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Vegan Food on Whidbey Island, WA: The Complete Guide

Today I want to share a list of my favorite spots to find vegan food on Whidbey Island – a place in Northwestern Washington state that I’ve called home for over seven years. From restaurants and coffee shops to grocery stores and even a vegan bed and breakfast, Whidbey Island has plenty to offer to its vegan and vegetarian visitors.

Vegan options at Whidbey Doughnuts

Whidbey Island is a true gem of a place to visit year round. It’s a perfect destiation for a laid-back vacation or a weekend getaway with plenty of hiking, sightseeing, walking on the beach, and of course eating.

Here you’ll get that “in the middle of nowhere” feeling while having plenty of dining and shopping options within a short reach.

Before the pandemic, hundreds of thousands of tourists visited Whidbey Island every year. While the summer of 2021 is just beginning as I’m writing this, it sounds like those numbers are heading back to those pre-pandemic levels.

We moved to Whidbey Island a little over seven years ago, and have loved every minute. (Well, almost – the windstorms that lead to power outages in the winter are no fun 😅)

When we first got here, I could count vegan-friendly food places on one hand. Thankfully, a lot of local restaurants have since recognized the demand for vegan and plant-based food options.

When our family moves to Virginia in the next few months, I’ll miss this wonderful area a whole lot 😔

So before we leave, I want to tell you about local restaurants, diners, coffee shops, grocery stores, and lodging options that together paint a picture of vegan Whidbey Island. From vegan donuts and tacos to ramen and pizza – you definitely won’t go hungry here!

Better yet, I’ve included a few insider tips on how to order vegan food at some restaurants where that option isn’t obvious.

More posts about our life on Whidbey Island:

Visiting Whidbey Island for the first time (before we moved here).

Our story of moving to Whidbey Island 6 months after our first visit.

How I trained for the Rock’n’Roll Seattle Marathon while living on Whidbey Island.

A Note from the Author:

I published this list in June 2021 as we were just entering the post-pandemic times. Vegan options at these restaurants may change over time. If you find different options at any of these places, please let me know, and I’ll update the post.

Also, if you find a vegan-friendly business on Whidbey Island that isn’t listed below, please let me know, and I’ll gladly add it below.

Where to Find Vegan Food on Whidbey Island

Whidbey Island Bagel Factory

Has vegan options. Locations: Clinton, Oak Harbor. Open 7 days a week, 7 am – 3 pm.

Whidbey Island Bagel Factory is a great option for a vegan-friendly breakfast. They offer deliciously plump New York-style bagels that even my New York-born and raised husband approves.

The bagels are available in a variety of flavors. PLEASE NOTE: not all bagels are vegan-friendly – some are made with cheese and/or bacon. Make sure to ask the staff if needed.

Our favorite bagels: Everything (get there early – these go fast), Poppyseed, Olive (my 3 year-old’s go-to option), rosemary sea salt.

Other options: Cashew-based vegan cream cheese that they make themselves. To be honest, I wasn’t thrilled with it, but I’ve heard that others liked it. They used to offer a vegan sandwich served on a bagel of your choice, but it looks like it’s no longer available (as I’m writing this in June 2021).

Whidbey Doughnuts

Has vegan options. Location: Bayview Corner in Langley. Open 7 days a week, 6 am – 8 pm.

My life on Whidbey Island can be divided into “before” and “after” Whidbey Doughnuts started offering raised (yeasted) vegan doughnuts. These are truly the next level stuff – pillowy, decadent, melt-in-your-mouth good. If you were a doughnut fan in your pre-vegan days, don’t miss them!

Vegan doughnuts on Whidbey Island
Interestingly, vegan doughnuts at Whidbey Doughnuts are square; all other doughnuts are round.

Keep in mind: as I’m writing this in June 2021, raised (yeasted) doughnuts are only available on Saturdays and Sundays. Usually there’s a selection of frosted and traditional glazed doughnuts. If you stop by any other day of the week, they’ll have vegan cake doughnuts (unless they sell out).

But wait… there’s more! Whidbey Donuts functions as a diner, so they offer lunch options too.

As of right now their vegan-friendly menu items include avocado toast served with salsa on top (pretty good), french fries, and roasted tomato-basil soup. They can also modify their salads to be vegan upon request.

Pickles Deli

Some options can be modified vegan. Location: Ken’s Corner shopping plaza in Clinton. Open Monday-Saturday, 9 am – 7 pm.

Another Whidbey Island classic that’s been favored by locals for years. Pickles Deli offers lots of sandwiches, soups, salads, etc., but only a couple of them can be modified to be vegan.

VEGAN OPTIONS: Here’s what you can order at Pickles Deli as a vegan.

Raw Veggie Patch wrap – fresh veggies, sprouts, sunflowerseeds, and roasted garlic hummus wrapped in a tortilla, then grilled in a panini grill. Important: ask for no tzatziki or feta cheese (those are included by default). I also like to ask for extra hummus to balance it out.

Create Your Own Sandwich – as the name suggests, you get a choice of bread, condiments, “meat” (vegan options include Field Roast sausage and Beyond burger), and various fixings and toppings. Ask for vegan options in each category to be sure.

Bonus: each sandwich/wrap is served with a homemade dill pickle spear. Check it out if you’re into craft foods.

South Whidbey Commons

Some vegan options. Location: 2nd Street in downtown Langley. Open 7 days a week, 8 am – 5 pm.

South Whidbey Commons is an interesting place. It’s a non-profit organization that teaches young locals the skills needed to work in restaurant industry.

Locals get together here for a cup of coffee and a good conversation. You’ll also find baked goods (a lot of them made in-house), various hot food items, and a selection of vintage books and books by local authors.

VEGAN OPTIONS: The menu varies daily, so it can be hard to tell what exactly you’ll find. Some examples of their vegan options:

  • Vegan Pad Thai;
  • Bahn mi sandwich;
  • Soup of the day – coconut curry and tomato;
  • Jackfruit tacos
  • Portobello “burger” (ask for no cheese)

I was informed that a lot of their dishes can be made vegan by omitting cheese and/or egg. Also, there’s an option to substitute vegenaise for regular mayo.

In the morning they offer bagels from Whidbey Island Bagel Factory. There’s also a good selection of non-dairy milk for coffee.

OSM Eats at Tilth Market

Has a separate vegan menu. Location: Tilth Market in Langley. Open Saturday and Sunday, 11 am – 2 pm.

This is a new addition to the vegan scene of Whidbey Island. Right now (as of June 2021) OSM Eats operates for 3 hours a day on weekends only, but I hope for them to gain momentum and open a more permanent place in the future.

VEGAN OPTIONS: A separate all-vegan menu varies day by day, but almost always includes vegan pizza, seitan tacos, beans and rice, sushi (what?!), and at least one sweet treat. Even better – the prices are very affordable.

Here’s what we found on the menu when we stopped by recently:

Vegan menu at OSM Eats on Whidbey Island

Here’s what we ordered on that particular day:

The Foccacia sandwich – a glorious sandwich that was as delicious as it was giant. Loaded with roasted veggies, cheese, mushrooms, arugula and other things, and baked until everything melted and fused together. My husband said he could eat one of those every week for the rest of his life.

The Chickpea Curry (see below) – a simple curry with chickpeas and greens in a mild, nicely spiced coconut-tomato broth. Served with a side of brown rice. Very pleasant.

Hummus plate – delicious house-made hummus topped with olive oil and sesame seeds, served with carrot and celery sticks. There’s an option to get it with sliced baguette, potato chips, or house-made flatbread. We chose the latter, and it didn’t disappoint.

Vegan options at OSM Eats on Whidbey Island
The Chickpea Curry at OSM Eats

To see what exactly they’re offering on a particular day, check out their Facebook page: OSM Eats.

Village Pizzeria

Some options can be modified vegan. Location: 1st Street in downtown Langley. Open 7 days a week, 11:30 am – 7:30 pm.

Village Pizzeria is one of the best-known restaurants in downtown Langley. At the time of writing this post (June 2021) they were open for takeout only, but hopefully they get a chance to reopen their beautiful dining room with stunning views of Saratoga Passage in the near future.

In the past months we often got a pie from them to eat either in the Seawall Park below the restaurant, or at one of the tables on 2nd street in front of the Callahan’s Firehouse (which is a misnomer because it’s a glass blowing studio).

Some independently owned pizzerias in greater Seattle area have recognized the need for a vegan cheese option, but Village Pizzeria hasn’t been one of them so far. Maybe we should tell them that there are some great options on the market today? Follow Your Heart mozzarella shreds would be a fantastic choice 😉

VEGAN OPTIONS: I can count at least three vegetarian options that can be made vegan if you order them in a specific way. Pay attention!

Veggie Pizza – 14 or 16 inch thin crust; comes with mushrooms, olives, green peppers and onions. Important: to make it vegan, order it with no cheese and with marinara sauce instead of pizza sauce (the latter is made with cheese for some reason 😏).

(You can also create your own pizza by choosing from a variety of veggie toppings they offer.)

Vegan options at Village Pizzeria on Whidbey Island
Modified veggie pizza at Village Pizzeria on Whidbey Island

Spaghetti Marinara Pasta – order it with veggies (the other 2 options aren’t vegan). The serving is very generous, so if you aren’t super hungry, you can order a half serving. In pre-COVID days this dish came with sliced homemade bread and balsamic-olive oil-roasted garlic dip, but I don’t know if they still do that.

Vegetarian Hero Sandwich – just like anything vegetarian in this world, make it vegan by ordering it with no cheese. Veggies include mushrooms, onions, olives, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, and mixed greens. Usually it comes with a side salad (ask for no cheese to be on the safe side), but FYI sometimes they offer it with non-vegan pasta salad or coleslaw.

The Braeburn

Some options can be modified vegan. Location: downtown Langley. Open Wed-Fri 11am – 7:30/8 pm; Sat 9 am – 8 pm; Sun 9 am – 2 pm.

The Braeburn is another neat, independently owned restaurant in downtown Langley. Like a lot of restaurants on this list, the Braeburn prides itself on sourcing a lot of their ingredients locally from around Puget Sound area.

The restaurant’s menu doesn’t clearly state vegan options, so originally I wasn’t going to include the Braeburn here. But then the owner Lisa reached out and told me that a lot of their dishes can be veganized upon request. She even suggested which vegan-friendly ingredients can be used instead of the non-vegan ones.

Here’s the rundown on vegan-friendly options at the Braeburn.

BREAKFAST. Huevos Rancheros (minus the Huevos) – fried white corn tortillas are topped with verde sauce, black beans, cilantro, salsa. Leave off the eggs and cotija cheese, sub veggies instead – they offer jalapeños and roasted red peppers. The dish comes with a side of roasted breakfast potatoes or fresh fruit.

Granola Parfait – includes house-made vegan granola and fresh berries. Ask for non-dairy soy or oat milk to be used instead of greek yogurt.

Potatoes O’Braeburn – a “build your own” type of dish with the base of breakfast potatoes. Vegan add-ons include a variety of veggies like roasted red peppers, black beans, sautéed mushrooms, red onions, tomatoes, sautéed local greens, etc.

Veggie Hash – a big sautée of roasted vegetables and sautéed local greens. Usually topped with eggs and toast – skip the eggs and sub a side of fruit or potatoes to make it vegan.

LUNCH. Black Bean Burger – includes a grilled house-made black bean patty made with mushrooms, oats, flax seeds, etc. To make the whole burger vegan, skip the chipotle mayo and sub dijon mustard. Note that the potato bun isn’t vegan, but they have a variety of vegan breads and vegan + gluten free burger buns.

The Wrap – house-made hummus and a variety of veggies in a garlic herb wrap. Includes feta cheese – skip it to make the wrap vegan and sub sliced tomatoes.

Soup – one of the two rotating soups is vegan. Served with toast.

Salads – any salad can be made vegan upon request.

DINNER. Mediterranean Plate – includes house-made baba ghanoush, hummus, roasted red peppers, kalamata olives, pepperoncini, cucumber, carrot sticks and grilled pita.

Veggie Alfredo – skip the non-vegan Alfredo sauce and ask the chef to prepare the dish with a white wine-lemon sauce instead.

The Wrap, the black bean burger, and one vegan soup are also available on the dinner menu.

(Thanks Lisa!)

Ultra House

Has vegan options. Location: downtown Langley. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 11:30 am – 3 pm, 4:30 – 8 pm.

Ultra House is the stuff of legend. Seattleites who used to live in Japan and miss good Japanese ramen come here to get a fix. The owner-operators Cheryl and her husband Denis aim to honor Denis’ Japanese roots by making everything as authentic as possible.

(I know the word “authentic” gets thrown around a bit too much, but this place is a real deal.)

Here you’ll find delicious ramen, gyoza dumplings, onigiri rice balls, rice bowls, etc. made with ingredients they get from Japanese food vendors and distributors.

Vegan ramen at Ultra House on Whidbey Island
The Creamy Vegan ramen at Ultra House on Whidbey Island

VEGAN OPTIONS: Ultra House offers 2 types of ramen that can be made vegan. NOTE: specify that you want your food be made vegan-style, i.e. with vegan kale noodles, tofu instead of shrimp (in Tan Tan Veg), and no egg.

Creamy Veg or Vegan Ramen – Creamy veggie broth, noodles, veg tare, black garlic oil, fried tofu, spinach, corn, bok choy, menma, bean sprouts, shiitake mushrooms, nori, shoga, scallions, sesame seeds.

Tan Tan Veg Ramen – Mildly spicy veggie broth, Tan Tan tare, noodles, black garlic oil, fried tofu, spinach, bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, menma, nori, shoga, scallions, sesame seeds.

Other vegan options include veggie gyoza dumplings, vegan onigiri rice balls (get the ones with pickled plum filling), a veggie rice bowl made with fried tofu and a variety of vegetables, and even vegan mochi for dessert.

China City

Has vegan options. Location: Freeland and Oak Harbor. Open 7 days a week: dine-in starts at 3 pm, take-out – at 11 am.

China City is a well-established restaurant with two locations on Whidbey Island + one location on the mainland in Mill Creek. When we first moved to Whidbey Island in 2014, this was one of our go-to places when we wanted to go out to dinner.

VEGAN OPTIONS. Today their dinner menu has a dedicated vegetarian section. It includes options like baby bok choy, garlic broccoli, Kung Pao/Szechuan Tofu, tofu with vegetables, etc. You’ll also find edamame, brussels sprouts with almonds, and tofu lettuce wraps on the appetizer menu.

NOTE: Since all of these dishes are marked “vegetarian”, make sure to ask them to make your food vegan-style (some things may otherwise contain eggs, etc.).

Here’s the deal with China City though. Pre-COVID we absolutely LOVED their Szechuan Tofu. It was made with delicously crispy veggies, chewy tofu, and finished with a flavorful, spicy sauce.

But something happened in 2020 that the quality of this amazing dish plummeted like a rock. The texture of the veggies was off, plus it seemed like the sauce got diluted – or they were using so little of it that the whole dish didn’t have any flavor.

Every time we ordered Szechuan Tofu from China City since then (at least 3-4 times since 2020), we hoped that maybe things would turn around. But unfortunately our favorite dish only kept getting worse 😞

Because of this I almost didn’t include China City in my roundup of vegan options on Whidbey Island. But I decided to give them a pass hoping that they will improve in the future. Plus, we haven’t ordered any of their other veg-friendly offerings in a while, so maybe those haven’t encountered the same fate.

Verdict: If you expect vegan options at China City to delight you with flavor, you may be disappointed.

Rocket Taco

Has vegan options. Location: Main Street in Freeland. Open Tues-Sun, 11:30 am – 8 pm (summer hours).

Rocket Taco is a fairly recent addition to the local restaurant scene. It’s one of the few restaurants on Whidbey Island that offers some options that are vegan by default.

VEGAN OPTIONS: The official menu on their site will show two veggie tacos (sweet potato-black bean and cauliflower-chickpea) that have non-vegan lime crema. However, if you order online, you’ll see a vegan (no lime crema) and non-vegan (with lime crema) versions of each of those.

If you’re ordering in person, just mention at the register that you want vegan versions of those tacos.

Vegan tacos at Rocket Tacos on Whidbey Island
Vegan Cauliflower-Chickpea Tacos at Rocket Taco

All tacos come with a side of smoky beans – yum!

Vegan Sweet Potato-Black Bean Taco – spicy sweet potatoes, black beans, guacamole, raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds). They’re even better with some pico de gallo added.

Vegan Cauliflower-Chickpea Taco – roasted cauliflower and chickpeas spiced with cumin and turmeric, topped with cucumber and cilantro.

Chips and Guacamole and/or Salsa – self-explanatory. A very generous serving.

Other options: Atomic Burrito, Mexican Potato and Rocket Taco Salad – omit queso fresco/melty or shredded cheese and lime crema; select one of the two veggie taco fillings from above.

Island Nosh

Has one vegan option. Location: Clinton (just up the road from the ferry terminal). Open Wed, Thu, Fri 3 – 8 pm.

Island Nosh is a cute local eatery with a laid-back atmosphere, lots of art on the walls, and a neat little patio for outdoor dining. Its location is perfect if you’ve just arrived or about to leave Whidbey Island on the Mukilteo-Clinton ferry.

VEGAN OPTIONS. At the moment Island Nosh offers only one vegan dish – the Whidbey Vegetable Bowl made with bean thread noodles, carrots, broccoli, green onion, celery and tofu. Everything is tossed in a tangy-sweet sauce, and topped with peanuts, sprouts and cilantro.

I tried it a couple times, and both times it was very good. Plus, the serving was big enough to eat now and save some for later.

It doesn’t appear that the folks at Island Nosh are planning to add more vegan options in the near future. But who knows – maybe they will if we bombard them with requests?

Gordon’s on Blueberry Hill

Has vegan options. Location: Freeland (south of Freeland Park). Dinner: Wed-Sun, 2 – 8 pm. Brunch: Sat-Sun 10 am-3 pm.

If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind local, chef-owned restaurant with a nice but laid-back atmosphere, Gordon’s is your place.

Gordon’s is perfect for special occasions, especially if you have both vegans and non-vegans in your party. We took my in-laws here a few weeks ago. They had their fish and steak, we had our vegan things, and everyone was happy. (Well, except for that fish and cow.)

Up until recently Gordon’s served vegan options only upon request. We had to inform them that we needed vegan options when making a dinner reservation a few days in advance. Chef Gordon would then make custom, off-the-menu vegan dishes for us.

Those dishes were always creative – Asian-style noodles, curries, pasta, marinated Portobello mushroom caps, etc. Everything was made with lots of locally grown veggies.

Another nice thing: if there were two vegans in our party (which was always the case with me and my husband), chef Gordon would make two different vegan dishes.

Fast forward to 2021: Gordon’s on Blueberry Hill now offers vegan options right on the menu!

Vegan options at Gordon's on Whidbey Island
Vegan Vegetable Masala Curry at Gordon’s on Blueberry Hill

VEGAN OPTIONS: The dinner menu has one vegan appetizer and two entrees. The brunch menu doesn’t seem to have vegan options, but it does list vegan sausage as a side order. (If you’re heading there for brunch, please call them and ask if they have any vegan specials that day.)

Squash Hush Puppies – plump deep-fried chickpea flour fritters made with shredded squash, corn, onions, garlic, and fresh herbs. Served with harissa, olive tapenade, and fresh greens. (The serving is big enough to be an entree.)

Vegan Burger – House-made veggie chickpea patty with harissa, arugula and sliced tomato, served on a toasted focaccia bun. Side options include house salad (ask for no cheese/vegn dressing) and Gordon’s Almost Famous Fries.

Vegan Vegetable Masala Curry – sweet potato, squash, and lots of seasonal vegetables, cooked with East Indian spices in a creamy tomato and coconut sauce. (They also added tofu cubes on the night I had it, but that probably depends on whether or not they have tofu at the moment.)

Noodles with Red Sauce (kids menu) – our 3 year-old loved her fettuccine with tomato sauce that we got her during our recent visit. You can peek at it in the picture above in the upper left corner.

Penn Cove Taproom

Some vegan-friendly options. Locations: Freeland, Coupeville, Oak Harbor. Open 7 days a week until 10 pm (Sun-Thu) or 11 pm (Fri-Sat).

Penn Cove Taproom is the product of locally owned and operated Penn Cove Brewing Company. Each of the three locations offers their signature beer varieties brewed here on Whidbey Island, made with locally sourced ingredients.

A Note from the Brewers:

The folks at Penn Cove Taproom informed me that only their New England-style IPAs (Ships Haven and Cedar Hollow) are vegan-friendly. In addition to that, they have two types of vegan-friendly hard cider.

The Coupeville and Oak Harbor locations have the same food menu, while the Freeland location features a food truck Wednesday-Sunday 12-9 pm, and offers pre-made food on Monday and Tuesday.

Freeland location: Features Reasonably Gordon’s food truck (affiliated with Gordon’s on Blueberry Hill restaurant – see above).

Vegan optionsvegan chorizo tacos made with Field Roast chorizo, mango salsa, and coleslaw on corn tortillas; vegan burger made with a chickpea and butternut squash patty, sliced tomatoes and greens. Both the tacos and the burger (picture below) come with a choice of waffle fries or fried Cajun tots.

Vegan options at Reasonably Gordon's food truck on Whidbey Island
Vegan options at Reasonably Gordon’s food truck on Whidbey Island

Coupeville and Oak Harbor locations: The menu clearly marks a few vegetarian options. Some of them can be made vegan (ask when ordering).

There’s a Field Roast sausage that can be served with various condiments like sauerkraut, mustard, relish, etc. (Note: I don’t know if the bun it’s served on is vegan.) A bag of chips is included, or you can get a side salad for an upcharge (ask for no cheese + use vegan-friendly dressing).

Bayview Farmers Market

A few vegan-friendly vendors. Location: Bayview Corner in Langley. Operates May – September, 10 am – 2 pm on Saturdays.

Bayview Farmers Market is a local institution. Here you can buy fresh local produce, enjoy locally made arts and crafts, and get food from a few mom-and-pop vendors.

Pre-COVID this place also offered live music, family-friendly activities, and other fun things. As of June 2021 almost all of these activities are back (aside from live music – hopefully it comes back soon).

There is no shortage of great produce stands here, but if you want to support vegan vendors, I’ve heard that the owners of the Foxtail Farm stand are reportedly vegan. They’ll hook you up with organic produce, fresh cut flowers, and veggie starts that they grow on their small USDA-certified organic farm.

If you’re feeling hungry, check out the black-owned and operated Lesedi’s food stand. Fill up on freshly made vegetable curry with coconut rice, kabocha squash soup, veggie samosas (a must-try), and sauteed greens.

Lesedi Farm and food stand are run by by Dorcas Young – an immigrant from Botswana who’s called Whidbey Island home for over 20 years. Besides fresh food, you’ll see pre-made sauces and fresh kale chips.

The selection of vendors at this farmers market varies week by week, so you might find other vegan-friendly offerings.

Local Coffee Shops

Any visit to Whidbey Island isn’t complete until you check out its numerous independently owned and operated coffee shops. In addition to coffee, a few of them roast their own beans. Pick up a bag of locally roasted coffee in grocery stores in and around the island.

VEGAN OPTIONS. The absolute majority of local coffee shops offer a variety of non-dairy milk types – coconut, oat, almond, soy, and even hemp (depending on the shop). Some offer limited vegan-friendly breakfast snacks like pre-packaged cookies, oatmeal, etc. I’ve even seen a vegan brownie once, but don’t remember where.

Here’s a list of coffee shops and coffee stands on Whidbey Island, arranged by location:

Mukilteo Coffee Roasters – Langley

Ulysses Coffee – Langley

Jet Java – Langley

Useless Bay Coffee Company – Langley (currently closed but sells roasted beans in stores and online)

Whidbey Coffee – Langley, Freeland, Oak Harbor (+ locations in the area)

Jupiter Coffee – Freeland

Crabby Coffee – Freeland

Southern Cross Espresso – Clinton, Freeland

Honeymoon Bay Coffee Roasters – Clinton, Oak Harbor

In addition to these coffee shops, the above mentioned breakfast places like Whidbey Doughnuts and Whidbey Island Bagel Factory also offer coffee.

Vegan Options at Grocery Stores

Payless Foods

Location: Main Street in Freeland. Open 7 days a week, 8 am – 9 pm.

Payless Foods is probably the busiest grocery store on South Whidbey. It’s locally owned and operated, and features some local produce and other foods in addition to all the food brought from the mainland.

Over the years the selection of vegan options at Payless has noticeably improved. In addition to no-brainer things like produce, grains, etc. you can find these specifically vegan products throughout the store:

  • In the refrigerated section – Miyoko’s, Melt and Earth Balance butter, Chao and Follow My Heart cheeses, Treeline and Violife cream cheeses;
  • In the dairy section – Forager, So Delicious, Silk brand yogurt; a selection of almond, oat, soy, coconut, and cashew milk and coffee creamers by various brands;
  • In the produce section – tofu, Follow Your Heart Vegenaise;
  • In the processed meats section – tempeh and sausages by Lightlife; sausages and deli slices by Tofurky; deli ham, bologna, etc. by Yves;
  • In the frozen foods section – sausages, nuggets, hamburgers, meatballs, vegan ground “beef”, etc. by brands like Beyond Meat, Gardein, Impossible Foods, Field Roast; plus frozen burritos and some veg-friendly frozen dinners by Amy’s;
  • In the ice cream section – ice cream in various flavors by Coconut Bliss, So Delicious, Ben and Jerry’s, Oatly.

That’s what I got off the top of my mind. Can you tell that I spend a lot of time at this store? 😄

The Goose Community Grocer

Location: Bayview Corner in Langley. Open 7 days a week, 7 am-10 pm (may close earlier in the winter).

Another solid choice for buying groceries on South Whidbey. This store is a part of a local nonprofit that benefits the community in various ways, from supporting local small businesses to helping families in need.

The Goose has a fantastic bulk section – better than in some of the fancier stores on the mainland. I’ve found obscure things like teff flour or green rice here over the years.

In addition to produce and other “vegan by default” foods, most of the specifically vegan products can be found in two areas:

  • The refrigerated section (next to the wine and fancy cracker area) – sausages, hot dogs, deli slices and cheeses by Field Roast; tofu by Azumaya and other companies; tempeh (regular and bacon) and sausages by Lightlife; some Miyoko’s cheeses; Vegenaise and cheeses by Follow Your Heart; packaged seitan by Upton.
  • The frozen food section – hamburgers, sausages, vegan ground “beef”, nuggets, etc. by brands like Field Roast, Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, Gardein, etc. In the ice cream aisle – ice cream by Oatly, Ben and Jerry’s, Coconut Bliss, So Delicious, Nada Moo, etc.
  • Also in the produce section next to packaged salad greens – a few additional tofu brands (for some reason).

The Star Store

Location: Downtown Langley. Open Mon-Sat 8 am – 7 pm, Sun 8 am – 5 pm.

The Star Store is one of the oldest businesses on Whidbey Island. It was originally established in 1919. Its current owners have run this place since 1984.

Full disclosure: I’ve only shopped here occasionally in my years of living on Whidbey Island. Mostly because its location is kind of out of my way, but also because the prices here are noticeably higher.

(My husband and I made up a jingle: “If you want to pay less, go to Payless! If you want to pay more, go to Star Store!”)

Whenever I do go to the Star Store, I sometimes find vegan products that I haven’t seen anywhere else on the island. During my most recent visit I’ve seen the following vegan foods:

  • In the frozen foods area – frozen pizza by Amy’s and Daiya; frozen mac and cheese by Field Roast; frozen sliders and other products by Gardein; ice cream by Coconut Bliss and Ben and Jerry’s.
  • In the refrigerated area – Miyoko’s and Parmela’s Creamery cheeses; Follow Your Heart Vegenaise; various brands of tofu.

Perhaps my favorite part of the Star Store isn’t the grocery store – it’s the “Mercantile” with lots of kitchenware (food blogger paradise), cookbooks, clothes and shoes for adults and kids, plus a huge selection of fancy wines. Everything is connected, so you can pick up a frozen pizza and a pair of socks at the same time if the need arises.

Vegan Lodging

Someday Farm Vegan Bed and Breakfast

Location: Freeland. Open year round (book in advance!)

I’m stepping away from talking about places to eat and buy vegan food to bring up my friend Jill’s amazing all-vegan bed and breakfast (that’s not stepping too far as you see 😄). Someday Farm vegan bed and breakfast is well-known among vegans in and around Seattle area, and it’s usually booked up months in advance.

But if you’re lucky enough to get a reservation, you won’t regret it. This place is located on a farm owned by Jill and her husband Dave (truly amazing people) in the heart of South Whidbey Island.

There’s only one suite to stay at, so you won’t have to worry about loud guests staying in the next room, etc.

Every morning Jill cooks up a vegan breakfast with more food than you can possibly eat. She’ll even make gluten-free things if you request them in advance.

Someday farm vegan bed and breakfast on Whidbey Island, WA
Me a few years ago, holding my baby daughter in front of the Someday Farm vegan bed and breakfast building.

For lunch and dinner you can go out, or cook something up yourself – the B&B suite has a fully stocked kitchen. If you do, Jill requests that (in case there are meat eaters in your party) only vegan food is cooked on the premises.

More things to enjoy. Animals like sheep, goats, and miniature horses (awww) roaming around. Lots of walking trails on the territory of the farm and all over Whidbey Island. Truly relaxing atmosphere. Feeling like you’re in the middle of nowhere, yet being close to a few of the restaurants from above, a grocery store, local shops, coffee spots, etc.


So this is my list of places to find vegan food on Whidbey Island. As of right now, it’s limited to South Whidbey. However, if you find a vegan-friendly business on Whidbey Island that isn’t listed below, please let me know, and I’ll gladly add it here.

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Alina Zavatsky - Vegan Runner Eats
Alina first made a switch to a vegan diet in 2013 to optimize her athletic performance as a marathon runner. Eventually she embraced veganism as a way to be kinder to fellow living beings and the environment. Alina hopes that this blog helps its readers on their path to becoming vegan and making this world a better place.

Jeff

Sunday 19th of December 2021

Grate = great, lol

Jeff

Sunday 19th of December 2021

Grate to get this useful info but just a comment on what you wrote re The Braeburn: "Veggie Alfredo – skip the non-vegan Alfredo sauce and ask the chef to prepare the dish with a white wine-lemon sauce instead." Just to say that White wine is often (most often) not vegan (due to the use of animal, often fish, based clarifying agents - called "finings"). And be careful which type of pasta (fresh pasta is made with eggs). Last comment - anything vaguely Thai or other asian cooking is a minefield of fish sauce (in a pork free and therefore thought to be OK bhan mi sandwich for example maybe? not sure) or (in chinese cooking) the equally dreaded oyster sauce.

Alina Zavatsky - Vegan Runner Eats

Tuesday 21st of December 2021

Thanks Jeff!