The 2025 NOLA Vegan Chef Challenge has officially come to a close, and New Orleans diners have crowned this year’s top plant-powered culinary innovators. After a month of tasting creative vegan dishes across the city, local residents cast more than three hundred votes to select the winners.
The challenge, which ran throughout September, invited restaurants across New Orleans to craft original vegan specials and compete for the title of the city’s favorite vegan dish. Diners included vegans, vegetarians, and meat-eaters, and many participants made a point to explore more than one location. Some guests visited three or more restaurants, earning recognition as “super voters” for their support of the event and local chefs.
Organizers say the challenge reflects a rising demand for plant-based dining in New Orleans, a city known globally for its food culture. Restaurants benefit too, by attracting new customers and experimenting with fresh menu ideas. Former chef and Vegan Chef Challenge advocate Alex Bury notes that expanding vegan options is not only about inclusion but also smart business. According to Bury, when a group of friends chooses a restaurant and one person is vegan, the entire party will often choose a spot that has strong plant-based offerings.
This year’s event highlighted creativity in the kitchen and community enthusiasm for more diverse menus. It also reaffirmed that plant-based cuisine has a growing and enthusiastic audience across the region. With diners stepping up to support vegan dishes citywide, the NOLA Vegan Chef Challenge continues to bridge local food culture and innovation.
Organizers plan to keep the momentum going. The Vegan Chef Challenge social media pages will remain active year-round and will spotlight future challenges along with new vegan dishes at restaurants throughout the New Orleans area. Those interested in staying connected and supporting plant-based dining can follow @VeganChefChallengeSE on social media for updates.
See the list of winners below:
- 1st Place: Rosedale
- 2nd Place: SukhoThai
- 3rd Place: Breads on Oak
- Best Jamaican Cuisine: 14 Parishes
- Best Caribbean Cuisine: Baru
- Best Atmosphere: Bayona
- Best Catering: Cakes Cones Cuisines
- Best Fusion Cuisine: Catawampus
- Best Vegan Seafood: Craft Tavern
- Best Cake: CupCake Fairies
- Best Dessert: Deuxbelle Pastry
- Best Soul Food: Eat Like Eden
- Best Thai Cuisine: Good Catch Thai Urban Bistro
- Best Crepes: Holy Crepes
- Best Creole Cuisine: Iberville Cuisine
- Best Burrito: Juan’s Flying Burrito
- Best Taco: La Cocinita Restaurant
- Best Pizza: Louisiana Pizza Kitchen
- Best Indian Cuisine: Mantra Indian Cuisine
- Best Pop-Up: P-Otis Foods
- Best Chocolatier: Piety and Desire Chocolate
- Best Tom Yum: Pomelo
- Best Honduran Cuisine: Tia Maria’s Kitchen
- Best Coffee Shop: Undergrowth Coffee
