, especially with a beautiful farm table as the restaurant’s focal point.
The menu is simple yet hearty, and offers a great variety for all! There’s a vegan soup and dessert on the menu each day. Try the tomato soup, filled with chunks of fresh tomato and garden-fresh flavors.
The team at Good Spoon is warm and engaging, and will answer any questions with a smile. Gluten-free options are also available. It’s a great place for a quick bite with healthy options. 1400 N. Front St., (267) 239-5787
Pizza Brain
A pizza museum? Yes, please! This pizza shop on Frankford Avenue is billed as the “World’s First Pizza Museum,” and is a must-see in Philadelphia. The walls are decorated with all kinds of pizza memorabilia, including tons of 1980s nostalgia, so browsing while waiting for your pizza is actually fun. Don’t miss out on the mural in the back courtyard, celebrating Philebrities throughout the decades.
Pizza Brain makes fresh dough daily, and the crust is perfect—crispy and chewy, never soggy. Whole pies are made to order, so you can compose a vegan pizza of your choice—for toppings, try brussels sprouts, mushrooms and arugula. The arugula is added after baking, then drizzled with a balsamic glaze. The red sauce is made in-house. This pizza is perfection.
The decor in Pizza Brain is quirky and filled with whimsy. Take note of the pizza-making stations, which are actually constructed from old, upright pianos. It’s a fun environment with delicious, artisan pizza made by true pizza obsessives. 2313 Frankford Ave., (215) 291-2965
Little Baby’s Ice Cream
Right next door to Pizza Brain is Little Baby’s, one of the city’s best ice cream makers. In addition to many dairy flavors, this quirky scoop shop offers plentiful vegan options. Unlike some vegan ice cream, which can be chalky or icy, Little Baby’s dairy-free ice cream is impossibly creamy, thanks to the coconut milk base.
The offbeat flavors, like Thai iced tea, chocolate salt malt and lime toasted coconut, are unlikely to be found anywhere else in the city—maybe even the world! There’s a community table in the front room of Pizza Brain, with additional seating available inside Little Baby’s. 2311 Frankford Ave., (267) 687-8567
Loco Pez
Located on E. Norris Street, this corner bar and taqueria offers a wide variety of California-style Mexican food that is “muy rica.” Loco Pez (which means “the crazy fish”) describes itself as a “kitschy, retro-themed eatery.”
Start with the appetizers of chips and salsa and housemade guacamole. The guac is super creamy and zesty. The tacos, enchiladas, burritos and quesadillas can be filled with soy chorizo, mushrooms or a seitan and spinach combo. The seitan taco I ordered was filled with loads of fresh vegetables and tons of flavor.
This cozy corner bar offers a rich and authentic menu of Mexican food favorites, as well as an extensive bar selection, including margaritas and beer available on tap or in cans and bottles.
Note: Loco Pez is cash only, but there is an ATM machine on the premises. 2401 E. Norris St., (267) 886-8061
Cedar Point Bar and Kitchen
This gastropub is pure community. It’s a constant for residents and visitors, where the young and old meet to hang out together. This eclectic crowd certainly adds loads of flavor to this hub of excitement.
While the menu offers meaty pub fare, there are plenty of vegan options, and everything is clearly marked on the menus. The two-fisted kale burger is a must-have. Packed with flavorful beans and kale, this burger hits the spot. Add on the “fried potato combo” of sweet and white potatoes. Local vegans have been known to go crazy for Cedar Point’s vegan seitan wings, served with either BBQ or buffalo sauce, Brussels sprouts and apricot horseradish cream. The salads are also exceptional! Everything is made in-house from scratch.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BZWeVj2jPjG/?taken-by=cedarpointphl
The kitchen team is all over social media, especially Instagram! They post incredible photos of everything they make, and photos do not lie. Get there. 2370 E. Norris St., (215) 423-5400
Cake Life Bake Shop
This place is packed with all kinds of sweets, like cakes, cookies and scones, as well as savory hand pies. Fear not, vegan friends: At the present time, there is one vegan dessert on the menu. The most incredible “vegan turtle” awaits in the bake case, an amazingly delicious pecan-nutty square of caramel and chocolate. One of the cake designers is vegan, so there is always something vegan in the case. Vegan cakes and specialty items can also be made to order.
Rival Bros is the coffee brand of choice at Cake Life, and a latte made with the add-in of Oatly Milk is pure coffee heaven. There is nothing better than a latte and a vegan turtle.
Cake Life is a bright spot. Owners and college friends Lily Fischer and Nemi Etemadi brought their passions together to create this amazing concept of a beautiful and delicious “cake life.” They were recently featured in O, The Oprah Magazine as one of Oprah Winfrey’s favorites.
Cake Life is decorated with bright subway tiles, and the lamp fixtures are actually recycled commercial-sized whisks. The well-lit bakery welcomes sunlight throughout the day, which makes it better for studying the sample cakes positioned in the bakery.
There’s a lot going on at Cake Life, including fun classes and events. The cake-icing and wine tasting looks like loads of fun, although not vegan just yet.
Life is uncertain, so maybe eating dessert first is a good thing. 1306 Frankford Ave., (215) 278-2580
Things are jumping in Fishtown. Get there and enjoy each experience. Take the El or drive in (there is a free, small community parking lot at the corner of Thompson and Frankford), but take this vegan food stroll on foot so that all those calories are burned off throughout the day. It will be a delicious day, guaranteed.
- Photos: Char Nolan
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