Vegan Restaurants in Ithaca, NY

New York · United States

Find your next vegan meal in Ithaca

A current Ithaca guide to an all-vegan diner, landmark vegetarian dining, Ethiopian vegan platters and plant-forward West African food near downtown and Cornell.

Ithaca combines Cornell University, Finger Lakes tourism and a long vegetarian-food tradition. The city has a dedicated all-vegan diner plus several independent restaurants where vegan food is central rather than incidental.

Updated September 21, 20264 researched stopsVegan status checked

Vegan restaurants in Ithaca

Angelhearts is the clearest fully vegan anchor; Moosewood remains Ithaca's best-known vegetarian institution; Hawi offers a fully vegan Ethiopian vegetable platter; and Asempe Kitchen adds primarily plant-based West African food.

Dedicated vegan

Angelhearts Donuts is an all-vegan diner with breakfast, sandwiches, comfort food and donuts.

Best for mixed groups

Moosewood is vegetarian rather than vegan but clearly marks many vegan dishes and offers plant-based substitutions across its seasonal menu.

Best daytime stop

Angelhearts opens in the morning and is the strongest dedicated vegan breakfast choice downtown.

Restaurants in this guide

Editorial selection · not a ranking

Angelhearts Donuts

West Green Street · downtown

100% veganBreakfastDonuts & diner food

Ithaca's dedicated all-vegan diner

Angelhearts serves veganized American diner food, breakfast sandwiches, waffles and pancakes, burgers, burritos, sandwiches, donuts and other baked treats.

Before you order The business relocated from its older East State Street location; use the current West Green Street address.

Highlights: The simplest fully vegan breakfast and lunch choice in Ithaca.

Information	Details
Vegan status	All-vegan diner and donut shop.
Address	110 W Green St Suite 2, Ithaca, NY 14850
Current hours	Current 2026 vegan listing: Tue–Sun 8am–2pm; Mon closed.
Best fit	Vegan breakfast, donuts, burgers, burritos and sandwiches.

Sources: Visit Ithaca current listing and current 2026 vegan restaurant listing.

Moosewood Restaurant

North Cayuga Street · downtown

VegetarianMany vegan dishesHistoric restaurant

Ithaca's landmark vegetarian restaurant

Moosewood has shaped vegetarian dining since 1973. Current menus mark vegan dishes such as Thai red curry, mushroom-lentil pâté, patatas bravas and charred cauliflower, with vegan versions available for additional entrees.

Before you order Moosewood is not fully vegan; use the V labels and vegan-available notes on the current seasonal menu.

Highlights: A distinctive Ithaca destination with much stronger vegan depth than a typical mixed restaurant.

Information	Details
Vegan status	Vegetarian restaurant with many dishes marked vegan or vegan-available.
Address	215 N Cayuga St, Ithaca, NY 14850
Current hours	Seasonal lunch, brunch and dinner schedule; check current operator reservations before visiting.
Best fit	Sit-down vegetarian dining with clearly marked vegan choices.

Sources: Current Moosewood menu and Visit Ithaca plant-based dining guide.

Hawi Ethiopian Cuisine

South Cayuga Street

Vegan platterEthiopianLunch & dinner

A vegan-friendly Ethiopian meal in central Ithaca

Visit Ithaca highlights Hawi's vegetable platter with dairy-free injera as an all-vegan option. The restaurant serves lentil and vegetable stews designed for shared Ethiopian dining.

Before you order Hawi also serves meat, so order the vegetable platter or confirm individual dishes when you need a fully vegan meal.

Highlights: A strong dinner choice with a clearly documented vegan platter rather than a token side dish.

Information	Details
Vegan status	Mixed Ethiopian restaurant with an all-vegan vegetable platter.
Address	113 S Cayuga St, Ithaca, NY 14850
Current hours	Tue–Thu 3pm–9pm; Fri–Sun 12pm–9pm; Mon closed.
Best fit	Vegan Ethiopian stews, lentils and shared platters.

Sources: Official Hawi menu and Visit Ithaca vegan dining guide.

Asempe Kitchen

West Green Street · Press Bay Court

Primarily plant-basedWest AfricanLunch & brunch

A newer downtown West African restaurant with a plant-forward core

Asempe Kitchen specializes in primarily plant-based West African food made from short ingredient lists and olive oil, with current Visit Ithaca information describing it as dairy-, soy- and gluten-free.

Before you order Primarily plant-based does not necessarily mean every item is vegan, so confirm the current day's dishes with staff.

Highlights: A distinctive newer addition to Ithaca's already broad plant-based food scene.

Information	Details
Vegan status	Primarily plant-based West African restaurant; dairy-, soy- and gluten-free positioning.
Address	114 W Green St, Ithaca, NY 14850
Current hours	Current tourism listing: Thu–Sun lunch; Thu–Sat dinner; first Sunday monthly brunch.
Best fit	Plant-forward West African lunch, dinner and occasional brunch.

Sources: Visit Ithaca current business profile and opening schedule.

Vegan breakfast and brunch in Ithaca

All-vegan breakfast

Angelhearts serves vegan breakfast food, donuts and diner-style comfort food and currently opens from 8am on most service days.

Brunch beyond the diner

Moosewood's seasonal menus frequently include vegan brunch and dinner options, while Asempe Kitchen serves a first-Sunday brunch on its current schedule.

Plan your Ithaca vegan food stops

Downtown is the core

Angelhearts, Moosewood, Hawi and Asempe Kitchen are all in or immediately around central Ithaca, making the city unusually walkable for plant-based visitors.

Cornell and Finger Lakes visitors

These downtown stops fit naturally before or after Cornell, gorge hikes and Finger Lakes wine-country trips without requiring a long suburban detour.

Ithaca has many additional restaurants with vegan options, but this guide emphasizes businesses where vegan food is a substantial part of the concept or current menu.

Frequently asked questions

Does Ithaca have fully vegan restaurants?

Yes. Angelhearts is Ithaca's all-vegan diner. The other restaurants here are vegetarian or mixed concepts with substantial vegan food.

Where should I start for vegan food in Ithaca?

Start with Angelhearts for a dedicated vegan breakfast or lunch, Moosewood for a classic Ithaca sit-down meal, or Hawi for a vegan Ethiopian platter.

What area is best for vegan food in Ithaca?

Downtown Ithaca around Green, Cayuga and State streets is the most useful cluster and is easy to combine with the Commons.

Are all restaurants in this guide fully vegan?

No. Fully vegan restaurants are separated from vegetarian or mixed kitchens with documented vegan dishes.

Research notes and image credit

Visit Ithaca's plant-based dining resources, current operator menus and current 2026 business listings were reviewed on September 21, 2026. Angelhearts' current Green Street location is used rather than its older State Street address.

Featured image: Morrill Hall, Cornell University by P. Hughes, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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