The thought of searching for vegan options between Charlotte and Asheville never crossed my mind. Maybe it is just too close to Charlotte to ever be in desperate need of a food stop. However, this year on our vegan mountain house weekend, we found ourselves within striking distance to Black Mountain on our way to hike Rainbow Road and Lookout Trail. We only checked out two of the places in Black Mountain, but the more I researched, the more vegan options that popped up around town.
Dough House
What better way to reward yourself for completing a hike than a box of doughnuts waiting for you in the car? I think it certainly improves morale. Dough House is a completely vegan doughnut shop that opened in 2022. The maple bacon I had was really good and the rest of the doughnuts were met with equal satisfaction. It may be a perfect stop along 40 the next time we decide to go on a road trip back to the Midwest.
Cousins Cuban Cafe
Cousins Cuban Cafe is an amazing place to grab a vegan lunch after hiking nearby trails. The vegan Cubano has jackfruit, vegan cheese, tofu ham, mustard and pickles. It was so good. The service was outstanding and they recently expanded their eating area so it is easier to grab a seat inside. They also have a vegan Empanada offering and the yucca fries have a vegan ranch available.
Black Mountain Pizza and Ale House
Another option that comes up on Happy Cow is the Black Mountain Pizza and Ale House. They may not offer any special meat replacement toppings, but the review suggest the crust are vegan and online ordering shows vegan cheese is available.
Annie’s Culinary Garden
Seasonal menu with several clearly marked soups, salads, sandwiches, and entrees available. Current offerings include vegan grilled cheese, a vegetable biryani, Mumbai burrito, and a creamy butternut coconut noodle soup. Sounds amazing!
The Hop
An ice cream shop offering a plethora of vegan options. They have several locations in Asheville and one in Black Mountain. The menu clearly marks vegan options including the toppings.
Goldfinch
While they had to close after Hurricane Helene, work recently got underway to fix the damage. Per the menu listed online, the majority of their items are vegan friendly and they even offer several vegan proteins such as jerk jackfruit, miso glazed tofu, house made vegan chorizo, and falafel.
Open Oven
This breakfast/brunch spot has a simple avocado toast and a delicious sounding Heavenly Hash that is listed as vegan on the menu. Roasted potatoes, spinach, peppers and onions, vegan mushroom breakfast patty, lemon tahini sauce, with two plant-based eggs and avocado.
Taco Billy
The online menu list 1 vegan taco option (Support Group) and also has veggie chorizo available.