Araya's Vegetarian Place (University District)
1121 NE 45th St
Seattle, WA 98105
(206) 524-4332
Website
It's Thai vegan heaven, with the heavenliness extending to the dining room: surprisingly large, well appointed, and both vast and cozy (a nice trick). Service is attentive but never overbearing. Deep-fried spring rolls are exemplars of the form, and the pad thai is damn fine, too. (Skip the pad phirk khing with "bean composition"—it requires aggressive chewing.) Working your way through Araya's voluminous menu could take years—glorious, glorious years.
Categories: Restaurant
Restaurant Details
The Stranger's Reviews of Araya's Vegetarian Place
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Accompany Buddies Episode Aug 27, 2009
Courtesy of a Meat-Eater, an Introduction to All-Veg In the Bowl
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A Bloodless Coup Apr 9, 2009
Two of Seattle's FUBU Vegetarian All-Stars
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Araya's Vegetarian Place Dec 18, 2003
Vegan for Everybody
- Write your own review of Araya's Vegetarian Place »
Average Rating:
Reviews/Comments (21)
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2
Good but..
Great selection and food but they could be a bit cleaner. They serve food on plates with big chips and cracks and the servers place the menus on the plates (kind of gross!).
3
Favorite veggy place
The food is amazing! I dislike eating curry outside of it, after I've had it there. The buffet is great, as well, and it's only ~$7. I also don't know what the other person is talking about with it being "dirty". Maybe they wrote this when the place was starting out.
4
Great hangover buffet
I love going to Araya's for all-you-can-eat vegan buffet goodness, and I am not even a vegan! Two plates full will probably do you in, and it is very affordable. Excellent curry and peanut sauce, brown rice, and delicious spring rolls. Recommend as a great hangover breakfast, especially when you tire of omelettes.
5
vegan paradise
i must admit i really miss the old location that araya had on the ave - the new place, on the outside, looks like some sort of strip mall convenience store - but once inside, the environs are tasteful and soothing. i've stuck mostly to the red and green curry dishes which have been pretty good each time. i'll have to admit i went to araya a lot more when i was a vegetarian, but even now, it makes for a nice cleansing change of pace from time to time.
6
Vegan Thai works it so good
when you need to find a place to take your vegan friend to - but you want to satisfy your vegan self as well - this is it - who woulda realized that thai is perfect for vegans? (hhhhmmmmm, creamy coconut milk....)
7
Tasty
Araya's understands spicy. It's probably a mark against me that I occasionally wish they would make meat spicy, too-- but this place does flavor with a vengeance, in all its tofu, faux-meat and veggie goodness, and I've never had a bad thing here. The staff is nice and so is the ambiance; busy but not too loud, not a bad choice for a date.
8
Good Vegan Food!
The lunch buffet here is delicious and cheap. Their buffet usually has at least 2 cold salads, spring rolls, a warm beans and coconut milk desert, pad thai, curry and other vegan goodness. It's totally worth the lunch buffet. I've only had the pad thai and sizzling rice soup for dinner and that was really good as well. No fish sauce here! :)
9
not just for vegans and buddhists
This is some of the best thai food I've had. This is also, without question, the best buffet of any kind I've ever seen. Everything is the right temperature, the spring rolls are crispy and fresh, and everything tastes fantastic. Nothing is overly greasy, nothing is overly spicy (although there are spicy condiments if you desire them), the dishes are simple and comforting, and you can eat until you can't get up out of your booth, all whilst the Buddhist statuary smiles at you from across the room.
10
Loved by non-vegetarians
My non-veg friends love this place too. Food is tasty and flavorful, be warned though - 5 star spice means 5 STAR! Not so much a date place because its quite an open space (if you like a bit of privacy, there are some booths). I have not tried the buffet but friends love it - and I don't doubt its fabulous. Plus points for very friendly staff.
15
Meat eater loves Araya's
When I was living in Seattle I ate here for days at a stretch.
The food is incredible... The people are awesome.
Everything from sitting at a romantic dinner, eating the "all you can eat" buffet,
or phoning them and saying (verbatim) "Hi, it's Nikki" "Hi! Phad Thai two stars? 15 minutes"
I have not yet found a replacement for this restaurant.
Their buffet is one of the first places I plan on shoving my face into when I am home.
Seattle food is amazing- You lucky ducks! Don't worry about the plates! I love great food.
I've actually had a cockroach crawl out of a bread basket here in New York City.
and had food poisoning here four times in two years. (and I do not go to shabby places!)
You are blessed with a place such as this! Give a little nod to the vegan goddess statue there and dig in.
16
Absolutely Great
My old roommate and I used to come down often to eat the lunch buffet here. The food really is great, and the prices are really good. I'm the kind of person who friends/family refer to as "carnivorous," and I still really like Araya's, even without any meat. I've also come for dinner, and everything is still good, prices are low, and the atmosphere is very nice. Great place for a cheap date without looking cheap.
17
Any time's a good time for Araya's!
My favorite thai restaurant in Seattle. The buffet is awesome and so is their menu.
18
Our first visit to this restaurant was due to a beautiful couple who invited us over there. Charming place, a good tie of US customs and Thai culture. Busy place (at 7pm, mind it!) but the food was worth worth going there. Tasty, tasty and tastefully done. And they are mindful of people's spice level! Great place. Thanks E & L. Pd
19
Went for dinner here last night with 4 friends. The service was slow, but it was a Saturday night. The food was yummy, and the staff was really nice. I love this place.
20
Mild and bland
I've ate here on several occasions for both lunch and dinner. When I eat thai cuisine, I like my food spicy. By spicy, I mean a bit of warmth.
When I eat here, the food is flavorful, but mild. Even when I say "Take your spicy and double it," I always seem to get some sort of mild flavor.
Thus, it is a highly overrated place that I won't go back to, unless my veggie friends require me to.
When I eat here, the food is flavorful, but mild. Even when I say "Take your spicy and double it," I always seem to get some sort of mild flavor.
Thus, it is a highly overrated place that I won't go back to, unless my veggie friends require me to.
Araya's Vegetarian Place
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