Vegan New England, Part 1

My cousin got married in Cohasset, Massachusetts over the weekend, so it was time for a New England roadtrip! I was so impressed with vegan offerings up north and continue to be awed by how vegan consciousness has expanded, resulting in top-notch food options across our great country. And I’m not done! I have reported vegan eats from only 21 of our states. A trip like this wets my appetite for more.Just a short drive from my home New York, it’s a wonder why I don’t head north more often to explore Connecticut’s vegan offerings. I knew from my trip to Providence in 2010 (here) that off the I-95 lies a diner offering a substantial selection for vegans. Since my alarm clock malfunction nixed the possibility of hitting True Bistro for brunch before the wedding ceremony, I knew I needed a good couple of bites to power me through a few hours of driving. I plugged in Shoreline Diner into the G.P.S. for an early-birdy lunch.

Shoreline’s menu has been re-worked since my last visit and includes a vegan Napolean! Reading that v-word in a omnivorous menu is one of the small pleasures of my life. But imagine seeing that v-word on a huge billboard? Though I am so grateful for Shoreline, a quick and convenient stop off the interstate, I wish Shoreline would increase the variety of their awesome offerings to include eggless breakfast stuff. Breakfast/brunch is my meal of choice and I know they got the raw materials for pure breakfast magic.

On our stop I got the tempeh “chicken salad” sandwich on their fabulous house-made baguette. I love ground up tempeh of this kind–such a great texture. The sandwich was yummy and kept me fueled until the wedding dinner; and that is with only eating about half of it!

I meant to return on the way back to try that Napolean, but, as fate would have it, Connecticut had another gem hidden in the rough. More on that later..

Next time you are on the I-95, check them out. Businesses like this need our support! They are constantly evolving. With one of their people completeing the Artisanal Bread Baking course at French Culinary Institute in New York City, they now make all their own bread. They also have recently consulted with Well On Wheels, Connecticut Chef Mary Lawrence‘s vegan personal chef service, to create more scrumptious vegan dishes. They also have a gluten-free menu. To put in plainly…they’re awesome.