Twin Cities Veggie Awards 2016 -- Winners Announced!

Compassionate Action for Animals is pleased to announce the winners of our first annual Twin Cities Veggie Awards!

We’ve created this program to recognize Twin Cities businesses that support the compassionate community by offering outstanding vegan products. We want to acknowledge and thank them for their service, and we want to be sure that you know about them. We encourage you to give your support to these exceptional veg-friendly establishments so that they continue to thrive.

Here are the winners of the 2016 Twin Cities Veggie Awards along with a testimonial from each of our five panelists. Drum roll please…

French Meadow Bakery & Cafe
- “Whether hunger hits in St. Paul, Minneapolis, or at MSP airport, French Meadow is my first choice for healthy and hearty vegan fare for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Vegan options are clearly labeled, and there’s always an interesting vegan item on their regularly updated special menu.” – Sal Kravik
Hard Times Cafe
- “Hard Times has delicious vegetarian and vegan food available 22 hours a day. The bakery case is tasty and affordable; it should not be missed!” – Chris Luhman
The Herbivorous Butcher
- “The Herbivorous Butcher has reached superstar status in the world of plant-based cuisine and for good reason. This groundbreaking, all-vegan butcher shop features a big variety of flavorful meatless meats and cheeseless cheeses.” – Justin Leaf
Milkjam Creamery
- “This popular LynLake shop always has six dairy-free treats ready to scoop. Creative flavor combos include curry peanut butter banana and spicy pineapple, with ultra-creamy dark chocolate and toasted coconut on the simpler side.” – Chris Homsey
Reverie Cafe + Bar
- “Reverie’s menu is all plant-based and it’s delicious! The food always comes out quickly, and they have fantastic service. Enjoy coffee and cookies with a friend, or bring a date there to enjoy live music in the evenings.” – Laura VanZandt

The five winners were chosen from a list of 24 finalists that included all of the Twin Cities’ all-vegan businesses and a selection of the Twin Cities’ most outstanding vegan-friendly businesses. All of the finalists are noted below. Please take a look and give all of these wonderful establishments your business. The Twin Cities is a great place for vegan living, and together we can see to it that the number of vegan options continues to grow, giving everyone the opportunity to make compassionate choices.

All-Vegan All-the-Time

All of these Twin Cities businesses receive special recognition for offering only vegan products.

Outstanding Very Vegan-Friendly

The panelists culled their collective experience as vegans who get around. They came up with a list of more than thirty of the most outstanding vegan-friendly businesses in the Twin Cities area. That list was narrowed down by majority vote to these top eleven finalists.

The Twin Cities has lots to offer the vegan community that goes well beyond what is listed here. Please visit vegguide.org and happycow.net to locate vegan and vegetarian-friendly grocery stores and dining options in the Twin Cities and beyond.