Visiting Penticton soon and wondering what the local vegan scene is like? I have good news for you – Penticton may be a small town but there are several dedicated vegan dining options as well as a varied range of vegan-friendly restaurants.
In this post, I’ll share my top picks for Penticton’s best vegan restaurants. I’ll also tell you about the places that I believe to have the best choice of vegan dishes.
Full disclosure – I’m not vegan. I was, however, vegetarian for 17 years, so I do have certain expectations and experiences concerning non-meat dishes that many people do not.
I’ve been to many vegetarian and vegan restaurants over the years as well as standard places where you have the make the difficult choice between the only two dishes offered on the menu…(so I get it)
While I’m pescetarian now, I usually eat vegetarian or vegan when dining out.
Last updated August 2024. For the most up-to-date information, contact individual businesses before visiting. There may be affiliate links in this post. If you make a purchase, we may receive a small percentage of the sale.
The best Penticton vegan restaurants and eateries
Let’s get started with our list of the best vegan restaurants and eateries in Penticton, BC!
Stillfood Bistro & Cappucino Bar
Stillfood Bistro is relatively new to Penticton’s dining scene but a very worthy addition.
The second location of a Salmon Arm-based business, Stillfood Bistro specialises in elevated vegan cuisine. If you’re looking to impress some omnivore friends, this is the place to go. I would guess that a lot of visitors do not initially realise it is a vegan restaurant.
Open all day on weekends and into the evening most days, Stillford serves breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner items. Think bowls, salads and wraps. Brunch is a highlight, with several dishes (such as the Benny) featuring an eggless ‘Stillfood egg’ and dairy-free hollandaise. And I can confirm, they are pretty legit!
As you may guess by the name, Stillfood also specialises in coffee. With a great range of baked items, the cafe is a popular destination for coffee and a sweet treat (preferably on the patio!)
Location: 75 Front Street, Penticton
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Angry Vegan
Established in 2017, Angry Vegan is Penticton’s oldest vegan dining destination. The menu is 100% vegan, with the vast majority of items made in-house. The relaxed cafe is on the small side but has a few tables outside as well.
Menu highlights include four burger varieties, salad boxes, wraps, pizza and poutine. The latter is made with homemade cashew cheese and mushroom gravy. For drinks, there are smoothies, lemonade, detox shots, juices and coffee.
Needless to say, this is a must-stop while visiting Penticton. To avoid becoming an ‘angry’ vegan yourself, note that the cafe closes at 7pm.
Location: 536 Main Street, Penticton
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Gratify
Absolutely everything sold at Gratify is vegan and gluten-free. The homemade sandwiches, salads, bowls, soups, wraps and sweet treats are all made from nutritious ingredients and zero refined or artificial sugars.
This cafe-style shop is a beacon for health-conscious locals and visitors, as well as anyone with dietary needs. The cheesecakes are the stand-out, with flavours ranging from salted caramel and blueberry to baklava and cookie dough (so good!) Pre-order a whole cheesecake or drop by to see what they have by-the-slice.
Gratify is located almost next door to Angry Vegan. Stop by for dessert or pick up some snacks for later. They serve blended drinks too, including iced coffee and smoothies.
Location: 544 Main Street, Penticton
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Maison Mulnati
Sweet tooth? Maison Mulnati has you covered! This chocolate and pastry shop is owned by a French couple. Everything is vegan, from the handcrafted artisan chocolates to the indulgent pastries. They offer salads, sandwiches and French-style onion soup (topped with vegan cheese).
For a town the size of Penticton, it’s pretty impressive that there is a completely vegan chocolatier like this. The chocolates are mostly gluten-free too. The location is prominent too; right on Main Street.
The one downside? Maison Mulnati has limited opening hours. At the time of writing (August 2024), the business is open from Thursday to Saturday only.
Location: 221 Main Street, Penticton
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Penticton restaurants with a good choice of vegan options
Dining with non-vegan friends or just want something different? If you’re comfortable visiting non-vegan restaurants, Penticton has a good choice of vegan-friendly dining options. The following are my top picks for Penticton restaurants with vegan dishes.
Salty’s Beach House
This lakefront hot spot has a plant-based section of the menu featuring a choice of a vegan tuna poke bowl, Impossible burger, teriyaki tofu bowl, vegan tuna nachos and more.
Situated across from the Okanagan Lake promenade, Salty’s has a buzzy atmosphere, especially on a sunny day. They have a great cocktail menu, with some playful mocktail options as well.
Salty’s is a busy place and it can be difficult to secure a spot on summer evenings. Prepare to wait for a table or make a reservation at least a week in advance (online or by phone).
Location: 1000 Lakeshore Drive West, Penticton
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Cannery Brewing
With eight breweries and a population of 40,000 people, Penticton has one of the best breweries per capita ratios in Canada! Cannery Brewing is one of the oldest breweries in town and is, in my opinion, a place where there is something for everyone (in terms of both food and beer).
To my knowledge, the core collection of beers is all vegan-friendly. The Cannery is best known for its tasty nachos, of which there is a vegan version. It will easily feed two or three people (even four if you’re not that hungry).
As for the ambience, it’s very casual and family-friendly. Service is at the bar (which I love). As well as the main taproom and patio, there is a dog-friendly Backyard area open during the warmer months with rotating food trucks.
Location: 198 Ellis Street, Penticton
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Koya
Koya is another restaurant that makes my list of Penticton’s best. It offers a fun and healthy take on fusion Japanese cuisine, with sushi burritos being the flagship dish. The vegan version features shiitake mushrooms and smoked tofu.
But that’s not where the vegan menu finishes. Choose between the poke bowl, tofu ramen, sushi rolls, veggie rice, gyoza and salad. With half a dozen options, Koya is an excellent Penticton restaurant for vegans (and vegans with dogs – they have a dog-friendly patio).
Location: 101-93 Winnipeg Street, Penticton
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Penticton Indian Cuisine
Indian restaurants are almost always a good shout for vegan food options. Penticton is host to an impressive collection of great Indian restaurants, most of which are located in the downtown core.
Penticton Indian Cuisine is my top pick of them all. I believe most of the ‘vegetarian specialities,’ except the paneer dishes, are vegan. The staff will be able to confirm. I have heard that the roti can be made without butter. They also have homemade vegan samosas.
Alternatively, check out Lala Ji’s Indian Cuisine. This Indian restaurant specialises in street food and they offer some interesting vegan dishes such as veggie momos, gol gappa (deep-fried crepe), tikki chat (mashed potato patties) and ladoo karare (fried lentil balls).
Location: 325 Main St, Penticton
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Pizzeria Tratto Napoletana
I rate Pizzeria Tratto Napoletana as one of Penticton’s best restaurants. So it’s ideal that it is also a great destination for vegans as well! I love Tratto for their authentic, slightly chewy Neopolitan-style pizza (soft, thin crust with slight char) cooked to perfection in a rock oven.
Tratto has a vegan pizza on its regular menu (tomato sauce, artichokes, mushrooms, olives, roasted onions and vegan mozzarella). Vegan cheese is also mentioned in the additions list, so I assume it can likely be substituted on other pizza dishes.
This restaurant does not take reservations so be sure to get there early for dinner on weekends or be prepared to wait.
Location: 256 Westminster Avenue West, Penticton
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Isshin Sushi
Penticton has a solid lineup of sushi restaurants, with Isshin being one of the best for vegan visitors alongside the aforementioned Koya.
Current vegan menu options include gyoza, sushi rolls (mushroom, vegetable, yam or avocado), bibimbap, sushi burritos and spring rolls. There are vegan dinner and lunch boxes, offering a mix of vegan items.
Location: 151 Front Street, Penticton
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The Bench Market
The Bench is a longtime favourite destination for locals and visitors. Situated in a quiet neighbourhood just north of downtown, this cafe/artisan shop has a wonderfully relaxed vibe.
While there aren’t a ton of vegan meal options (the vegan breakfast bowl is the stand-out), the coffee is some of the best in town. There is a range of non-dairy milks available, usually soy, almond, coconut and oat.
Wayne and Freda is another popular pick for coffee and they also have a plant-based ‘Glow’ bowl. Smoothies are available as well. Like the Bench Market, Wayne and Freda offer non-dairy milk.
Location: 368 Vancouver Avenue, Penticton
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