Finally, plant-based Southern comfort food that’s every bit as indulgent as the traditional meat- and dairy-filled recipes. The breading on Southern V’s Fried Chick’n, made with seitan, is thick and flavorful, with a deep-brown peppery crunch. And the seitan has a hearty bite to it, but isn’t too chewy or spongy — it absorbs the flavors, not the oil it’s fried in, so you aren’t left feeling like a greasy mess at the end of your meal. The jackfruit, which the Southern V uses on its barbeque sandwiches in place of pulled pork, is just as flavorful. The stringy fruit is smoked and covered in a tangy tomato-based sauce, piled onto either slider buns with coleslaw or nachos with nacho “cheeze.” The Southern V does all your favorite sides right, too — the macaroni-and-cheese is rich and creamy, and the baked beans, sweet with brown sugar, have a deep, smoky flavor that will leave meat-eaters hunting for that hunk of white pork fat that’s usually bobbing around. You won’t find it, and you won’t miss it either. MEGAN SELING
Best Vegan Food
The Southern V
