Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Ovo
American
International
Organic
Beer/Wine
Delivery
Cafe serving vegetarian cuisine with international flair, such as vegetarian sushi, sandwiches, salads, a raw tapas plate, fruit smoothies and elixirs, and dinner plates. Reported closed June 2025.
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40 Wall St (at downtown), Asheville, North Carolina, USA, 28801
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- Outdoor seating
- Accepts credit cards
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Last update on 09 Jun 2025 by Davesw
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214 Reviews
First Review by aglenn0
Wit84
Points +140
So good had to go back! - Edit
This happened to be the closest vegan restaurant once we started our search so we walked over to check it out. So glad we did as we were able to not only sit outside for Sunday brunch on a beautiful day, but a street performer serenaded us with great classics. Although they were busy, we were seated quickly, had a very friendly and informative server, our food arrived really quick, and everything was tasty! Especially loved the cinnamon roll as a sweet treat. We ended up returning later for dinner because they left us wanting more and we equally enjoyed our experience. A different performer, outside seating on a summer night, good service, and good vegan food.
Read morePros: Great food and good selection , LOTS of vegan options , Attentive servers and friendly staff
Guest
BigRach
Points +24
Highly recommend - Edit
I was the only vegan in a group of 12 (2 vegetarians) everyone loved their meals! The staff was super accommodating when we walked in without a reservation and the food was delicious— left with some really good ideas for recipes!
Read morePros: Great environment , Friendly employees
Guest
Mom2C
Points +82
A lot to offer!! - Edit
This place was a jewel! Our server was adorable - did a great job and was very helpful. It’s got outdoor seating, plenty of indoor seating & a cool little bar. Their drinks menu was excellent. I got a very strong Daiquiri Clasique that was tasty. My fried green tomatoes over grits were bland & my Chipotle tomato soup was too much. But my Mom’s Ruben & Dad’s Jackfruit over grits were good! And my daughter loved her pesto pasta (that was pink!) We got one of their 2 vegan desserts to take home. The menu is noted when it’s a vegan item or can easily be made vegan. (They also do a lot of gluten free). Only downside was the parking. P.S. I ate my Mom’s leftover Reuben the following day & it was AWESOME!! That will be the dish I order next visit!
Read morePros: Many wonderful vegan choices. , Great drinks menu. , Really good service.
Cons: The parking downtown. , You may order a dud (like I did).
Guest
JenAsheville
Points +83
Great vegetarian food in the heart of downtown - Edit
This restaurant has been around since we moved to Asheville twenty years ago. The food is excellent. They have something for everyone, and we often bring our non-veg family here. The Harmony Bowl is a family favorite (and BIG). South by Southwest Burrito is hearty and delicious. Try the Asian Fusion salad for something lighter.
Read morePros: Excellent food, Lots of menu choices, Right downtown
Cons: Service can be hit or miss
Guest
kgrizzle
Points +84
healthy, delicious, so many options - Edit
Veggie and vegan heaven! Excellent choice if you want healthy and tasty... Pretty much everything on the menu fits the bill. Love this place, have tried half the (huge) menu by now, with no complaints.
Read moreGuest
beccab123
Points +57
This place is awesome!!! - Edit
I was seriously in vegan heaven. I was also with four hard core omnis, and they loved it. One even said that her "crab cake" was better than any real crab cake she'd ever had.
Read moreGuest
ChloeElrod
Points +61
So good! - Edit
Wonderful food! The raw dishes are amazing and the cheesecake is divine! Loved it!
Read moreGuest
lynnepw
Points +50
Reliable consistency - Edit
The laughing seed in Asheville has been serving strictly vegetarian and vegan food for many years. They are always reliable with a varied menu and good service. This is one of our favorite restaurants in Asheville NC before we were vegan.
Read morePros: All vegetarian/vegan, no animal products are used, Food is always prepared well, Extensive menu of good food and beverages
Cons: No cons
Guest
NolanGuiffre
Points +77
Super Delicious! - Edit
We were very happy to find a great Vegan restaurant in North Carolina! I had the raw manicotti. It was my first experience with specially prepared raw food. It surpassed my expectations! Plenty of non-raw options as well. Great staff and atmosphere too!
Read morePros: Delicious, Staff, Selection
Cons: Tad pricey
Guest
BiteSizedBeet
Points +970
Two great meals - Edit
I visited Laughing Seed for lunch and brunch while visiting Asheville and both were very positive experiences. The Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake is incredible, and I loved the biscuit and gravy from The Blue Plate. The breakfast potatoes and grits were prepared perfectly. When there for brunch we sat at the back of the restaurant; it was a rainy day so the humidity made us a little uncomfortable because there isn’t much air circulation back there.
Read morePros: Clearly marked vegan options , Variety of dishes to choose from
Guest
rhjandkej
Points +57
Tasty vegetarian and vegan restaurant - Edit
My husband and I had lunch here for the first time recently. It will be a regular stop when we visit Asheville again. We had the The Seed Burger and the Buffalo Fried Seitan. The burger was a little messy but the food, ambiance, service and prices were all good.
Read moreGuest
CassyBarfield
Points +63
My Favorite Restaurant Period! - Edit
Love Laughing Seed. We drive from Johnson City and it's so worth it. I never know what I'm going to get but perusing the menu, chatting with the bartender and staff, and having SO many vegan options. It's like being a kid in a candy store! You have to try it.
Read morePros: Staff, Menu Options just for VEGANS, Selection and creativity
Cons: Parking sucks
Guest
rebeccalilly.a
Points +176
Delicious food and great service! - Edit
We had a great experience at the Laughing Seed! It’s a fully vegetarian restaurant, but nearly all the dishes on their menu can be made vegan. I got the Lotus Bowl, which was fresh and flavorful, and my mom got the Harmony Bowl with their NEXT LEVEL grilled tofu. Make sure you get something with their homemade purple kraut—amazing! My dad really enjoyed the SXSW burrito and my sister’s tempeh reuben was great. Whatever you do...don’t leave without ordering one of their vegan desserts. We got the key lime cheesecake and it was divine. My vegetarian (but not vegan) family loved it, too! The only thing I will say is that it is a very popular place, so get there on the earlier side to avoid a wait. Definitely a must go if you are in the area! :)
Read morePros: Plentiful vegan options, Generous portions, Great service
Cons: Always busy (but only because they have such great
Guest
SebastianCarter
Points +107
decent - Edit
Was not a huge lover but the staff where very friendly, the jalapeño fries where over cooked
Read morePros: staff very friendly
Cons: limited options , food quality
Guest
rhianderson566
Points +64
Amazing variety mostly vegan - Edit
Went here for dinner during my long weekend in Asheville and everything was great. We had the vegan charcuterie board to start which had vegan jerkey that was amazing. For my meal I had the mushroom ramen and keylime cheesecake for dessert. It was hard to choose because the menu has such a variety and everything sounded amazing-mostly vegan.
Read morePros: Variety, Delicious
Guest
hayvin
Points +128
Great! - Edit
A Mainstay of the vegetarian scene in Asheville. Great quality food with abundant choices. Lacto Ovo, so make sure to read carefully/ask your server if you want pure vegan. Nice flavors, some heavy options and some light.
Read morePros: International fusion, Good flavor, Wide variety of options
Cons: Lacto Ovo, not pure vegan, A bit pricey, Can be crowded
Guest
hellojessiejo
Points +139
Perfect! - Edit
We were going to get a late breakfast, but decided to do lunch here instead and we were not disappointed. So many options for vegans, but also great dishes for meat eaters who are willing to compromise. Delicious vegan dressings (check out the sherry vinaigrette), great sandwiches, and good beer.
Read moreGuest
YumVeganCookies
Points +74
We LOVE this place!! - Edit
We've been coming here for years. It's not always perfect, but it's one of the only places we've been to which has so many vegan options that it takes several minutes to make a decision. It's such a wonderful thing to have more than just a corner of the menu to order from that we keep coming back and trying new dishes. One long weekend during a visit to Asheville in October 2017, we ate there three times (breakfast once and dinner twice) and we ate happily.
Read morePros: Many vegan options!!, Great location near a parking deck & cool stores., Did I mention there are many vegan options?!!
Cons: Sometimes blah service., A bit pricey.
Guest
13RUN5
Points +274
consistently awesome - Edit
Been coming here since 2002. Always tasty.
Read moreGuest
zeekgas
Points +24
very disappointing - Edit
This was our number 1 eating choice when we first arrived. We were here for a late lunch. (About 2pm). First, they were out of herbal tea. We ordered the black iced. Then we asked for sweetener; 4 Times! I finally went in and asked for it from someone else. The waitress could have cared less, and the place wasn’t crowded. Then they had nothing we asked for. I way overplayed for a tiny bit of a mushroom and rice dish and my husbands dressing was such a tiny amount for his salad that it barely wet any of it. Repeated request for more dressing went completely unheeded. Would not ever go back again.
Read morePros: none, in our opinion
Cons: terrible service and mediocre food. tiny servings
Guest
GunnWolff
Points +34
Good Times - Edit
I went to the Laughing Seed with two friends. The menu is fantastic. I ended up ordering a veggie burger which was fantastic. The menu labels everything that is gluten free or can be made vegan. Service was great and the space has a nice vibe. My friends were also very happy with their meals.
Read morePros: Great menu , Good service , Attractive space
Guest
JeanneBradySchreib
Points +36
Delicious! - Edit
My husband and I went on a trip to Ashville and I was thrilled to find several vegan restaurants there. The Laughing Seed was our first stop. I got a raw vegan dish. Hubby got vegetarian fare. Both were incredibly delicious. We also tried Meade for the first time ever and really enjoyed that as well.
Read moreWe liked the food so much we came back a second time.
Guest
MarcieMorgan
Points +39
Great vegan food - Edit
We really enjoyed, food was really good. However on our third visit our server delivered our food with dairy cheese. He was quick to apologize & gave us some delicious dessert, and had our food remade. We were very understanding as this restaurant was geared more toward vegetarianism. We realized that even though we let him know we were all vegan, the next time we will Highly emphasize, over and over, how important it is for us to get our food delivered completely vegan as our little ones were with us and pretty hungry one of them bit into the dairy cheese quesadilla.
Read morePros: although not completely vegan they do offer great
Guest
SeekerOfTheWay
Points +301
Excellent - Edit
Great atmosphere. Lots of vegan options. The service was super efficient and friendly. Food was amazing! Was a single diner, had no wait.
Read morePros: vegan options, peaceful atmosphere , great service
Guest
soy_vegana
Points +1211
Best of Asheville - Edit
Laughing Seed has something for everyone. Amazing vegan menu and great drinks. I am currently thinking about the chipotle ranch.
Read moreWas in town to visit recently and couldn't believe how poor the service was. It was POURING down rain and we had our dog with us. They were kind enough to wipe off a table under some covering on the patio. You could tell we were not welcome right off the bat. Our server was an older woman I had seen a few years before. She was incredibly condescending and verging on argumentative. I was suspicious that was GF bread wasn't vegan so I tried to contact the bakery they source their bread from. They were closed and my server acted like she had never been asked if the bread was vegan. Thankfully the kitchen manager assured me that their bread is special order and is egg free. I am so disappointed that my favorite Asheville establishment left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I am hoping they were just having a bad day.
Updated from previous review on Tuesday February 16, 2016
Updated from previous review on 2016-02-17
Pros: Delicious menu, Gluten Free Options, Friendly Environment
Cons: Slow Service
Guest
TiffanyBinikos
Points +78
Be Prepared To Wait Forever - Edit
My family and I stopped by the Laughing Seed Cafe for Sunday brunch during a day trip to Asheville. I am very disappointed in the service. Our waitress was not very friendly and pretty much ignored us. After ordering, we waited for about an hour for our food, which showed no signs of showing up. Out waitress only came once during that whole time to refill our waters so we ended up just getting up and leaving.
Read moreIt seemed like such a nice place too, very quaint and cozy on the inside, but the service and wait was enough to run us off before getting to try the food.
Pros: Nice Vibe!!
Cons: Staff not friendly, waited an hour and still no food , no parking
Guest
emmawin
Points +246
Delicious food - Edit
We tried their sloppy Jo, fish filet, and pakoras. All were quite tasty. We had our pup with us, so we sat out on the patio. They gave her some water, which was lovely, but our waitress pretty much ignored us. Maybe because it was quite cold that day and she wasn't dressed for the wind. Despite that, we enjoyed the food and would try it again sometime.
Read morePros: Vegan, gf options labeled, Outdoor pet friendly patio
Guest
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