Here are five places in Pittsburgh where you can get a vegan-friendly and Lent-friendly meal.
Wild Rise Bakery
717 N. Homewood Ave., Homewood. wildrisebakery.com
Wild Rise, in addition to a traditional fish sandwich, has a Fried Oyster Mushroom Sando that you can indulge in if you are vegan. As always with Wild Rise, the meal is also gluten-free. The oyster mushroom is marinated in Caribbean seasoning before it’s fried, so prepare for a mouth-watering experience.
Viridis
1506 E Carson St., South Side. viridispgh.com
Viridis is all vegan all the time, so they added a Banana Blossom Fish Sammie to their menu just in time for Lent. The Banana Blossom itself is a purple-skinned flower that grows at the end of the bunch of bananas that, when cooked, has a soft, flaky texture that resembles fish. Featuring a toasted bun, house-made tartar sauce, lettuce, and a fried banana blossom filet, you’re sure to have a unique dining experience with this one.
Onion Maiden
639 E. Warrington Ave., Allentown. onionmaiden.com
This vegan restaurant also carries a Banana Blossom Po Boy that will have you running back for more. With the right marinades and seasonings, it does a good job of mimicking the fish you might have grown up with.
Ruggers Pub
40 S. 22nd St., South Side. ruggerspub.com
Ruggers has a surprisingly good vegan menu in addition to its regular bar food, and they recently added a Fried Tofu Po Boy with vegan remoulade sauce, served on a hoagie bun with lettuce, tomato, and diced pickles.
Farmer x Baker
1101 Powers Run Road, Fox Chapel. farmerxbaker.com
Does the name Filet O' Flower entice you? This Farmer x Baker offering is massive, made with cauliflower and topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and house sauce. You might have to unhinge your jaw to tackle it but it will be worth it. The FxB Instagram account confirms that these beauties will be available on Friday, so get ready to order yours this weekend.
