On September 5th, Boston, Massachusetts welcomed the region’s first vegetarian/vegan-friendly diner! Veggie Galaxy is located in Cambridge, MA, a stone’s throw from Boston and the home of prestigious Harvard University. The celebration began a week prior! As a member of the Boston Vegetarian Society, I obtained a spot on the guest list for the pre-opening dinner event. I was fortunate enough to rsvp before it sold out! The evening of August 30th brought 100 or so vegan-friendly people who were patiently waiting and eager to try this highly-anticipated, new addition to the Boston vegan food scene!
The interior is sleek and appealing. It is a throwback to a classic 1950’s diner. Booths with tables line one side of the expansive space. To the right, individual stools stand with counter space as tables. Immediately upon entering the restaurant, customers are greeted by display cases of pies, cakes, and other sweets. To the right of the register, individual snacks and even vegan dog treats can be found.
Veggie Galaxy serves vegetarian and vegan diner-style food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals. Items on the menu include several kinds of veggie burgers, mac and cheese, seitan loaf, vegetable pot pie, and breakfast items such as tofu scramble, tofu omelet, french toast, and pancakes. Vegans can substitute the cheese with vegan cheese. The wide variety of beverages offered includes frappes, soy shakes, and juices.
For my first meal, I ordered from the dinner menu. I opted for the seitan “meat” loaf with a side of mashed potatoes and greens. It was superb! My dessert was a vegan cheesecake covered with strawberries. It was delicious! This is not your average diner! The food has a gourmet taste! I purchased another snack to take home with me. Before leaving, I did indulge in a small bite of the coconut cupcake. Moist and rich, it was a treat for my palate.
During the course of the evening, I was given the opportunity to meet the main chef Brian and to interview Adam Penn, the owner and Leslie, the baker. Both of them graciously spent a good deal of time with me and shared some wonderful information. Adam mentioned that he would like to expand the restaurant’s hours until 2am or so in the future, to accommodate those who are night owls. Leslie told me that she considers herself to be like a lab scientist, experimenting with different ingredients and different combinations of ingredients to substitute for eggs/dairy/sweeteners. Her goal is to prepare vegan baked goods that are so delicious, that even carnivores would enjoy them and not miss the dairy-based/egg-based alternatives at all! If the three desserts I have tasted thusfar are any indication, then I believe she has already succeeded at this! The pre-opening dinner event was a huge success!
Fast forward to Grand Opening Day! On September 5th, I anxiously rushed to Veggie Galaxy for lunch! The restaurant was packed! What a great way to end an opening day! I ordered the black bean veggie burger with red onion, tomato, and vegan roasted garlic mayo. It arrived with a side of potato salad. It was really tasty! For dessert, I selected the Boston Cream Pie! All I can say is “Wow”! Vegans no longer need to “miss” the authentic taste of this cake. I savored every bite!
A few days later, I returned. This time, the purpose of my visit was to try one of the breakfast items. I decided to order the black bean tofu omelet with vegan cheese. It was topped with a roasted red pepper puree. It was incredibly flavorful and delicious! For dessert, I chose the vegan lemon meringue pie. Non-vegans would not be able to tell the difference between egg whites and the fluffy vegan substitute which is the meringue. The lemon filling and crust were made to perfection!
The food here can truly be described as “gourmet”! Everything was incredibly flavorful and delicious! The wait staff is extremely knowledgeable and provide quick service. I don’t feel that it is too soon to say that “Veggie Galaxy should win awards for Best Vegan Restaurant and Best Vegan Desserts” in the United States! I highly recommend that any vegan who travels to Boston should make a stop to Veggie Galaxy for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert!