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Philly Vegan Awards Winners

PHILLY VEGAN AWARDS & Cheesesteak contest 2023

Philly Vegan Awards celebrated the best of Philly’s amazing vegan dining scene on June 30 2023. Attendees enjoyed sampling a variety of vegan food offerings from area vendors.

Here are the winners, in order of the categories on our voting platform:

Best New Vegan Restaurant:  Primary Plant Based
Best Vegan Pizza:  Boardwalk Vegan
Best Vegan “Wings”: Primary Plant Based
Best Vegan Sandwich:  Love Again Local
Best Vegan Beauty Care:  Earth Kandy Nail Polish
Best Vegan Breakfast Items:  Batter & Crumbs
Best Entree:  Primary Plant Based
Best Vegan Offerings By A Nonvegan Venue: Burgertime
Best Desserts: 7 Sugars
Best Vegan Catering – Restaurant: Cheezy Vegan
Best Vegan Catering – No Storefront: Vegan Chef Lenka
Best Fries:  Boardwalk Vegan
Best Vegan Cheesesteak In Philly: Boardwalk Vegan

Also, during the ceremony we announced Rachel Klein’s donation of the tongs she used to prep or winning “Beat Bobby Flay,” and she also provided a video to bestow the 2023 Future of Food Award (named after the first iteration in 2019, by Horizons founder Rich Landau).
Those winners are:
Alex Giel (La Llamita Vegana)
Kimberly Resnick (Lil’ Yentas)

A great big thanks to everyone who pitched in to make the night so special, including our cheesesteak judges (Angela Val, Safiya Carter, Jeff Winner, and Freya Dinshah) and our awards presenters (Zipora Shulz, Watta Kesselly, and Fran Costigan). Thanks also to all of the restaurants who brought vegan food to share and show off!

The Philly Vegan Awards will return in 2025. Until then, keep sampling great vegan menu items from restaurants around the Greater Philadelphia area!

PHILLY VEGAN AWARDS 2019

On November 1 2019, the second biennial event celebrated the best of Philly’s ever-growing, nationally renowned vegan food scene.

Thanks to all who came to the Philly Vegan Awards, either as nominees, food-sampling venues or vegan-awards enthusiasts. It was a night to remember!

The evening kicked off with vegan food tables featuring a wide variety of tasty offerings from:
Atiya Ola’s Spirit First Foods
Batter & Crumbs Bakery and Cafe
Conscious Cultures Creamery
Crust Vegan Bakery
The Fairview
GoVegan Philly
LUHV Vegan Deli
Soy Café
Vegan Chef Lenka Catering

After an hour of tasting and socializing we moved into the Friends Center’s big Meeting room.

The official mayoral proclamation of Philly Vegan Day was read by WHYY’s Jennifer Lynn, who also joined Eleni Vlachos, Richard Rogers and Christina Pirello as awards presenters. (Weavers Way donated vegan goodies as thanks to our presenters.)

The balloted winners, as chosen by Philadelphia voters, were:

Tastiest “Healthy” Item: Tomo Sushi and Ramen
Best Vegan Entrée At Nonvegan Venue: Memphis Taproom – Roasted Mushroom Gyro
Best Breakfast Treats: Dottie’s Donuts
Biggest Increase In Vegan Options: Bourbon and Branch
Best Midnight Snack: Triangle Tavern
Best House-Made Burger: Luhv Vegan Deli
Best Philly-Made Vegan Cheese: Conscious Cultures Creamery (Bandit)
Outstanding Vegan Campaign or Event: Philly Vegan Restaurant Week
Best New Vegan Restaurant: Go Vegan Philly

The Best Instagrammer award was a tie between Jen Collins and Christine Scalfo. Both Instagrammers have won dinner for two at Greyhound Cafe.

The life of vegan-food pioneer Alfoncie Austin was celebrated in a brief slideshow presentation. Last year’s lifetime achiever Rich Landau contributed a video clip to announce the Future of Food 2019 recognizing advances in vegan food from the new generation of Philly vegan chef/creators. which went to Stephen Babaki of Conscious Cultures Creamery.

Additionally, The Nile Café was honored as the longest-running vegan restaurant in Philadelphia.

The 2021 awards were delayed due to Covid-19 and resumed in 2023.

(Photo credit: Robert Stolpe)

PVA-2017-Best-of-Winners (1200 x 800 px)

PHILLY VEGAN AWARDS 2017

This inaugural event on November 10 2017 celebrated the best of Philly’s ever-growing, nationally renowned vegan food scene.

2017 WINNERS:

Best Breakfast or Brunch: The Tasty
Best Smoothies or Milkshakes: Goldie
Best Pizza: Blackbird
Best Sandwich/Burger: Royal Tavern – tempeh club
Best Non-Food Vegan Business: Compassion Company
Best Frozen Treats: Franklin Fountain
Best Cheap Vegan Meal: Triangle Tavern
Best Airport/Bus/Train Station Food: Mi Lah 30th St Stn
Best Dessert: Crust Bakery
Best Appetizer: Vedge – rutabaga fondue with soft pretzel
Best New Vegan Restaurant of the Year: The Tasty
Best Vegan Food at Nonvegan Venue: Royal Tavern
Special Presentation — Lifetime Achievement Award: Richard Landau and Kate Jacoby

American Vegan Society

Veganism

AVS is a registered 501(c)(3) organization, EIN 226058533. All donations made to the American Vegan Society are tax deductible in accordance with applicable law..