I grew up outside of Binghamton, New York and I just went back for a visit.  I found myself feeling really proud of my hometown. Though Binghamton is not a huge city, it was quite easy to find vegan/veg fare. Now, two of these joints I will tell you about are not solely vegetarian restaurants, but they clearly cater to that crowd by making a substantial part of the menu veg instead of the traditional one veg option that many restaurants have (which is usually some lame, overpriced pasta dish).

My 3 day vegan journey began in Allston, which is just outside of Boston. We were scrambling around, running some pre-trip errands and decided to head over to The Grasshopper, which is Asian vegetarian bliss.  The “beef” lo mein was so out of this world.

The next morning, we set off on our 5 hour drive to Binghamton.  Black coffee, trail mix, peanuts, and Twizzlers sufficed for the trip.  Once we arrived, we stopped by a favorite of mine called The Lost Dog Cafe in the center of town.  Though this restaurant is not vegetarian entirely, it offers vegetarian and vegan options (indicated by a V or VO on the menu).  Two words, people: asparagus cakes.  Oh they were good.  The veggie burger was also pretty delish.

The next day, we went to another old fav of mine: The Whole in the Wall.  While in college, I used to swing by “The Whole” often to visit my best friend, who at the time was a tie dye wearing waitress (who now is a new momma!).  Serving up all kinds of yummy natural foods, this lovely establishment offers many a vegan option there from tofu to falafel.  They also have organic sodas and the best pesto in the entire world.  Did I mention you can sit at the table Phish sat at in 1992?  The list of celebrity diners (from Metallica to Ani Difranco) is shockingly extensive!

coolest natural foods restaurant in Binghamton

Java Joes, an adorable local coffee shop on State Street, also gets a shout out.  I was thrilled to find I could get a latte with soy milk at a place not called Starbucks.

It is getting easier and easier to find places that serve food with a conscience. Amen.