6 Amazing LGBTQ-Owned Plant-Based Eateries Across the U.S. (Exclusive)

Here at Green Matters, we thoroughly ride for ethically-minded LGBTQ-owned eateries, especially vegan ones. But perhaps it's no coincidence that many queer-owned food businesses value plant-based cuisine.

"The lesbian community knows what it’s like to be voiceless and to be treated as 'less than.' That’s why we often have exceptional empathy for the downtrodden, the overlooked, the forgotten," UnchainedTV founder Jane Velez-Mitchell once said. "My veganism goes hand in hand with my sexual orientation."

But it's not only lesbians; after asking members of U.K. vegan Facebook groups about their sexual orientation, a small poll by Curve found that 66.4 percent of the 925 responders were LGBTQ+.

Cliché or not, vegans and the queer community boast an unbreakable bond, and that's something we strive to honor. *Fan thwoorp.*

In honor of Pride Month, keep reading for our exclusive e-interviews with the owners of Lagusta's Luscious Café and Dulce Vegan Bakery & Café, respectively, while we highlight six LGBTQ-owned vegan establishments across the U.S.

Back in 2003, blogger and chef-turned-chocolatier Lagusta Yearwood launched Lagusta’s Luscious as an artisanal chocolates business with a goal to "combine a deep commitment to social justice, environmentalism, and veganism."

At the end of 2022, the Sweet + Salty cookbook author opened Lagusta’s Luscious Café, a quaint plant-based spot offering tasty vegan bites and the gayest chocolate you've ever laid your eyes on.

"The intersection of queer culture and veganism is pretty integral to what we do," Yearwood tells Green Matters. "We're all about challenging norms and embracing the ethos of compassion, which for us, means extending our advocacy to both human and non-human animals, and creating a space where inclusivity is the foundation of our business model."

When we asked about the overall mission of the Lagusta's Luscious brand, Yearwood kept it simple: "To create delicious vegan chocolates that hit the sweet spot between culinary artistry and hardcore ethics. We're trying for nothing less than to revolutionize the confectionery world with treats that are as kind to the planet as they are indulgent."

Her current favorite chocolate menu item is the bestselling Maple Honeycomb, which features local maple syrup and zero honey. As for us, we'll take a Making a Dill with Seitan sandwich and a Bisexual & Evil chocolate bar.

In 2007, Dulce Vegan Bakery opened to provide coffee shops and restaurants with organic vegan confections. Since 2011, Dulce Vegan Bakery & Café has offered tasty baked goods (craving those espresso chip scones) and health-focused options to Atlantans with allergies and other dietary restrictions. Menu standouts for owner Idalys Sansores include loaded grits, a mushroom walnut burger on housemade focaccia, cinnamon rolls, and croissants.

"My late wife and I opened the brick-and-mortar location in 2011. The mission remains the same today," Sansores shares exclusively with Green Matters. "We strive to provide an inclusive and safe space that respects the rights and well-being of all individuals while offering delicious cruelty-free food and sweets. We are committed to the well-being of the community in their journey towards a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle."

As per Dulce Vegan's website, the queer- and woman of color-owned small business is dedicated to creating an environment "of passion, radical inclusion, intentionality, sustainability, and care for others."

"Dulce Vegan is making a positive impact and providing a space where people can feel affirmed in their identities as queer and vegan," Sansores says.

Known as "Detroit’s first 100 percent vegan soul food café," married couple Kirsten Ussery-Boyd and Erika Boyd opened Detroit Vegan Soul's first doors in 2013. With a vision that seeks to "change the perception of veganism and create a culture that understands the healing power of plant-based food," the restaurant's "Catfish" Tofu Sandwich and Okra Stew Bowl will have you feeling the power.

Brennah Lambert started LesbiVeggies in 2018 as a mobile meal prepping business, later expanding to be a queer- and Black woman-owned vegan and gluten-free brick-and-mortar and catering service. Proudly spotlighting Black representation through art and music, the restaurant offers warm and delightful meals like the Blackened Cajun Cauliflower Sandwich and Zucchini Corn Fritters.

Married couple Caroline Morrison and Siobhan Southern opened the Fiction Kitchen in 2013 as Raleigh’s first vegetarian restaurant. Over a decade later, the establishment is an all-vegan haven prioritizing local and seasonal produce. Offering creative bites like Lion's Mane Rangoon and a truffled cashew cream risotto dish, Fiction Kitchen is the real deal.

Bloodroot is essentially Portlandia's feminist bookstore sketches (complimentary) complete with seasonal plant-based fare. Opened by “angry, radical feminists” Selma Miriam and Noel Furie in 1977, the feminist bookstore and restaurant is a beautiful example of lesbian and feminist power and longevity.

Almost 50 years later, Bloodroot is still serving up activism and plant-based meals, including those scrumptious Grilled Greens-Stuffed Tofu Pockets.

Fun fact: Lagusta Yearwood trained at Bloodroot in her 20s!