Massachusetts diner named ‘Best Vegan-Friendly Restaurant’ in America

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — A Boston-area diner has earned a top national honor in the 2026 VegNews Restaurant Awards.

Veggie Galaxy, a popular vegetarian diner in Cambridge, has been named “Best Vegan-Friendly Restaurant” in America, according to VegNews, a magazine and media brand focused on a plant-based lifestyle.

Chosen by thousands of VegNews readers from across the country, the award “acknowledges restaurants that excel at delivering delicious plant-based options while delighting diners from all walks of life,” according to a statement released on Wednesday.

Veggie Galaxy topped the “Best Vegan-Friendly Restaurant” category, besting other celebrated eateries nationwide—including runners-up in Chicago and Portland — and also received the Editors’ Vote, underscoring both popular and editorial acclaim.

VegNews noted in its awards coverage, “Every menu item at this 14-year-old Boston-area vegetarian diner can be made vegan—a blessing for plant-based eaters looking for corned beef hash Benedict, Oreo pancakes, or a casual Mac ‘N Stack (fried chicken, bacon, and sriracha between two crispy mac and cheese waffles). Just be sure not to miss the goodies from the on-site vegan bakery—the hybrid cinnamon-roll cake slice is to die for.”

Veggie Galaxy managing partner Michael Bissanti and co-owner Deatrich Wise Jr., a former New England Patriots star and Super Bowl champion, are thrilled with the national honor.

“This recognition is incredibly meaningful to our entire team. From day one, our mission has been to create a place where everyone—vegan or not—can enjoy nostalgic, delicious diner food,“ Bissanti said in a statement. ”We’re honored to be recognized on a national level and grateful to our guests and staff who make Veggie Galaxy what it is.”

Founded in 2011, Veggie Galaxy, with its extensive menu and “breakfast served all day,” has been at the center of Greater Boston’s plant-based restaurant scene for nearly 15 years.

In 2019, the diner at 450 Massachusetts Ave. in Cambridge was featured on restaurateur Guy Fieri’s long-running food reality television series, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”

“This needs to go places. People need to have this in their town,” Fieri said of Veggie Galaxy at the time.

Today, Veggie Galaxy has become a must-visit destination for Boston residents and visitors alike.

The restaurant offers traditional diner comfort food made from scratch. The twist is that it’s all vegetarian, and everything can be made vegan.

Think of classic burgers, BLTs, Reubens, and Club sandwiches, and mac & cheese available with both dairy and plant-based cheeses.

Bissanti said nearly every item is house-made, from the English muffins to vegan cheese, sauces, and salad dressings, underscoring the restaurant’s commitment to serving fresh, wholesome food.

The restaurant also features a 100% vegan on-site bakery.

Wise, one of the NFL’s more prominent and vocal vegan athletes, joined the restaurant’s ownership group in 2024.

Under his co-ownership, the vegetarian diner and vegan bakery “has introduced new menu innovations, launched new brand partnerships, and deepened its commitment to making plant-based meals more available to underserved communities in the Boston area,” the owners said.

“I’m just really happy to see Veggie Galaxy getting its flowers,” Wise said in a statement. “Being recognized as the Best Vegan-Friendly Restaurant in America is a huge honor, and it’s a testament to the hard work, consistency, and passion of everyone involved.”

“This place has meant so much to the local community for years, and it’s exciting to see the rest of the country celebrating it the way we always have here at home,” Wise said.

For a complete list of the VegNews 2026 Restaurant Awards, visit this website.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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