Ever since homegrown smoker closed, I have been looking for my go-to vegan soul food spot. Dirty Lettuce has filled that gap! My wife and friend went for dinner and we sat outside. We shared an order of hush puppies and they were awesome. They were cooked perfectly and tasted very fresh and flavorful. We also tried the calamari which was also good (though it lacked salt overall). My wife got the catfish, and I thought it was very good. Nice texture with the cornmeal crust and had a nice subtle seafood flavor. The sauces were all good and I enjoyed dipping in all of them. Although I did find the remoulade sauce to be a bit bland compared to the other sauces. It was still good though. I enjoyed the mashed potatoes and gravy. They were very rich with a nice texture. The greens were also tasty and cooked well. My friend got the bbq ribs with rice and beans. The rib was nice. Not what I was expecting it to look like, but the bbq sauce was tasty and had some nice smoke taste coming through. The rice and beans were simple and good. I ordered the chicken bacon ranch sandwich. It was very delicious! I was surprised by how much flavor the fried chicken had. I couldn't eat all of it and ended up eating the rest cold for dinner the next day and somehow it tasted even better! All in all we had a great experience. The service was friendly and quick. The space was clean and charming. I loved all of the hot sauce and condiment options. I love this place and will definitely be back. read more

Watch in-depth video breakdown here https://youtu.be/2LsMS2vxzRU?is=U5MfItnpo97tUvuq Dirty Lettuce had me questioning whether I was really in Portland or somehow got transported back down South. I'll admit, I came into this place with a slight bias. I'm from the South, and maybe it's ignorant, but when I hear "soul food," I automatically think of the South. I grew up around soul food. I know what good collard greens taste like. I know what good mac & cheese tastes like. So when I heard people on TikTok raving about a vegan soul food restaurant in Portland, Oregon, part of me was thinking: "Soul food? In Portland? How good could it really be?" Well... Dirty Lettuce shut me up pretty quickly. I originally found this place while searching TikTok for vegan restaurants in Portland. Dirty Lettuce kept coming up, and people especially hyped up the fried chicken and BBQ ribs, so I had to see for myself. I ordered the fried chicken meal with collard greens and mac & cheese -- two sides I take VERY seriously. The fried chicken was incredible. The seasoning and batter reminded me of some kind of combination between KFC and Popeyes, while the inside stayed moist and tender. At certain points I genuinely forgot I was eating vegan chicken. It tasted and felt like I was eating a Southern fried chicken plate somewhere in Mississippi or Alabama. Then came the collard greens. Man... These greens tasted like somebody's grandma was in the kitchen cooking Thanksgiving dinner. They serve them in a bowl with plenty of pot liquor, so initially I thought they might be a little watery. Nope. That broth was PACKED with flavor. It was almost like a collard-green soup, and I mean that as a compliment. The greens and the broth complemented each other perfectly. And the mac & cheese? A1. Creamy, rich, flavorful, with this subtle smoky taste that I wasn't expecting. I don't know exactly what they did to it, but whatever they did -- KEEP DOING IT. I also tried the BBQ ribs. They were good, although they were probably my least favorite item compared with everything else. But that's almost unfair because the chicken, greens and mac & cheese set the bar ridiculously high. I also went into the ribs with huge expectations after hearing people hype them up on TikTok, and I'm not really a ribs guy to begin with. So take my opinion there with a grain of salt. They were still good. My one area for improvement would be customer service. The woman who took my order wasn't rude or anything, but I personally would have appreciated a warmer greeting and more inviting energy. I'm very big on customer service, and I think the person at the front counter sets the tone for the entire experience. Maybe she was just having an off day -- we all have them -- but that was really the only part of my visit that didn't match the quality and energy of the food. The restaurant itself is small, clean and has some really cool artwork on the walls. It has a nice atmosphere without trying to be anything overly fancy. But the FOOD is the story here. At one point during my meal, I remembered that Black people make up a relatively small percentage of Oregon's population, and I became convinced somebody from that percentage had to be back there in that kitchen cooking. Because there was no way these greens were tasting this close to something my grandma would have made on Thanksgiving. I came in skeptical. I left thoroughly impressed. Whether you're vegan, vegetarian, or eat meat every day of your life, I'd recommend trying Dirty Lettuce. And if you're from the South and you're skeptical about getting legitimate soul food in Portland like I was? Go ahead and try it. It legitimately reminded me of a Southern Sunday plate from somebody's mama's kitchen. Dirty Lettuce proved me wrong -- and I'm glad they did. Highly recommended. Watch in-depth video breakdown here https://youtu.be/2LsMS2vxzRU?is=U5MfItnpo97tUvuq read more

Dirty Lettuce - Vegan Near Me - Portland, Oregon

We stopped at Dirty Lettuce on Friday before picking up my daughter from the airport. I thought it was going to be good. Reader, I was unprepared. This wasn't "good for vegan food." This was where has this been all my life? good. We ordered enough food to feed a small family reunion: fried chicken, popcorn chicken, collard greens, mac & cheese, cornbread, mashed potatoes and gravy... and every single thing was ridiculously delicious. I kept looking at the food like, "Wait... are we sure this is vegan??" I've been vegan for years and this is hands-down the best soul food I've had since going vegan--which honestly makes it some of the best soul food I've had in years. So good, in fact, that we're already going back TODAY on our way to take my daughter back to the airport. Apparently airport runs are just our excuse to eat here now. 10/10. Absolutely worth the 2-hour drive from the coast. Dirty Lettuce didn't just meet expectations--it seasoned them, fried them, and served them with cornbread. PS - clean restroom and cute place! read more

Dirty Lettuce - Sign - Vegan Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I LOVE DIRTY LETTUCE! Such a wholesome vibe and always super sweet service. The food is delicious and definitely worth the wait. The sauces are top tier and everything always comes out fried to perfection. read more

We somehow have been coming to Dirty lettuce since they first opened. It's not close to us but it's absolutely a place that we Love to go for a treat: got My oil changed, took a shower, got my nails done. All good reasons to come to Dirty and get some incredible food. I still can't fathom how everything is fried and so crispy without being heavy or oily. read more

The food was good! I got the fried chicken. Obviously it does not taste like real chicken but... The crunchiness of the chicken skin was there. that was the best part of my meal. I wasn't impressed with the cornbread so much. Especially since it's $6. The coleslaw wasn't too bad but the mashed potatoes and gravy were good. They have an assortment of soda and drinks to choose from, including Mexican Coca-Cola. There's enough tables for a decent crowd. Also, I like that you can box your own food near the entry/exit door. The service was good as well. I'm glad that they are here and I would've liked to have tried the barbecue ribs. Perhaps next time. read more

Dirty Lettuce - Fried chicken with mashed potato and gravy and coleslaw. I believe that's dream sauce. Everything for the most part was delicious. - Vegan Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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My very first soul food experience was plant based soul food, how interesting! And I'm 100% satisfied with what I had. I'm definitely neither a vegetarian nor someone who appreciates vegetarian/vegan places that rely only on firm plain tofu or some other reformed soy products carby patty things as their protein source. So when I go to a vegetarian or vegan restaurant, I tend to order dishes where I can still see and recognize the actual ingredients. I was very happy with my calamari (oyster mushroom rings). The crust was crunchy and savory, it almost felt like eating flavored chips or other crunchy snacks like the Korean brand onion ring snacks. Inside the mushrooms were well cooked, they were hot and juicy. As a lover of savory crunchy snacks and mushrooms, this dish had me at the first bite, and I didn't even need the dipping sauce (but the sauce was good though). I finished the whole plate! My partner is a vegetarian, and he loved his bowl. I had one bite of it. The chicken popcorn looked quite real, but I still prefer real chicken popcorn. The gravy potato was a bit plain and light for my liking, but then again, I'm not someone who seasons food with only salt and pepper and put mayo and ketchup on everything, so you can be your own judge there. The ginger lime soda was super refreshing, zesty and icy, and it was perfectly sweetened to my taste. Staff were friendly and nice, indoor was warm and bright. Definitely a place worth to come back for the mushrooms and drink! read more

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I visited Dirty Lettuce while visiting Portland for a weekend. We were on the way to a concert so we didn't have a lot of time. We placed our order at the counter and found a seat. The place was clean and the staff was friendly. The food came out pretty quickly and was served hot and made to order. The food was flavorful and the portion size was reasonable. Overall I would definitely stop by again next time I am in Portland. read more

Dirty Lettuce - Vegan Near Me - Portland, Oregon

We were so excited to try the Dirty Lettuce since vegan / plant based soul food is basically non existent! Additionally, my partner is from Mississippi as well and when we saw the Mississippi to PDX sign, it had us hooked! The business was about an hour late past opening time, and the inside wasn't quite clean but the staff was really nice and welcoming. I had the Seitan BBQ Ribs, Creole Red Beans & Rice and the Mac & Cheese. The ribs were delicious, the sauce was perfect! However the Creole Red Beans & Rice and the Mac & Cheese were a bit underwhelming. Not in taste but in freshness. The beans and rice had days old taste and the Mac didn't really have taste. Overall, we'd still come back and try more items in the future, just for the vegan comfort food that is hard to find. read more

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I don't often eat at vegan or vegetarian restaurants, but my fiancée saw this place on TikTok and wanted to check it out. I'd already had tacos, so I didn't order a full dish, but I did try her Ribs and the Infamous Bowl. The Infamous Bowl was excellent and tasted surprisingly close to the real thing--I was genuinely impressed. The plant-based chicken had a very convincing texture and flavor. The ribs, however, didn't quite land for me. The texture wasn't there, and they were heavily coated in BBQ sauce, which I'm personally not a big fan of. I can appreciate the effort--vegan ribs are a tough thing to pull off--but it's probably not something I'd order again. One nice bonus: they have an interesting assortment of drinks. read more

Dirty Lettuce - Ribs - Vegan Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I've been here a handful of times now and OMG so delicious I'm literally addicted to the infamous bowl! I get extra gravy and it is *chefs kiss* The hard huckleberry lemonade is also so yummy for the summer. Always great customer service and the atmosphere is so cute and cozy. They also have seating outside to the right of the restaurant with self serve water, silverware, napkins and to-go containers. Just be sure to be mindful and buss your own table!! Although there are signs and reminders around the restaurant, each time I have been in people have left their dishes for the staff to clean. Not cool. Also I see reviews stating the "proteins" don't taste like actual meat..... probably because they are not meat lol. The vegan food is bomb! Well seasoned of course and good portions! Definitely a fav in PDX. read more

Dirty Lettuce - The Infamous Bowl - Vegan Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Dog, I ain't even gonna lie, I downloaded Yelp and made an account to write this review. My sweetie and I went to this joint a few hours ago. We split the fried chicken plate and one app and have both been feeling like pure hell for the past several hours. It tasted ok going down, but it has wreaked absolute havoc on each of our bodies. We have been discussing the merits of a bulimic style evacuation in order to save our evening. Oof! The vibes inside this place stink too. Don't go. read more

Wow! I can't believe I didn't know about this place sooner. This vegan comfort food was so hearty and delicious. The space was cute and the staff were so inviting. We even brought some meat-eaters and they were blown away too. Can't wait to come back. read more

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Wow! I was so impressed by the food at Dirty Lettuce. The mushroom calamari was so realistic and the perfect texture. Our meat-eater friend said the fried okra was the best he'd ever had. The infamous bowl was insanely good. The mashed potatoes and gravy were perfectly cooked and seasoned. The popcorn chicken had the lightest breading. The whole meal didn't feel heavy at all. My only complaint was the ginger lime mocktail, which was almost too sour to drink. I love lime, but it was a bit too strong in this. The employee was friendly and the food came out lightning fast. The space is small, but there are still plenty of tables. This place is officially on my favorite restaurants of Portland list! read more

Dirty Lettuce - Fried Okra - Vegan Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Pretty good for Southern Vegan food.... I ordered mine to go I wanted to try a variety of things so I got Hush Puppies, Mac n Cheese and Catfish..... Overall the Mac n Cheese and the Hush Puppies tasted pretty good but I would say the Catfish was just okay maybe it was the breading.....I've had better before.... The place is decently laid out and simple... Other pics on yelp show some shopping and things for sale...and I understand if those things don't move or sell well you don't restock it because I didn't see any real shopping inside but that's okay I came more for the food.... read more

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First time and not last time! Great service and even greater food. I look forward to trying every other item in the menu. read more

Dirty Lettuce - INFAMOUS BOWL!!!!! - Vegan Near Me - Portland, Oregon

stopped in for dinner with a few friends and this place blew our expectations out of the water. every staff member was extremely friendly. super shout out to Shannon, they made the experience even better. solid assortment of vegan chocolates and other sweets. all of the food was incredible, especially the fried chicken and collard greens. food came quick and you can tell each dish has so much care and passion put into it. plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, good vibes all around! we will absolutely be back :) read more

Soul food for a plant based lifestyle. Good service, good co-op atmosphere, genuinely a top 5, dining experience. Unbelievable "ribs", Can't believe it's not chicken "Fried Chicken". Spot on seasoning. read more

The food is SO good! The fried vegan chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, fried, and BBQ ribs are our favorites. So Glad they are here! read more

Well, I was excited to try this place because of the good reviews. Sadly they use toxic canola oil (seed oil) to fry all their food. A place claiming to be such healthy food has failed in my book. Food tastes good but I won't be back. read more

Dirty Lettuce - Vegan Near Me - Portland, Oregon

We had lunch here yesterday! We were greeted nicely, and got our order put in. Now if you are looking for fast food , well you'll be disappointed. The service is great , however it takes a minute or two to cook up such delicious meals. So find a table and enjoy the atmosphere and smells. Ssssooooo goood!!!!!!!!! The ribs and fried pickles were a crowd favorite in our group! Come early and enjoy the most amazing vegan food around. Their soul food is absolutely without a doubt one of the best places in the city! Peace be with you all Sherri read more

This food could literally make anyone vegan. Perfection. Seriously you need to go here! I crave it almost every day now read more

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One of my favorite spots in town! You can get a giant plate stuffed with southern soul food. Vegan fried chicken, cajun mac n cheese, greens, mashed potatoes, cornbread, coleslaw, fried okra, fried pickles, should I go on? Because I could! The restaurant is order at the counter and seat yourself. The space also has a small shop with local goods. It's a very casual environment. The food is amazing though. read more

Dirty Lettuce - Fried Chicken Plate - Vegan Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Oh my - first time here and it was incredible. Ribs were amazing and the hushpuppies were possibly the best I've ever had (and I'm from the South). read more

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Late meal looking for vegan options through Yelp. Dirty Lettuce popped up. It was a good algorithm suggestion. Catfish , battered cauliflower and collard greens and corn bread read more

Dirty Lettuce - Vegan Catfish, collard greens and battered Cauliflower with a piece of corn bread. Tasty nicely flavored - Vegan Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I was in town for the weekend and decided to try Dirty Lettuce. It was an okay experience. They do have great southern comfort food options and they were all delicious, but the service was nonexistent and terrible. It took a very long time to get our food and there was no one around to ask questions to, etc. A lot of other people were disgruntled with the wait time as well. The vibe of the restaurant is very casual and very minimalist. I had the friend chicken with Cajun Mac and Cheese and my wife had the Calamari with fried pickles. The food was absolutely delicious. I could not even tell it was vegan, and I am a vegetarian! It was very savory with that great southern flavor. Overall, I enjoyed Dirty Lettuce and it is a great restaurant, but the service and the speed at which someone gets their food could definitely be improved. If you do go, expect a long wait. I probably will be back because the food is so delicious, but atleast I know what I am in for the next time. read more

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My friend and I went into dirty lettuce today to have the infamous bowl there and we were always kind of curious what was in the ingredients in the gravy because the gravy is so good and we wanted to know if there is possibly anything in there that we might be allergic to so we asked the waitress in the and here comes the Cook out right after our Mill has been deliver Us delivered to us and she says okay what are you guys allergic to she was very loud and very rude and very forthcoming like you know with her hands on her hips and looking at us like you know we're crazy or something we would just like to know what kind of ingredients are in the gravy in case we're allergic to it and she goes well what is it that you're allergic to it says well preservatives dairy I said MSG gluten and she goes well there is butter in the potatoes it's not vegan then and then she said that there was MSG in there there was MSG in the bread and there was MSG in the and the gravy and there was all these preservatives and so so everything in that bowl you're eating you're allergic to it and I said well that's funny you know being calm and cool and collected I said that's funny cuz I never feel anything it's so good and she continued to be rude and continued to stay that everything in that bowl that I was eating I was allergic to and how they take people's allergies very seriously and I said okay well you know I'll try it out and see if I feel anything the next day but I never feel anything the next day off off this foot so then she turned to my dog and looked at my dog and loudly stated is that dog is service animal I said yes it is first she said though I'm not supposed to ask you this but is your dog a service animal I suggest she is well there's a lot of our customers that come in here they're allergic to dogs so you know you you can't admit her I look at my friend and I'm like oh okay well we'll just take him outside the next time we come in so then she walks away very early she was very loud now I feel discriminated against because I asked a simple question what were the ingredients in there she discriminated me against my dog and she discriminated me against what was in the ingredients by being very rude and tell me everything I was there was an allergic to I said well I won't go to the hospital you know but she just kept being very rude I will never ever go in there again neither will my friend and I will make sure to spread the word about how discriminatory they are there if you ask what's ingredients in there and it might State vegan and vegetarian but it's really not because if there's better and she didn't say vegan better in the potatoes it's not vegan have a nice day read more

I really loved their seitan. Some of the best vegan comfort food I've had in a while.

We arrived & placed our order at 1:45pm on a Saturday, and it took maybe 25 min for our meals to come out. I think there was just one chef in the back and the cashier was the only front of the house staff so they also delivered food. It was easy to find street parking. There were maybe 3-4 other parties inside. The tables are the ikea outdoor foldable patio kind. The food itself was delicious. It was hot and crispy and flavorful. I really liked the popcorn chicken and fried eggplant. I'd love to come back and try other items. read more

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Yum!! I saw posts about this place on social media from vegan pages I follow and had to try it when I came to Portland. The portions are huge and it's all so delicious! I had the fried chicken with mac and cheese and cole slaw. The mac and cheese was sooo good. Also had a side of fried pickles. There was so much food I had to bring half of it home with me. PLUS being the last customers of the night, an employee gave us extra leftover cole slaw to take home. The employees here were absolute delights. I will say with everything being fried and on the salty side I was very glad to have ordered cole slaw to balance it out. Would love to come back and try more of the sides! So many to pick from! read more

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I found myself in NE Portland on a cat visit. I was a little hungry and heard good things about Dirty Lettuce from the vegan community. It was hard to decide what to order, and the nice man at the counter helped me decide. This is southern comfort food, so delicious! The portion was large, and I took some home to have lunch the next day. I can see why the vegan community raves about this place! I'll be back in the area soon, and definitely planning on being back! read more

Dirty Lettuce - Dirty Lettuce: Fried Chick'n, Mac and cheese, greens. Cute horse table topper. - Vegan Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Have a vegetarian in the family and was celebrating her birthday. Portland is good at having options for every walk of life. This place was no exception, loved the soul food and the fact that it's a semi junk food version that tastes fatty but with no animal byproducts. Service was okay, little unclear that you had to walk up and order, but friendly enough. read more

Oh my god. I really wish I lived in Portland. This was by far the best vegan, fried chicken I've ever had. The texture was amazing. We ordered to-go so I can't speak for the vibes of the place, but the person who took our order was really helpful and suggested what we should order. read more

Flavorful and interesting vegan comfort food They do a good job of considering food allergies as well read more

In a low place and door dashed this to my hotel after my mom's funeral. It literally felt like a hug from the universe. I could taste the love in the food. Every dish was impeccable. Flavor was balanced nicely and packed perfectly. Good sized portions. Thank you for this meal read more

This place is EVERYTHING you could ever be looking for vegan food!! I'm not a vegan myself, but my partner is and I loved every single bite I had here. While the interior isn't quite as fancy as a lot of Portland places, it honestly doesn't even matter when you're putting out food like this. Plus, it makes it feel more like you're eating true soul food in someone's memaws kitchen! read more

Super fresh and delicious comfort food. I came in with my aunt around 1pm on a Thursday. We ordered a Po Boy, strawberry lemonade, corn bread (midnight snack for later), and beans and rice. Everything had a great spice but wasn't clear your sinuses hot. The cashier had a voice like an NBA play‐by‐play radio announcer. It was a small space. Aa party of eight who came in after us‐ it got loud. Go for the food, bring someone you don't want to listen to, or some noise canceling headphones and enjoy. read more

Dirty Lettuce - Mushroom oyster Po Boy. - Vegan Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Okay let me first say I haven't YET been to Dirty Lettuce because I don't eat fried food. It makes me feel awful so I just don't eat it. Well it was my husband's birthday and it was his choice so I went in ALL the way. While we all got situated and checked out the menu, my kids and I perused the shopping. There is swag for the restaurant, then ALL sorts of cut vegan things like stickers and paintings and necklaces. Then hot sauces, nut mixes, niche chocolate. Then you've got Dirty Lettuce's chicken that's frozen to take home and cook. You've got Doe Donuts frozen ice cream sandwiches to take home! Ice Queen PDX frozen treats to choose from. And my favorite vegan cheeses, Cultured Kindness wheels to buy! So...the food!!! We got LOTS of chicken!! The batter and crunch is unmatched for what I've had that's vegan. Really good flavor and it's made with seitan. The fried pickles were EPIC. They were totally perfect. Their ranch was also EPIC. It's thicker than what I've had before and super dilly. I loved it and I really don't like ranch at all so that's a huge compliment. My son was SO tired between us having time change from EST to PST and not really having any food but breakfast by 6pm EST/3 pm when we were eating. So he didn't want any food. BUT I used our air fryer to reheat the chicken for him, and his fries and he ate ALL of it and said it was amazing. My daughter loved her original Chicken sandwich and my carnivore mom said EVERYTHING was really good. My son even asked for the rest of the leftovers today for lunch. My husband has loved DL since it opened. Before it got "Best Soul Food 2022" from the Veg News awards!!! And yes. Well deserved. The staff was incredibly friendly and engaging. The owner (?) Who took our orders and chatted with my daughter and I was REALLY cool. Especially after having been to an all vegan spot earlier in the week who treated my kids like pariahs, he was talking to her. He asked if she liked to cook and they had a talk about favorite foods and things to cook. Then he told her that she should try making taco meat with TVP! We hadn't done that so I said I'll have to do that too. And I shared how I recently had my mind blown by an Instagram vegan who simply used a grater and shredded tofu for tacos. I said now I have TWO new things we have to try. But to ME, as a mom, the thing that he said that got me was "do you like to cook?" And she said "yes, I love cooking." Then he said "I knew it. I recognize other chefs." Okay y'all won me over completely. If you want pretentious food or need a fancy atmosphere, maybe it's not for you. But if you want a DOWN SOUTH true SOUL food, in a cozy atmosphere that feels like you're with friends, then DL is you place!!! read more

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Fried vegan food. Can you imagine that? Well, at Dirty Lettuce you won't have to. Fried vegan chicken, fried vegan catfish, flavors that make you wonder if this is actually vegan. Surprise surprise, it is. I opted for the fried catfish plate with a side of their infamous bowl and fried cauliflower. It's a whole lot of food and crunchy goodness so make sure you're hungry. Everything is good, everything is crunchy, everything is vegan. You can't go wrong with Dirty Lettuce for a nice lunch or something. read more

Dirty Lettuce - Fried Catfish Platter - Vegan Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Great food! I had fried pickles, ribs, mac and greens. I was able to try a taste of the fried chicken as well. Yum!! The food is so flavorful. I liked that it wasn't soy or tofu based as well. If you like soul food, vegan or not, I highly recommend this spot. I took my left overs home and had my husband taste them. I didn't tell him it was vegan. He thought it was good. He was surprised when I told him it was vegan. The place has limited indoor seating. They also have a great patio for warmer days. In addition to serving food, they have a gift shop of sorts. One can also purchase some frozen items. read more

Dirty Lettuce - Fried pickles - Vegan Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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