I am not a vegan. My sister in law is so she gave us a gift card for this place. It was a year ago and because of the $30.00 binding fee I did not want to go. After a year I finally said ok let's try it out. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place is very small but was really beautiful inside. I loved the wooden bar and tables.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food was excellent but unfortunately because I am type one diabetic I can't eat rice beans and mash potatoes. They don't have fish as a protein but if you are healthy you can be vegan. My wife and I ate vegan for one year. My cholesterol improved from 237 down to 167 but my blood sugar was high most of that year. The waitress was nice but her only shortfall was we felt rushed. Her sentences were hard to understand because she was walking away before she finished. The chef must know what he is doing. The food was good. We tried several dishes. I don't like mushrooms but 50% of the 4 entrees were mushrooms. I still say if you can skip a fish, chicken or steak try it. [[HIGHLIGHT]]My very favorite part was the NO cell phone rules. Amazingly you had to be present with the human you went with.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] If you don't like that person don't go. I hate to go out to eat because people are so stupid and rude. They tell you up front no phones. I love that and I'd say go with your love and go to Wendy's for your burger later. read more

The food was excellent and the atmosphere was beautiful. The wine suggestions paired well with the entrees.

As a recent vegan, one disappointment has been a "nicer occasion" restaurant. The problem has been solved with the addition of Sanctuary Bistro. We finally got a chance to dine there this past Saturday. I was pretty excited since they have been on my radar for 3 months (when we began a vegan lifestyle). We made a reservation because it says on their website they have limited seating (COVID, and it is a small place in a "strip mall"), although I did notice there were about 6 seats at the bar in "twos" (good for future reference). I was surprised that I had to pay $30 to reserve our table but I assumed it would be taken off our bill. We actually forgot about it until we got home and checked and it was not removed, so I was going to call-but it was credited back to my account the following day, without calling. The service was excellent and I am fairly certain it was the owner, Jennifer (she told us her name but not that she was the owner, but even with the mask she looked like the picture on their website). She was waiting on all the tables, as stated before-it is a small place and she was on top of it the whole time. She checked in just enough and was very friendly and professional. The food was some of the best Vegan food I have ever had, just incredible flavor profiles. I had read about Chef Barry on their website and that was the main reason for my excitement on trying this restaurant. His bio, showed impressive training and I imagine California to be way ahead in vegan food. I grew up a chef's daughter and appreciate well thought out and technique driven food. My fiancé and I shared everything we ordered and were impressed by everything we ate with one small disappointment being the soup of the day: New England clam chowder. We felt it to be under seasoned and therefore a little too sweet for our liking, but we loved the texture and it was very reminiscent of clams. I was hesitant to ask for salt and pepper, as I know some chef's take that as an insult and we prefer salty food so I thought perhaps it was just us. We ate most of the soup anyhow. We were into our entrees when another table sat down and ordered their (same) soup. I heard them saying it was too sweet and they asked for salt and pepper. Jennifer went to the kitchen and she came back with salt and pepper and a new bowl of soup from Chef Barry with a message that he agreed with them and also felt the seasoning was off and had prepared them another soup but still sent the salt and pepper just in case...lesson learned, ask for the salt and pepper! No ego there, just great customer service! That was a small hiccup in an otherwise truly delicious and unique meal. We started our meal with a tasty amuse bouche (on the house) consisting of a healthy portion of mushroom pâté on a slice of gluten free baguette. We then got the charcuterie plate. YUM! Their house made cheese is SO good we bought some of the spicy smoky cheddar to take home! The other cheese, the lemon peppercorn was equally delicious. The black eyed pea sausage was a wonderful surprise. The dish hit all the right spots for charcuterie, with the richness (cheese, sausage) being balanced with acidity (mustard, pickled red onions and olives) and the crunchy texture of the gluten free baguette. Next came the soup and then the King Oyster scallops. We both had to resist the urge to drink all the scallop sauce from the bowl, and luckily we didn't have to because we had baguette slices to use for sopping. Scott got the BVQ Mignon and I got the Polenta and King Mushroom. All was flavorful and satisfying. I really enjoyed the polenta, and the mushroom was really good, it must have been marinated- I thought I tasted the mustard from the charcuterie plate, and there were white beans underneath. I liked most of the Mignon dish except the beet egg, but I do not like beets-Scott does and he liked it. But the BVQ, potatoes, yuba, asparagus and hollandaise sauce all shone. Dessert was the blueberry cheesecake (this changes flavors). I liked it, Scott loved it-especially the crust, which he raved about on the way home. We took leftovers (as we ordered a lot). We also bought two frozen take home meals to try, the sloppy Joe's and Mac n cheese. We have not tried them yet. And we bought Chef Barry's cookbook, I am excited to try some of the recipes! We will return soon and with friends! I still want to try the bacon and broccoli soufflé, crispy oyster mushrooms, and red beans and rice! read more

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Everything was perfect! The food was incredible, the staff were warm and friendly and the vibe was just right. The owner talked to us about their story and it was so fun to hear! Go now! read more

This place is A game from beginning to end! The food is amongst the best I have ever had- vegan or not! Flavors and seasonings are exciting and interesting and make me want to try everything on the menu! The lovely couple that owns this place actually runs this restaurant "old school" speaking to customers and caring for them and their experience. I am completely blown away and will be back every time I come in town! read more

Food was excellent! Adobe tacos and Miso salad were both fantastic. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Fun dining night out.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

I stumbled upon this place by looking at Yelp for Vegan restaurants. I should have did more reservas because I walked in there with a t-shirt and this place is definitely a bit upscale. Although I wasn't dressed properly the waitress, Jennifer, was very nice to me. I didn't make reservations but she sat me at the bar which was still very nice. She helped me pick out what I want to eat and let's just say my entree and dessert were both excellent. Prepared and plates well as you can see from my pictures. I forgot the chef's name but he's definitely great at his job! Please check this place out if you get a chance. I look forward to coming again. read more

Sanctuary Bistro - Cashew Cheesecake - Vegan Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Sustainable, local, organic, dairy-free & gluten-free...simply amazing food! I had the GRILLED PORTABELLO-DILLA and the DECADENT CHOCOLATE PARFAIT. I highly recommend Sanctuary Bistro and will be back soon. read more

I just left here for brunch and it was A M A Z I N G. i had the black bean chilaquiles with fried egg (made from beets and tofu-- i asked) and the broccoli and shiitake bacon soufflé. let me find out this is going to be my new favorite brunch spot! the food was delicious and service was so comfortable and awesome! a gem! read more

Sanctuary Bistro - black bean chilaquiles with fried egg - Vegan Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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I can't say enough great things about this spot. My BF (A Hunter and meat lover) loved everything this compassionate eating bistro offers. Super impressed with their Frozen Meals options and will be taking advantage of it open. And recommend anyone wanting to try a plant based diet to grab their cookbook. We will be making their house cheese as a staple in our home. read more

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Love, love, love this restaurant. We've been for dinner and it is fantastic. Today we got to try brunch for the first time and it did not disappoint! The food was amazing! They have a tiered pricing system to order one, two or three items. We got a lot to share. Had the Florentine, broccoli soufflé, oyster mushroom po-boy dilla, biscuits and gravy, and black bean chilaquiles. Everything was really unique and so flavorful. My daughter is not vegan and loved it. Our server Noelle was wonderful. The portions are large and pricing is very reasonable. We will be back. Highly recommend. read more

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Small and quiet. Service is slow but worth the wait. Order everything up front. Be wary of the charcuterie board. Extremely filling and might spoil your appetite if you aren't careful which you want to protect because the food is amazing. Oh and they're vegan. I'm generally a proud and dedicated carnivore. So what. Food is amazing. So many things on the menu I am excited about trying. read more

the food and service is always spectacular! We have been several times, and I have yet to order something that I didn't enjoy. My favorite vegan restaurant in Charlotte. read more

Yummy food and awesome service! Love their po boy and deserts are super delish. I want to go all the time.

Between the decor, service, and food I was blown away by Sanctuary Bistro. I got the ravioli & it was amazing. Will return 100% and bring more people to this compassionate vegan restaurant. read more

Sanctuary Bistro - Ravioli - Vegan Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

If I could give this place 6 stars I would!! The Oyster mushroom chowder is fantastic! Oyster mushroom Po Boy is amazing! Everything is fresh and fantastic vegan or not! They say you need reservations for dinner but lunch is usually ok without. I went to lunch and there was plenty of seating. If you're vegan, vegetarian or Gluten free this place is a must go!!!! read more

Sanctuary Bistro - Oyster mushroom chowder - Vegan Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Amazing food and service. Cant wait to go back. Food was creative and atmosphere was great.

Healthy and delicious. Soups and buttermilk fried mushrooms are wonderful. Interesting variety on the rest of the menu and salads are always fresh and tasty. The restaurant is small but clean, attractive and comfortable. The owners are dedicated to community as well. It just doesn't get any better than this for a restaurant. read more

Sanctuary Bistro - Crispy Buttermilk Mushrooms - Vegan Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Found this restaurant randomly one day. It's not as easy to find online as other vegan restaurants. Not sure why but I'm glad I found it. This place was great. The environment was lovely and well designed. The food was delicious. I wanted to eat the whole menu but I just ordered 2 dishes. The fried oyster mushrooms are SO good. And I was blown away with the beet salad. This salad is definitely in my Top 5 salads. I love that they use whole food ingredients instead of these cheap processed meat substitutes everyone uses now. Highly recommended. Highly Underrated. read more

Sanctuary Bistro - Oyster Mushrooms. Beet salad. Sandwich. - Vegan Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I'm trying to figure out how I overlooked this dynamic vegan restaurant for over a year! I'm always on the lookout for vegan/pescatarian places for dining. After my first visit here it wasn't long before returning a second time. The diverse all-vegan menu makes it difficult which meal to enjoy without wondering about all the ones you did not (yet) try. The Lion's Mane dinner dish is absolutely delicious! I am positive that I will return to this unique venue for more appetizing vegan meals. read more

This is my new favorite restaurant! My husband and I ate here on our 20th wedding anniversary and the food was spectacular. It is a great place to go with friends with mixed diets, because the food is undeniably delicious and my omnivore husband loves the food and as a vegan, I love being able to visit a restaurant where nothing on the menu is off limits! I am especially delighted by how well this family owned new business in Charlotte has handled the pandemic. They have maintained the top level of safety, even when I'm sure it was difficult financially, and they have maintained a wonderful outlook through it all. They send a monthly newsletter to customers on their mailing list that absolutely inspires me. For mine and my husband's birthdays this November, we reserved the restaurant for a night of normalcy (Yes! they will let you reserve the whole restaurant, and for a reasonable price during the pandemic!). The owners bent over backwards to make sure everything was special and delicious! The candlelit atmosphere was impeccably decorated. They even let us play our own music on their speaker! The 6 course meal (with extra surprises) was perfectly prepared. The beet salad was the best I have ever had, a combination of sweet and savory. Both entrees were filling and flavorful and we kept switching plates because they were both so good! Everything was immaculately clean and the owner wore a mask the whole evening. If you need a place to get away and remember what it was like to just go to a neighborhood restaurant and feel safe! Sanctuary Bistro is a great spot! read more

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Surpassed expectations and more than reasonably priced considering the quality of ingredients and masterful preparation. Crispy mushroom appetizer was amazing, Lions Mane Mushroom steaks were so satisfying, and the creme brulee was the perfect note to end on. Look forward to returning soon. read more

I am not a vegetarian and usually avoid vegetarian restaurants since I think vegetarian food is boring. I was pleasantly surprised! I tried the fried mushrooms, ravioli and buffalo tofu dish. Flavors were outstanding. Service was great! I will definitely go back and also recommend this gem to others. read more

WOW. Took my husband here for his birthday and it was divine. This will be our special dinner spot for years to come. We don't drink, so we tried their natural cane sugar sodas (delicious). The chef sent us a free appetizer on the house. The food was phenomenal - perfectly balanced and unique flavors. We had a soup similar to clam chowder, a squash lasagna, and the deep fried sushi - all vegetarian and all insanely delicious. read more

The food was amazing the soup was everything definitely ordering again service was great! read more

Sanctuary Bistro - Oyster mushroom po boy - Vegan Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Vegan food worth travelling for! Stopped for a lovely lunch with my husband this afternoon. Joining a chilled glass (or 2...) of red zinfandel, we each had a different salad. Me: a beet and 'cheese' that was just beautiful. The beets were displayed like fine sashimi. The flavors were just amazing. My husband had a macadamia miso salad with avocado, actually we shared each, because having a little of both was so delicious. After that we split the most incredible brocelli and mushroom "bacon' souflee. The only other time we'd had anything Vegan that complex and amazing was at Dirt Candy in NYC. We also shared the beet raviolli with a...what's an adjective that I haven't used yet...complex taragon cashew puree that knocked our socks off. Our server was the co-owner, with her husband (the) "Chef." Initially from Berklee, CA, she'd mentioned they originally open in March 2020. Not good timing. However, there were several of us dining inside and at least 2 people picking up take out during the hour we were there. We are already figuring out the next time we can pop down from Roanoke, VA to Charlotte again. Perhaps for dinner or brunch next time. So glad to know about this little gem. read more

Update: i went back and it still the same flavorful food! I tried the soup this time and omgggg i was impressed! So delicious! I love this gem! read more

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This is far and above the best Vegan food I have ever had. Service, atmosphere, friendliness way above expectations. Try it!

Amazing food, cozy restaurant, great service. Love everything is gluten free and vegan. We'll definitely be back again!

Sanctuary Bistro is delightful! The food is fresh, creative, DELICIOUS and nourishing. The cafe vibe is lovely and relaxing. And the desserts are a wonderful treat--if you like chocolate, try their chocolate parfait...it's heavenly :-). read more

I just went for dinner last night and the food and service were both great! Jennifer, the owner, is super sweet and the restaurant itself is so cute and welcoming. The menu is always changing and everything was delicious! read more

Can't say enough good about this place. The food is excellent, the ambiance is nice, and the service is great. Their food is honestly some of the best I've had in the city; all vegan and gluten free with beer and booch on tap. I especially enjoyed the po'boy dilla and oyster mushrooms with waffles. They also offer super tasty frozen meals for takeout/reheat at home that make dinner a breeze. read more

I loved their mint chocolate vegan cheesecake and enjoyed seeing the owner/chef doing his thing in the kitchen!

Wow! This place is incredible. The food is absolutely amazing. My husband (not a vegan) and I got a variety of dishes and every one of them was delicious. We got the side of tofu ($4, yes I think so!) and it was SO good. This same tofu was in the buffalo dilla we got which was very messy but worth it! This was probably my favorite thing, except the beet salad was phenomenal. We also got the fried mushrooms and the spinach ravioli. By the end, I was so full but I couldn't let any bites of the ravioli go to waste. The breading of the fried food was so good - light and flavorful. The sauces were perfectly made, didn't taste like some of the "fake" cheese can - it was more of a celebration of vegan food rather than replacements or imitations of meat options. Also, we ordered our food at 6:05 and it was ready by 6:18! The chef was there and spoke to us when we arrived to pick it up and while he was obviously busy, he still made an effort to talk to us. Lastly, I will mention - their packaging for the to-go food is compostable! This place is top notch. We will definitely be returning and also ordering some of the frozen options. I hope this place does well! We took everything to go but the inside looks stunning with the agate tables and design. Also, I noticed they will have Wooden Robot's Good Morning Vietnam, so we will definitely be back to eat in person when we can! read more

Sanctuary Bistro - Vegan Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Thoroughly impressed with sanctuary! Went here for a GNO and they did not disappoint. The wine & tiramisu were the best parts I'm not vegan but I am GF and DF and I very much enjoyed the amazing dishes and creativity from the chef. The service and atmosphere were also great. Will definitely be back! Honestly, I've been dreaming of the tiramisu since I left read more

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We only just found Sanctuary Bistro a few months ago and have already been back many times. Neither my wife nor I are vegan or even vegetarian but the food here is outstanding and the owner is there personally serving the amazing food cooked by her chef/husband. I almost hate recommending them because it is already hard to get a reservation and I'd love to keep it a secret. read more

Best vegan meal. This coming from a non-vegan. Great flavors. Nice atmosphere. Outstanding service.

This place is absolutely outstanding! Vegan food that is 100% gluten free. They have gluten free beers as well as "regular" local beer, kombucha, and nitro coffee favorites. The owners and genuinely invested in your experience and the food is amazing. Seriously! You can not go wrong here! read more

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This has become one of my favorite restaurants. I was able to visit a couple of times pre-pandemic. My goal is to taste everything on the menu. My favorite was the Curried Cauliflower Polenta. It is pure comfort food. When inside dining shut down I tried the frozen entrees. My favorite was the Black Lentil Shepard's Pie. Again, pure comfort food. Keeping an assortment of entrees in my freezer has been a tremendous help with meal planning. I can't wait to bring home the peach crisp pie and bake it in my own oven. I hope the continue to offer frozen entrees after the dining room reopens. read more

Brunch & dinner at Sanctuary is always a phenomenal experience. Welcomed by warmth and smiley faces, the ambiance and energy surely enhances the experience. You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. I love how it is diverse and flavors are consistent. I absolutely love brunch; especially the chilaquiles, dillas, and waffle!! read more