The first forkful of creamy mac and cheese can make the rest of the meal disappear—and at Soul Vegetarian No. 2 in Atlanta, even devoted meat lovers may find themselves going back for another bite. This beloved Georgia soul food counter puts a plant-based spin on familiar Southern comfort, proving that vegan cooking can still feel hearty, satisfying, and full of flavor.
At Soul Vegetarian No. 2, the vegan mac and cheese arrives with the cozy texture and rich, savory character you hope for from a comfort-food favorite, without the dairy. The menu also brings plenty of other plant-based Southern-inspired dishes to the table, making it easy to explore beyond one familiar favorite.
Whether you usually reach for barbecue or already love vegan food, there is something inviting about trying a classic prepared in an entirely different way. Come hungry and see what else might earn a spot on your plate.
Mac and Cheese That Starts a Conversation
One forkful can turn a firm opinion about vegan food into a lively table debate. Mac and cheese is the dish many visitors are curious about at Soul Vegetarian No. 2, and it makes an easy first order if you normally eat dairy.
The pasta offers the familiar comfort of a Southern side, even though the restaurant prepares its food without animal products.
Find the restaurant at 652 N Highland Ave NE in Atlanta, then consider ordering the mac alongside a savory main dish. A plate with greens or barbecue adds contrast, so the creamy pasta does not have to carry the whole meal.
If you are visiting with someone who doubts vegan food can feel filling, share a side before picking favorites.
Expectations matter here: plant-based mac does not need to taste exactly like your family recipe to be enjoyable. Diners have praised this version, though tastes vary and some find it sweeter than expected.
Go in ready to judge the flavor for yourself rather than test whether it can pass for dairy. The fun is in finding a new kind of comfort in a dish you already know.
A Longstanding Place for Plant-Based Soul Food
Some meals come with a sense that people have been gathering around them for years. That feeling adds something to a visit to Soul Vegetarian No. 2, a longstanding Atlanta restaurant devoted to meat-free Southern cooking.
While vegan menus now appear across the city, this counter has built its name around plant-based soul food rather than treating it as an afterthought.
Its North Highland Avenue address puts it in a neighborhood where a food stop can be part of a wider Atlanta outing. Still, the main reason to walk in is the menu: familiar choices such as mac and cheese, collard greens, and hearty sandwiches invite you to eat for pleasure, not to follow a set of rules.
Bring a friend with different tastes and order a few things to compare.
There is no need to know the history of vegan cooking before you arrive. Notice how recognizable dishes make the experience easy for newcomers, then pay attention to the ways each plate takes its own path.
A visit offers a small look at Atlanta food culture through a restaurant that has kept plant-based comfort on the table for generations.
Barbecue Kalebone for the Hungry and Curious
Barbecue sauce has a way of making everyone at the table lean closer. At Soul Vegetarian No. 2, Kalebone gives that familiar flavor a plant-based partner with a chewy, hearty bite.
If you usually look for meat at a barbecue meal, this is a chance to find out what you enjoy about the experience besides the meat itself.
Order the barbecue option with mac and cheese if you want a rich, filling plate. The sauce and pasta make a bold pairing, while collard greens can add a welcome change in texture.
Ask the staff how the Kalebone is offered that day, since a menu item may appear in different forms and availability can change.
Kalebone is worth trying for its own character, not because it must copy a rack of ribs or a pulled pork sandwich. Some guests love its substantial texture, while others prefer lighter choices, so sharing an order is a smart first step.
That little taste can lead to a useful discovery: a meatless meal can still give you the sauce, seasoning, and satisfying bite that made you hungry in the first place.
Collard Greens Without the Usual Meat
A plate of greens can tell you plenty about a soul food kitchen. Collards are often cooked with meat elsewhere, which makes the vegan version at Soul Vegetarian No. 2 especially interesting.
They give diners a familiar Southern side while showing that vegetables can have a place at the center of a comfort food meal.
When you visit the North Highland Avenue restaurant, try the greens beside the mac and cheese. One brings a leafy bite; the other brings a soft, creamy one.
Going back and forth between them keeps the plate interesting, especially if your main dish comes with barbecue sauce or gravy. If you are ordering with a friend, greens are also easy to split without adding another heavy dish.
Seasoning is personal, and diners do not always agree on exactly how greens should taste. Give them a bite before adding anything, then decide what you like about the balance on your own plate.
For visitors raised on meat-seasoned collards, this version may feel different in a revealing way. It is a simple reason to slow down and notice how much comfort can come from the greens themselves.
Sweet Potatoes That Soften the Savory Edge
Halfway through a savory meal, a little sweetness can feel just right. Sweet potatoes offer that change of pace at Soul Vegetarian No. 2, where they can round out a plate built around greens, mac and cheese, or a hearty main.
Their familiar flavor makes them an easy pick for anyone trying vegan soul food for the first time.
Think about balance when you order. If barbecue is your main choice, sweet potatoes can give your taste buds a break from the sauce; if you choose mac, greens can help keep the meal from leaning too far toward rich and sweet flavors.
A few sides shared across the table let everyone find a combination they enjoy without committing to one large plate.
The pleasure here is not a surprising substitute or a food trick. Sweet potatoes belong in Southern cooking on their own, and they fit naturally into this meat-free menu.
At the Atlanta restaurant on North Highland Avenue, ordering them can make a meal feel more like a spread at home, with different tastes waiting in each corner of the plate. Save a bite for the end if you like a sweet finish.
The Garvey Burger Makes a Hearty Case
Burgers have a way of setting a clear challenge: will lunch actually keep you full? The Garvey Burger at Soul Vegetarian No. 2 answers with a substantial plant-based option for visitors who want something they can pick up with both hands.
It is a useful choice when your group includes someone who would rather order a sandwich than build a meal from sides.
At the Atlanta restaurant, pair the burger with mac and cheese to make the dairy-free dish part of a familiar burger lunch. Crisp vegetables and a bun bring a different feel from the creamy pasta, so neither choice gets lost.
If toppings matter to you, check the current menu or ask at the counter before ordering; restaurant preparations can change.
Do not judge the burger only by whether it resembles beef. Notice whether the seasoning, texture, and toppings make you want another bite, which is a fairer test of any good sandwich.
Eating it beside a longtime soul food favorite also shows the range of this kitchen. A burger and a side may sound ordinary, but here the combination gives curious diners an easy way into plant-based eating.
Jerusalem Rice for a Lighter Turn
After spotting mac, barbecue, and burgers, a colorful bowl of vegetables can be a welcome surprise. The Jerusalem rice dish at Soul Vegetarian No. 2 offers another way to explore the menu without giving up the feeling of a complete meal.
Brown rice and vegetables make it a natural pick when you want something less rich than several soul food sides together.
Look for the mix of colors and textures, then try a few bites before adding any sauce. That gives you a chance to taste the vegetables on their own and decide how much extra flavor you want.
If the dish comes with ginger sauce when you visit, adding it a little at a time can keep the rice from getting lost under a strong topping.
Eating with someone who wants the full mac and barbecue experience? Order differently and share tastes, so both of you get a wider picture of the restaurant.
At its North Highland Avenue location in Atlanta, this rice dish helps show that the kitchen does more than rework familiar meat dishes. It also gives vegetables room to be bright, filling, and enjoyable without asking them to play a different role.
A Casual Room That Invites You to Stay
Good food can draw you in, but a comfortable room can make you linger. Soul Vegetarian No. 2 is a casual place to sit with a plate and talk through the dishes you just tried.
Visitors have mentioned wall art, music, and friendly service, details that can make a meal feel personal rather than rushed.
Take a moment to look around after ordering at the North Highland Avenue restaurant. If you are introducing a friend to vegan food, an unhurried meal gives them space to be honest about what they like.
Sharing mac and cheese or a bite of a Garvey Burger works better as a conversation than as a challenge to prove anything.
Of course, service and atmosphere can vary with the time of day, and a small dining room may feel different when it is busy. Leave enough room in your schedule to enjoy the visit without watching the clock.
The draw is not a fancy setting or a big production; it is the chance to sit down over Southern favorites, hear what your table thinks, and perhaps leave with a new dish to talk about.
A Menu That Welcomes Different Eaters
Picking a restaurant for a mixed group can feel harder than choosing what to eat. At Soul Vegetarian No. 2, everyone orders from a plant-based menu, yet the choices range from familiar comfort food to vegetables and rice.
A meat lover can try mac and cheese while a friend builds a meal around greens, and neither person needs to order the same kind of plate.
That range is helpful if you are curious about vegan eating but not ready to change your habits. Start with something recognizable, then add one item you have never tried before.
A side of mac beside Kalebone, for example, gives you two different textures in one visit. Anyone with allergies or strict dietary needs should ask staff about current ingredients rather than assume every dish will work for them.
The North Highland Avenue address makes this an easy restaurant to name when a group wants Atlanta soul food without meat on the menu. The best part may be what happens after the plates arrive: people swap bites, disagree cheerfully, and discover different favorites.
That is a more useful introduction to plant-based cooking than any lecture about what you should eat.
One More Reason to Plan a Return Trip
The best restaurant visits often end with someone saying what they would order next time. Soul Vegetarian No. 2 makes that easy: mac and cheese may get you through the door, but the menu offers enough different paths for a second meal.
You might return for a burger, try a rice dish, or leave room for a slice of sweet potato pie if it is available.
For a first visit, keep the plan simple. Go to 652 N Highland Ave NE in Atlanta with an appetite, choose the mac, and add a main or another side that catches your eye.
Check the restaurant’s current hours and menu before heading out, since schedules and daily offerings can change. If you are driving, allow a little time to work out parking in the area.
No single bite has to settle every debate about vegan food. One diner may love the mac, while another talks most about the greens or barbecue.
What makes the stop worthwhile is that it gives both people a meal to explore together. Even a devoted meat eater can come for the comfort, enjoy the conversation, and find something worth trying again.
