Veggie Galaxy
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Veggie Galaxy is the vegan mecca. I discovered Veggie Galaxy accidentally during my first ever summer working in Cambridge, MA circa 2015. I distinctly remember missing my train home, deciding to wander the area, and then stumbling upon this magical place that looked like the diner version of Toy Story’s Pizza Planet. Best accident ever.
Located in Central Square, Veggie Galaxy will knock even an omnivore’s socks off. The menu is by default vegetarian (they offer cheese from cow's milk as well as eggs) but absolutely everything can be made vegan. The menu is packed with every classic diner dish you can imagine, plus they serve breakfast all day AND they have a completely vegan bakery!
Over the years, I have tried several items off of Veggie Galaxy’s menu. I’ll spare you the details and give you my go-to orders (all rated ★★★★★):
1. “Tuna” Melt - Chickpea “Tuna” Salad, Kale, Tomato, Aged Cheddar sub the aged cheddar for Veggie Galaxy’s House Cheese
2. The Club - Grilled Tempeh Bacon, Smoked Tofu, Fresh Tomato, Romaine, Raw Red Onion, Basil Pesto & Roasted Garlic Mayo*
3. Kendall Square - Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger, Roasted Red Pepper Puree, Onion Rings, Roasted Garlic Mayo, Baby Arugula*
*It is required, I repeat, REQUIRED that you get a frappe with each of these -- no excuses! Chocolate is my personal favorite. Also, all of Veggie Galaxy’s ice cream is locally sourced from FoMu, a local plant-based creamery that specializes in ice cream made in small batches, from scratch of course.
For sides, I tend to favor the french fries, but Veggie Galaxy’s potato salad is to die for, too. I would get the potato salad every time still if I hadn’t overdone it during my honeymoon phase with Veggie Galaxy, hence why I now opt for fries.
Notable pro-tip, if you put their house cheese on anything, it automatically becomes 5 stars. I have no idea what they make it out of, but it’s crack. Oh, and speaking of cheese, don’t forget to order an appetizer of mozzarella sticks--they’re vegan, and are melt-in-your-mouth good.
I could really go on for days about my love for Veggie Galaxy. The diner has won multiple awards, been noted in countless articles for their cuisine, and they pay their workers fairly (see the Close the Gap Fee page on their website).
Truth be told, I’ve been thinking about moving out of the Boston area but there’s just one thing holding me back, and that’s that there won’t be a Veggie Galaxy wherever I end up. I’m not being dramatic, it’s just that good.
