This breakfast food cart located in a parking lot on North Lombard offers Belgian waffle sandwiches in a dizzying amount of distinct flavors, including several vegetarian and vegan options. A strawberries-and-Nutella special comes with customer’s choice of whipped cream or cream cheese, but a veggie sausage and maple waffle sandwich is a menu stalwart. Vegans will need to let the cart know if chefs need to use a vegan batter, however.

Since Thai food relies so heavily on ingredients like coconut milk, rice, and a plethora of veggies, many Thai dishes are often naturally meat-free by simply eliminating the animal protein. There are a number of great Thai places across Portland, but there’s something special about Mae Ploy on Alberta; you can taste the quality in everything from the spicy green papaya salad, to the spring rolls, to the pumpkin curry, to the hot basil fried rice, which can be made with tofu or just vegetables. Order online for takeout.

Even though this Alberta restaurant’s most popular items are definitely not vegan, there are a couple excellent options for both vegans and particularly vegetarians to enjoy here—like the sautéed mushrooms appetizer, or the restaurant’s vegan version of rösti, a Swiss hash brown pancake. The restaurant’s savory vegan lentil stew includes a complex medley of herbs, vegetables, and spices. Plus, the restaurant will make versions of its traditional, pork-centric dishes with tofu; that includes the restaurant’s killer paprika schnitzel, served in a mushroom cream sauce. Takeout order instructions appear on the restaurant’s website.

The newest locale of Portland’s Iraqi destination offers an array of vegetarian and vegan-friendly fare, from the restaurant’s lively pickled mango salad with a hearty handful of parsley to the warmly spiced leblebi, a chickpea stew perked up with a squeeze of lemon. Plus, the restaurant’s vegan sampler platter has a number of options for those seeking variety. DarSalam offers online ordering for takeout.

The aptly named Secret Pizza Society, in Montavilla neighborhood, has some of Portland’s top vegan pies, if not one of the city’s top pizzas, period. With an entirely vegan menu that utilizes cashew- and coconut-based substitutes, Secret Pizza Society has managed to harness the power of unprocessed dairy-free cheese, mastering its texture and application, which many other vegan and non-vegan pizza joints haven’t nailed just yet. From the Chalupa Batman with chipotle pesto base, taco tofu, and crema drizzle, to the classic pepperoni, this place does a stellar job of making vegan pizza feel fun. Find them on DoorDash or call (503) 946-1926 to place an order for takeout.

This Tokyo-to-Portland ramen and dumpling house makes one of Portland’s most memorable bowls of vegan ramen. Start with the miso-cashew gyoza, which arrive as a conjoined star, and then go to town on a bowl of Afuri’s vegan hazelnut tantanmen. The soup is an exceedingly enjoyable combination of bok choy, mushroom, leeks, sesame tare, and miso cashew crumbles in a soft, creamy hazelnut broth with just a tingle of spice. Afuri is available for takeout or delivery.

While the downtown Marukin counter (and Pine Street Market) is temporarily closed due to COVID-19, Marukin’s SE Ankeny location is offering takeout and delivery every day from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. There’s nothing bland or boring about Marukin’s plant-based options: The vegan shoyu red ($12) is the spicy version of the vegan noodle bowl, with hunks of fried tofu, earthy mushrooms, and veggies served in a highly drinkable, savory broth.

The family-owned La Piñata Takos food cart, located in the SW 3rd avenue food cart pod, offers lots of flexibility and naturally meat-free options, since the team doesn’t use lard in their beans. One of the most repeatable and cost-effective options is the pinto bean and rice burrito for $4. It typically comes with cheese too, but it hits another level with added avocado and fajita veggies. Piñata has a great handle on how to balance flavors and add value with vegetarian ingredients, and there’s no going wrong between the cart’s salsa verde or roja.

The entire menu at this Hawthorne Indian restaurant is vegetarian, with a number of vegan dishes as well. The restaurant’s elaborate biryani, tossed with vegetables and served with sauces like raita or aachar, are reliable standbys, but Maruti’s Baingan Bharta, a nuanced eggplant dish with layers of spice and smoke, is a must-order. Maruti is open for takeout and delivery through third-party apps.

This pescatarian, Latin American restaurant on Division has figured out some clever meatless versions of dishes often reliant on animal protein: The restaurant uses coconut meat for a ceviche with a kick of Serrano chiles, uses jackfruit for a version of Cuban ropa vieja, and fries banana flowers for a dish almost reminiscent of fish tacos. Mestizo is open for takeout via online order, appears on Caviar, and offers outdoor seating.