On Thursday, Oct. 1, restaurants and chefs in Sacramento and the surrounding area will debut new vegan dishes as part of their menus.
The Vegan Outreach organization is hosting the 16th annual Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge. Eateries in the area will compete for customer votes “with creative and delicious plant-based menu options,” said Vegan Outreach’s director of food events Jackie Va.
According to the organization, there are 50 restaurants and chefs currently participating in the event. Some participants, such as Village of OM, have existing vegan or vegetarian menus. But others, such as Kupros, the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-Op, and Omakase Por Favor, are debuting special Vegan Chef Challenge menus for the month.
Many restaurants have released their October menus in advance, and they are available to view on the Vegan Chef Challenge website.
In 2025, The Caring Kitchen, a vegan- and gluten-free bakery with locations in Rancho Cordova and Oranglevale, took home first place with the most votes, and the title of “Best Baker.” Revolution Winery & Kitchen, in second place, won Best Chef and Best Overall menu, and Village of OM won “Best Date Night” as well as third place.
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Anne Ewbank
The Sacramento Bee
Anne Ewbank is a service journalist and food reporter for The Sacramento Bee. Previously, she worked as a writer and editor for the New York-based travel website Atlas Obscura, where she covered food and culture. A California native, she is a graduate of Occidental College and Yale University.
Dining and Cooking