Vegan Thanksgiving dinner: Jersey Shore restaurants offer plant-based take-out, catering

Alex Biese, Asbury Park Press
·7 min read

Vegetables don't have to be relegated to side-dish status at Thanksgiving.

Vegan cuisine, which uses no animal products, can certainly have a place of honor at the 2021 holiday table on Thursday, Nov. 25. Whether you're looking to feed yourself or a few guests living a plant-based lifestyle, there are vegan restaurants across Monmouth and Ocean County ready to do the cooking for you.

Here are eight vegan restaurants at the Jersey Shore offering catering and take-out options this Thanksgiving. Everything you see and read about here — yes, everything — is vegan.

Baklava Lady, Englishtown

Naciye Emren, also know as "The Baklava Lady," puts the final touch on some baklava at the vegan Turkish cafe that opened recently in Englishtown.
Naciye Emren, also know as "The Baklava Lady," puts the final touch on some baklava at the vegan Turkish cafe that opened recently in Englishtown.

Englishtown bakery The Baklava Lady is ready to take care of dessert for you this year.

The cafe, 34 Main St., is offering trays of walnut and pistachio baklava at $50 to $60 for a 20-serving half-tray, $100 to $110 for a 40-serving full tray. Eight-serving pear crumb cake ($55), pecan crumble cake ($55) and cranberry orange loaf ($45) are also available.

Orders must be placed and paid for by 3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19, and will be available to be picked up from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24. To order and for more information, call 732-851-5445 or visit thebaklavalady.com/.

Cats Luck Vegan Bakery, Neptune City

Plant-based Thanksgiving dishes from Cats Luck Vegan in Neptune City.
Plant-based Thanksgiving dishes from Cats Luck Vegan in Neptune City.

Neptune City sensation Cats Luck Vegan Bakery, 140 Steiner Ave., is offering a robust Thanksgiving menu including a $28 feast for one that includes "turkey" with gravy, mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts with bacon, cranberry walnut stuffing, buttermilk biscuit and a mini maple cream tart.

Additional sides and baked goods are also available, and customers can also pay $20 for a community plate feast for one that will be handed out to a community member in need by the Jersey Shore chapter of Food Not Bombs in Asbury Park on Thanksgiving.

Michelle Mancuso is the owner of Cats Luck Vegan in Neptune City.
Michelle Mancuso is the owner of Cats Luck Vegan in Neptune City.

Orders must be in by 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18, and will be available to be picked up from noon to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24. To place an order, call during business hours at 732-361-7294 or email catsluckvegan@gmail.com.

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Good Karma Cafe, Red Bank

Longtime Red Bank favorite Good Karma Cafe, 17 E. Front St., is offering an array of entrees including sliced herb tofu loaf, rosemary and walnut crusted seitan nuggets, roasted acorn squash and pumpkin-baked ziti. Each single-serving portion is $30 and is served with creamy mashed potatoes, homestyle gravy, savory cornbread stuffing roasted root vegetables and cranberry relish.

Additional sides, desserts and catering trays of tofu loaf, lasagna or ziti are also available.

Orders must be placed via goodkarmacafenj.com by 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19, to be picked up between 3 and 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24.

No substitutions will be accepted.

Greens and Grains, Shrewsbury

Greens and Grains, the chain of fast and casual vegan restaurants with six locations in New Jersey and Philadelphia, is offering Thanksgiving catering options from its Shrewsbury location, 454 Shrewsbury Plaza off Route 35.

It's $62 for a dinner feeding two to three people: herbed stuffing, creamy mashed potatoes, turk'y cutlets, green bean casserole, homestyle gravy and cranberry sauce. Add-ons including extra sides, butternut squash soup and cheesecake are also available.

Catering orders are also available through the Galloway location.

To order and for more information, call 732-945-6551.

The Gobbl'r plant-based Thanksgiving sandwich special is available at Greens and Grains' Shrewsbury, Middletown, Galloway and Northfield locations.
The Gobbl'r plant-based Thanksgiving sandwich special is available at Greens and Grains' Shrewsbury, Middletown, Galloway and Northfield locations.

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This season, Greens and Grains has also brought back its incredibly popular Gobbl'r, a Thanksgiving sandwich special featuring a breaded turk'y cutlet, a scoop of mashed potatoes and homemade stuffing topped with gravy and cranberry sauce, served on a fresh-grilled farmhouse roll.

The Gobbl'r is available for a limited time only at Greens and Grans' Shrewsbury, Middletown, Galloway and Northfield locations.

For more information, visit greensandgrainsusa.com.

Kaya's Kitchen, Belmar

Longtime Jersey Shore vegan standby Kaya's Kitchen, 1000 Main St. in Belmar, has a Thanksgiving catering and take-out menu including a $30 feast for one with tofu turkey with gravy, a celebration roast, maple ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, candied yams, vegetables, corn bread, cranberry sauce and gravy.

Additional sides and baked goods are also available. Feast for one orders must be placed by Tuesday, Nov. 23. Orders for half-trays of tofu turkey must be in by Tuesday, Nov. 16, while additional half-trays and dessert orders must be received by Friday, Nov. 19.

Orders will be available to be picked up noon to 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving, and Kaya's will also be open for indoor dining with seatings at noon, 2 and 4 p.m.

For more information, call 732-280-1141 or visit kayaskitchenbelmar.com.

Living on the Veg, Manahawkin

Living on the Veg, 657 East Bay Ave. in the Manahawkin section of Stafford, is serving up plenty of good eats this Thanksgiving.

The restaurant's $30 plate for one includes savory seitan and gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans with almonds, cranberry sauce and a slice of pumpkin cake. Additional starters, catering portions of entrees and desserts also available.

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All orders must be placed by 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19, and will be ready to be picked up between noon and 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24.

For more information and to place an order, visit livingontheveglbi.com/thanksgiving.

Luna Verde, Bradley Beach

Downtown Bradley Beach spot Luna Verde, 400 Main St., is serving up an Indigenous Peoples of the Americas Vegan Cuisine Tribute, available for scheduled pick-up from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 25.

Commemorating Native American Heritage Month and supporting Luna Verde's partnership with DigDeep's Navajo Water Project, the tray includes: Alaskan Athabaskan Akutaq; Sioux No Bison with Hominy; Cherokee Fried Green Tomatoes with Cranberry Sage Aioli; Aztec Champurrado; Mayan/Taino Barbacoa Tamal; Carib Crema de Auyama; Quechua Charque, Aymara Pachamanca a la Olla con Aji Pachamanquero and Mapuche Kinwa Dulce.

A full-sized tray is $75 with a portion of the proceeds supporting DigDeep, but the suggested price is $100 with $25 going directly to the Navajo Water Project.

A gluten-free option, as well as additional desserts are also available.

For more information, call 732-361-8180 or visit veganlunaverde.com.

Mama Hill, Long Branch

Erin and Jerome Hill, owners of Mama Hill, a vegan takeout/grab-and-go deli in Long Branch, prepare vegan "beef" empanadas with Spanish rice and plantains.
Erin and Jerome Hill, owners of Mama Hill, a vegan takeout/grab-and-go deli in Long Branch, prepare vegan "beef" empanadas with Spanish rice and plantains.

Mama Hill, 295 Joline Ave., Long Branch, is offering a Thanksgiving catering menu that includes the $100 Just the Two of Us package to feed two to three people with "fried chicken," "macaroni and cheese," kale, herb and sausage stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes and a box of doughnuts. A Family Affair version feeding four to six is also available for $175.

Orders must be in by Friday, Nov. 19, placed in-person or over the phone at 732-443-4727, and will be available to be picked up noon to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24.

A 50%, non-refundable deposit or payment in full will be required to place an order.

Seed to Sprout, Avon and Fair Haven

Smashed potatoes available from Seed to Sprout in Avon and Fair Haven this Thanksgiving.
Smashed potatoes available from Seed to Sprout in Avon and Fair Haven this Thanksgiving.

Seed to Sprout is offering Thanksgiving catering for pick-up between noon and 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24, at its Fair Haven location, 560A River Road, or 4 to 7 p.m. from its Avon spot, 410 Main St.

Offerings, available via seedtosproutnj.com/thanksgiving, include a $30 individual dinner that includes roasted tempeh, stuffing, buttery smashed potatoes, cranberry apple roast and rosemary gravy, served with a house-made golden spelt biscuit.

Additional sides and desserts such as caramel apple crumb pie and pumpkin cheesecake are also available.

Orders must be in by 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19, and can also be placed by calling 732-774-7333 or 732-268-7533.

Alex Biese has been writing about art, entertainment, culture and news on a local and national level for more than 15 years.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Vegan Thanksgiving: NJ restaurants serving plant-based catering