Souley Vegan

If you want vegan fare that will excite your taste buds and senses, head to Souley Vegan. Opened in 2009 by Tamearra Dyson, the restaurant translates Louisiana Creole flavors through a plant-based lens. Dyson grew up eating mostly vegetarian and has been vegan since she was 18, with the menu offering favorite dishes that her mother cooked growing up, like Creole Spaghetti and Okra Gumbo. Dyson has since expanded to locations in SF, LA, and Las Vegas, appeared on Guy Fieri’s Food Network series Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, and recently became the first plant-based chef to beat Bobby Flay on his competition series. The Oakland location is the only one with dine-in seating as well as a full cocktail list—it’s a popular weekend brunch spot.
How to order: Walk in for dine-in. Order takeout online and delivery via Caviar.

Chef Tamearra Dyson has been cooking her signature plant-based Creole dishes since she was 18 years old and has put that practice to excellent use not just with her four restaurants in LA, SF, Oakland, and Vegas, but by recently becoming the first vegan chef to beat Bobby Flay on his TV show of the same name. At her restaurants, you’ll find soul food favorites like a Chik’n Seitan Po’boy, Okra Gumbo, Cornbread, Collard Greens, and Red Beans and Rice. The SF location is only open takeout and delivery, but the Oakland restaurant is open for dining in, has a full bar, and a bottomless mimosa brunch on Sundays.
How to enjoy: Dine-in at the Oakland restaurant Tuesday–Sunday or order takeout online. You can also get delivery via Grubhub, Caviar, and DoorDash. For SF, get pickup and delivery (DoorDash, Postmates, UberEats) seven days a week.

In 2009, longtime vegan Tamearra Dyson left the medical field to pursue her passion and bring soulful plant-based foods to the masses. She’s since expanded from her original location in Oakland to ghost kitchens in San Francisco, LA, and Vegas, where you can order up inventive Louisiana Creole staples like gator bites where the gator is subbed for house-made hot links and battered mushrooms, a satisfying New Orleans okra gumbo, and crispy, house-made seitan chick’n and waffles. Make sure you tack on sides like cinnamon brown sugar yams, country collard greens, cornbread, and a sweet potato biscuit. Souley Vegan’s menu also spans salads, burgers, and beverages, including a zesty cayenne lemonade.
How to enjoy: Choose your location online and select from one of the pickup and delivery options.