The Seven Best Veggie Bowls in Denver

Adorning noodles or rice with heaping portions of  flavorful vegetables, sauces and marinated tofu can turn seemingly simple veggie bowls into favorite go-to meals. Among the many food trends popping up in Denver, internationally inspired bowls have made a delicious impact on the dining scene — and many are so good they won't be going away any time soon, so you’d better hop on the bowl train. Here are our favorite vegetarian bowls brought to us from cuisines around the world.
7) Chilled Noodle Bowl at Viet's
333 South Federal Boulevard
303-922-5774
A longstanding favorite, and the Best Vietnamese Restaurant winner for 2015, Viet's serves a bún, or chilled noodle bowl, that will definitely cool you down when the temperature is on the rise. The tofu is warm when it first comes out, which by laws of heat transference, warms the first layer of noodles. But don’t be alarmed, once you dig in further, you’ll find a goldmine of cold and refreshing ingredients. The bean sprouts and onion offer great crunch and the plentiful basil is bright and fresh. Mixing everything together allows you to optimize the flavor of each bite. The lemongrass tofu is the kind that’s hard to come by — pan fried to give it some texture and sliced thin so each bite retains its crisp throughout, without so much as a hint of sogginess. This tofu is a worthy protein and truly makes the dish.
6) Mexican Bowl at Bubu
1430 Larimer Street
303-996-2685
Although the menu at Bubu isn't tied to one specific culture or nationality, the restaurant's motto is “fresh revolution”  — a concept carried through a variety of different culinary influences. The Mexican Bowl is no exception. Black beans, cherry tomatoes, charred corn, jicama and pumpkin seeds are generously scattered atop your choice of a base: rice, noodles or salad. Then cilantro and a side of house-made Mexican dressing top your choice of protein — tofu if you’re taking the veggie route. This dish is clear-your-sinuses spicy, with the house Bubu spice — a mixture of togarashi chili powder, sugar, salt and pepper — sprinkled atop the tofu, but the cool jicama helps temper the fire while adding a nice crunch. The warm brown rice juxtaposes the cool yet spicy tofu and the corn lends a tiny surprise of sweetness amidst the whirlwind of spice. Overall, this dish is a kickass blend of healthy sustenance and fiery flavor. If you’re intimidated by the spice, ask the counter clerk to go light on the Bubu and add avocado.
5) Udon Noodle Bowl at City, O’ City
206 E. 13th Ave.
303-831-6443
City, O’ City is a 13th Avenue haven for vegetarians and as such offers multiple noteworthy meatless dishes. The udon noodle bowl, though, stands out as one of the best items on the menu — and one of the best veggie bowls in Denver. Fresh noodles are accompanied by mushrooms, bok choy, fennel, shallot, jalapeño, thai basil, pickled carrot, sprouts and an optional soft egg all cozied up in a unique carrot-ginger broth. This bowl has some kick to it and helps earn City, O' City our Best Vegetarian Restaurant award this year. 

4) Vegetarian Curry Bowl at Biju’s Little Curry Shop
1441 26th St.
303-292-3500
After half a year on the Denver food scene, Biju’s is still dishing up vibrant curry bowls in a fast casual setting to a waiting throng. To begin, choose between jasmine rice or cashew and date biriyani. The vegetarian option offers a portion of lentils ladled over the rice followed by a mixture of cooked vegetables. Spice-laden potatoes are then added before the dish gets a dousing of yogurt moor and/or your choice of sauce or spice blend. The roasted mint and tomato chutney is the mildest of the condiments but still has a good kick to it and, well, we prefer not to cry in public when we’re eating. After the sauce comes a colorful topping of cabbage and citrus slaw to add a vibrant top note to the delicious mess beneath.
3. Bibimbap at Ace
501 East 17th Avenue
303-800-7705
Bedded with a layer of Jasmine rice and honey-gochujang sauce, Ace's signature Korean dish is a mouth-watering combination of kimchi, grilled marinated king trumpet mushrooms, marinated mung bean sprouts and sautéed tofu. Topped with a fried egg, sesame seeds and green onion, the presentation strikes a memory note with a Japanese bento box, where each ingredient nestles in its own little section but is traditionally mixed together and eaten with chop sticks, however elegant or clumsy that may be.
2) Veggie Pho at Saigon Bowl

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