Back when I was just a wee visitor to Columbus, I remember being pleasantly surprised at the wealth of vegan offerings in the city. Since moving here, I’ve become even more acquainted with the ever-growing list of places that either have entire menus dedicated to animal-free fare, or at the very least plenty of options to easily customize dishes to make them vegan.
It was not long ago that a visiting tattoo artist from Chicago asked me what his vegan options were while he was in town. I distracted myself from the adorable little strawberry I was getting inked onto my arm by rambling off a list of options close by in the Short North area. Happy Little Treats, Woodhouse Vegan and North Market’s Willowbeez…the list goes on.
While the above examples are in close proximity to one another, the vegan food scene weaves itself throughout the entire city. Enter Nile Vegan, whose first location in the University District (1479 Worthington St.) opened in 2019, and whose second location in Grandview (1223 Goodale Blvd.) beat the odds by successfully opening — and thriving — during the start of the pandemic in 2020.
Nile Vegan is one of the reasons Columbus is considered a top vegan city in the Midwest. It even made Columbus Underground’s list of Top 10 Vegetarian & Vegan restaurants last year.
I recently paid a visit to their Grandview location, which has a spacious dining area with plenty of seating, including a couple of longer tables for larger groups. Outside the front doors, there’s an intimate little two-top, and even a few parking spots. As someone who’s still fairly new to city street parking, the sight of a parking lot (no matter how small) always makes my heart sing a little.
Before I even sat down I knew I’d want to order something from their list of lunch and dinner specials, all of which are under $10. (Heads up: Once their breakfast menu is done being revamped with new items, it will also list selections that are all within the $10 range.)
Nile Vegan offers a variety of vegan Ethiopian food that is warm, colorful and comforting. The menu features veggie-forward stews such as lentils with okra and curried split peas. Their chickpea sauce with kale is so popular that it’s now a hashtag. On #ChickpeaTuesdays you can get the entire dish for $7.49 or just the chickpea sauce for $6.
All dishes are served with injera, a made-fresh-daily fermented flatbread with a playful stretch and a taste similar to sourdough. The stew is served over the injera, with extra bread rolled up on both sides of the plate.
The injera is what you use to scoop up the stew and it’s as fun to unroll and rip into bite-sized pieces as it is to eat. The experience reminded me that dining with my hands is a beautiful way to feel more in touch with the food— both figuratively and literally. Utensils need not apply.
I ordered the curried vegetable medley, a stew of chopped cabbage, carrots, string beans and hefty chunks of soft potato, all dyed a vibrant turmeric yellow. The flavors were subtle and soothing, making the dish easy to keep eating long after I was no longer hungry. For the record, I still had plenty of leftovers, as Nile Vegan does not shy away from sizable portions.
I also treated myself to an order of sambusas (three for $6). The lightly fried pastries are stuffed with lentils, onions, garlic and jalapeño peppers. If you’re anything like me and delight in portable food that is neatly folded at the corners like tasty little envelopes, you will adore sambusas. Again, even though my appetite was satiated, I couldn’t help but eat two, saving just one for later.
Whether veganism is a lifestyle you follow closely or just something you’re trying to incorporate more of in your weekly routine, I recommend immediately adding Nile Vegan to your list of go-to restaurants. It’s the food equivalent of a plush, warm blanket that you want to wrap around yourself and sink into.
For more information, visit NileVegan.com
All photos taken by Taylor Meredith