If you’re anywhere near Sri Thanu on Koh Phangan, Thailand, around the yoga centers: Zen Beach, Haad Yao, or Salad Beach—make time for Street Vegan. It’s vegan and so satisfying that one meal might convince you that eating plant-based is not a compromise. I suggest for any vegan restaurant owner or chef to come to this modestly-priced venue to learn from a master.

I’ve been to Koh Phanghan a handful of times but things there change fast. Street Vegan was recommended through our musician friend Harel Shachel, who spends a lot of time on the island performing (and eating), and it turned out to be one of those easy, memorable family meals you don’t overthink, you just go back.

Street Vegan is right on the main road and easy to reach by car, scooter or the shared taxi trucks. Inside, the vibe is relaxed but special. The upper floor feels like a treehouse, looking down onto the kitchen and you can actually see the food being prepared, which gives you confidence that nothing rushed, and everything made with care. You can say that about Thai food in general but this place is a cut above.

We went around midday, the hottest month of the year, with the kids and ordered a mix from the menu to share.

The tofu cubes topped with fried onions were a hit—crispy, savory, simple but really well done. Another standout was the sautéed tofu served in cabbage leaves, fresh and nicely balanced. My daughter ordered dim sum, which was light and well made and filled with mushrooms I believe, and we also tried the sweet potato gnocchi with pesto which surprisingly good. Everything in the restaurant is gluten-free and meat and animal-product free.

The highlight for everyone was the chocolate cake. Which I do have have a picture of, sadly because we attacked it.

I’ve made vegan cakes with coconut butter and tofu but this was hand-down taking the cake. I might reach out for the recipe. The cake was creamy, rich, with a delightful crust made from coconut and nuts, and honestly hard to believe it was vegan. One of those desserts you end up finishing even when you’re full.

The guy beside us ordered the Buddha bowl and he looked like a satisfied regular.

What stands out at Street Vegan is the quality of ingredients. Thailand has incredible produce—fresh fruits, vegetables, coconut oil, palm sugar—and you can taste it here. But it’s also the effort behind the food. You can see the kitchen working, step by step, and it shows in the final dishes. The chef told me it’s endless work when I thanked her.

Street Vegan not trying to be fancy or trendy. Just solid, flavorful vegan food in a great setting. It’s open many hours until the night. I hope the owner can hold her stamina because it’s a place worth protecting and sharing. I remember years ago telling everyone to eat at Mama Poos. Now it’s the mama at Street Vegan.

If you’re on Koh Phangan, especially around Sri Thanu, this is a must-stop.

Getting to Street Vegan

Street Vegan House is located on the west coast of Koh Phangan in the Hin Kong area (near Sri Thanu), known as a major vegan hub. It is situated along the main road, easily accessible by scooter or songthaew taxi from Thong Sala or Sri Thanu and offers Vietnamese-style plant-based street food (open Mon-Sat, 1 PM-10 PM).

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Our friends from Green Traveler Guides sent over a fabulous overview of the top cafes, markets and restaurants leading Lebanon’s slow food revolution and we have rounded up six of them. Hit the jump for a guide to Beirut’s hottest sustainable food establishments.

1. Souk el Tayeb and Tawlet

Founded by Kamal Mouzawak, Souk el Tayeb is the oldest and largest organic food market in Beirut. A wonderful place for customers, farmers and restaurateurs to meet, greet and share some of the healthiest food goods available in the country, the market is open every Saturday from 9am to 2p.m. And then there is Tawlet, which is hosting the recycling training sessions we wrote about last week, which is also owned by Mouzawak. In addition to local wines and 961 beer, this hip new food joint features artisanal dishes by Josphin Ghaleb from Tripoli.

2. Walid Ataya and Slow Food Lebanon

Walid Ataya has several slow food establishments under his care, including Bread Republic and Cow & Apple Bistro, in addition to a couple of wine stores. And every Tuesday morning, the founder of Slow Food Lebanon hosts Souk el Ared, a small 1%% certified organic farmers market, on the patio of his Nehme Yafet Street Bread Republic.

3. L’Boulangere by Seline Hashem

If delectable pastries made with organic ingredients floats your taste buds, then you might want to stop by this artisan bakery in the Achrafieh neighborhood. Run by Seline Hashem, the bakery is located on St. Nicolas Selim Bustros Street and offers croissants, bread, proper French baguettes and more.

4. A New Earth

Sabine Kassouf and Layane Makarem founded A New Earth – reportedly the most successful natural foods store in Beirut. It is also the largest and a variety of eco-products are available as well. With more than 16,000 “likes” on their Facebook page, this wonderful store demonstrates how eager the citizens of Beirut are about eco-options.

5. Al Marej

Founded by Haifa el Chaaer and her husband, Al Marej is the only grocery store in the city that sells 100% certified organic, locally-grown products, including meat. Also in Achrafieh, this store is located on Abdel Wahab El-Inglizi.

6. Healthy Basket

Last but not least, the Healthy Basket established by Ranya Tiuma is the only CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program that offers some organic produce at the same prices that consumers pay in conventional stores. They also sell cage-free eggs and organic milk.

For a more exhaustive discussion at what is driving Lebanon’s slow food revolution, stop by Green Traveler Guides, from whence this post was adapted. 

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