Vedge: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

Vedge is Philadelphia’s benchmark for plant-based fine dining, and every single item on the menu is 100% vegan. Chef-owners Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby opened it in 2011 inside a historic Center City brownstone, and it’s been pulling in national accolades ever since. If you want proof that vegetarian cooking can stand alongside any meat-forward fine-dining room in the country, this is the place to go.

What’s vegan and vegetarian at Vedge

Everything. The entire menu at Vedge is plant-based, so you don’t need to scan ingredients or ask the server to modify a dish. Landau and Jacoby deliberately left the word vegan off the menu, positioning Vedge simply as a vegetable restaurant. That framing matters. This isn’t a place built around substitutes and workarounds. It’s built around the vegetables themselves. Dairy, eggs, and meat don’t appear anywhere in the kitchen. You’ll find house-made seitan from a local artisan producer, but the menu leans heavily on whole vegetables, legumes, and grains prepared with classical technique and bold global flavors.

Signature dishes to order

The rutabaga fondue with a house-made soft pretzel is the dish most associated with Vedge, and it’s worth ordering on your first visit. The spicy dan dan noodles with roasted mushrooms bring real heat and depth. The campfire carrot, served with lentils, turns a humble root vegetable into something that reads like a centerpiece. On the lighter end, the smoked mushroom carpaccio and the grilled and raw asparagus salad both show how much the kitchen can do with restraint. For dessert, the Meyer lemon cheesecake gets consistent praise. The restaurant also offers a chef’s tasting menu if you want to let the kitchen make the decisions.

How to order

Vedge takes reservations through Resy, and you’ll want one, especially on weekends. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday for dinner only, with Monday as the one dark night. A la carte dining lets you build your own meal from smaller plates and larger dishes, all designed for sharing. The full bar features natural wines, craft beers, and seasonal cocktails. Takeout is also available if you want the food at home.

What to watch out for

Vedge is fine dining, so the prices reflect that. A full meal with drinks adds up fast, and it’s not the place for a quick weeknight dinner. Because the kitchen is fully vegan, vegetarians and vegans have zero risk of meat cross-contact. On the gluten side, most of the menu can be made gluten-free and the staff is accommodating, but the kitchen is not a dedicated gluten-free facility, so anyone with celiac disease should confirm with the server. Parking in Washington Square West is tight, so plan for a rideshare or transit.

Is Vedge worth it?

For vegetarians and vegans who want a special-occasion restaurant, yes, it’s worth every dollar. Food & Wine put Vedge on its list of the 40 most important restaurants of the past 40 years. The Michelin Guide recommended it in 2025. Rich Landau has been a James Beard finalist for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic many times over. A 4.8 on Google and a TripAdvisor ranking inside the top 10 restaurants in the entire city back that up. You’re not going to find a higher ceiling for plant-based cooking anywhere in Philadelphia.