Merit Vegetarian Cuisine: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

Merit Vegan Restaurant at 548 Lawrence Expy in Sunnyvale serves an all-vegan menu. Order anything. Merit promises “no Animal Ingredients, no MSG, no Artificial Sweetener added.” Most of the menu is pho, curries, chow mein, and stir-fries, with corn dogs and fish and chips for anyone who wants a Western plate.

What’s vegan and vegetarian at Merit

Every dish. The owners say they use non-GMO and organic plant-based ingredients and serve both Eastern and Western dishes. On its online ordering menu, Merit marks gluten-free dishes (GF), dishes with a gluten-free option (GFO), and dishes with nuts (NUT). A pepper mark flags the spicy ones.

What to order at Merit

Merit tags the Gourmet Deluxe ($16) as its most popular dish. The cooks fry a gluten-free protein, toss it with spicy lemongrass, and serve it with steamed broccoli. The Pho ($14.50) comes with rice noodles, seitan, mushroom, fried organic tofu, and cilantro in an herbal vegetable broth, and you can ask for it gluten-free.

For something lighter, try the Vietnamese Crepe ($15), filled with tofu, seitan, mushroom, bean sprouts, jicama, and onion. The Pad Thai ($14.50) comes with “shrimp” made from yam. Appetizers run $8 to $10.50, including Golden Rolls for $9.25 and Fresh Spring Rolls with peanut sauce for $10. Most entrees cost $14.50 to $16, and dessert slices cost $5.75 to $7.50.

How to order at Merit

Merit lists these hours on its online store: 11am to 3pm and 4:30pm to 8pm on weekdays, and 11:30am to 3pm and 4:30pm to 8pm on weekends. You can order pickup online through Merit’s own site, or get delivery through DoorDash, Uber Eats, or Grubhub. Call (408) 245-8988 with questions.

Merit takes reservations only for parties of five or more, through the form on its site, at least an hour ahead. Smaller groups can walk in.

Before you go to Merit

Leave outside food at home. Merit bans outside food. Merit will also split a bill across two credit cards at most, so settle up with friends before you pay. If you want heat, Merit calls the SP17 Fireworks “very spicy.”

Our verdict on Merit

Go. Merit gives you a long all-vegan menu, and most entrees cost $15 or less. Order the Gourmet Deluxe and a plate of Golden Rolls, and you’ll spend about $25 before tax.