Veganism

The five best vegetarian/vegan dishes in Denver

Denver's a great town for vegetarians and vegans, as the Best of Denver 2013 attests. In that issue, you'll find accolades for Best Vegetarian Green Chile and Best Vegan Market, as well as many more green categories. But if you're looking for the best plant-based dishes in the city, look no further ... More >>

Door 86 vegan cheese is packaged paradise

Although there are many good meat replacements on the market, a decent dairy-free cheese can be tough to come by -- and you can forget about a cheese memorable enough to pair with a glass of wine. Daphne Medina, creator of Door 86 Vegan Cheese, to the rescue. She's accomplishd the impossible, as tho ... More >>

Veggie Girl: The five best things I ate last year

This past year was a good one for vegan food in Denver, what with the opening of Nooch and the continued success of such events as VegFest and other regular gatherings of herbivores. And I reaped the rewards eating out for Veggie Girl, because local restaurants have really stepped up their game. Her ... More >>

Tarasco's New Latin Cuisine is hot for veggies, too

It's not that easy to find vegetarian-friendly (let alone vegan-friendly) Mexican food; between lard in refried beans and chicken stock in the rice or green chile, there's no telling what animal products might be lurking in the foods you order. That's why we just love places like Tarasco's New Latin ... More >>

Bono's Italian Takeout is quick, easy and veggie-friendly

With holiday preparations filling the calendar, who has time to sit in a restaurant and linger over a meal? For that matter, who has time to cook a meal? Right now, takeout is looking pretty good -- and there are several good reasons to try Bono's Italian Takeout. The takeout/lunch menu at this fami ... More >>

Mellow Mushroom gives vegan eaters a pizza the action

Mellow Mushroom seemed like the perfect place to celebrate the passage of Amendment 64, what with its giant, color-changing psychedelic mushroom motif. But this pizza chain is based in Atlanta, and last time we checked, Georgia wasn't anywhere close to legalizing marijuana. Still, we'll give a thumb ... More >>

Jack-n-Grill's green isn't vegetarian, but other dishes will grow on you

Jack Martinez came to Colorado from New Mexico to sell chiles, a business that grew into Jack-n-Grill. The fare in this family place is New Mexican, and it's renowned for its green chile -- although there's no vegetarian version of the green. Still, there are plenty of options for herbivores at Jack ... More >>

Maggiano's offers vegetarian and vegan options for fans of Italian food

When you've got a ton of people to feed and no one can agree on anything but a chain, Maggiano's can be a good choice -- even for those on a plant-based diet. If you know how to order, you can avoid the meat on the Maggiano's menu and have an enjoyable vegetarian meal. See also: - Flights Wine Caf ... More >>

Flights Wine Cafe soars with its veggie-friendly small plates

There are few pleasures in life as satisfying as sitting down with a good friend and a bottle of wine, maybe sharing a snack. Before the weather gets too cold to enjoy this pleasure in the truly great outdoors, do yourself a favor and head to Flights Wine Cafe in Morrison, which has a gorgeous patio ... More >>

Eden is a retreat for plant-eaters and carnivores alike

The venue formerly known as Swallows has kept its Pride-friendly vibe but polished up the kitchen and the decor as Eden. Chef Ching-yuan Hu has created a weekend brunch spread -- with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options -- that fills the dining room, but the dinner menu is also a testament to ... More >>

Doron Petersan vegan cookbook signing at Tattered Cover

Food Network's Cupcake Wars winner and vegan-evangelist Doron Petersan will sign copies of her new cookbook, Sticky Fingers' Sweets: 100 Super-Secret Vegan Recipes tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Tattered Cover, 2526 East Colfax Avenue. Petersan will also be slinging vegan treats, alongside local vegan ... More >>

Five Star Burgers grills up a five-star veggie patty

Tomorrow is the first day of summer, also known as burger season -- and then, just around the corner, comes the green chile harvest. Celebrate both at Five Star Burgers, the New Mexico transplant that recently made its way to Broadway.

Cupcake Wars champ Doron Petersan on Sticky Fingers' Sweets

Doron Petersan is the owner of Sticky Fingers Sweets & Eats shop in Washington, D.C., but folks around here know her as the vegan cupcake warrior who slayed the Food Network's Cupcake Wars and Cupcake Wars All-Stars competition, alongside Sticky Fingers' head baker Jenny Webb. Petersan's become som ... More >>

Cupcake Wars champ Doron Petersan onSticky Fingers' Sweets

Doron Petersan is the owner of Sticky Fingers Sweets & Eats in Washington, D.C. -- but folks around here might know her better as the vegan cupcake warrior who slayed the Food Network's Cupcake Wars and Cupcake Wars All-Stars competition, alongside Sticky Fingers' head baker Jenny Webb. Petersan ha ... More >>

Sweet Science

Chomp! founder embarks on a new adventure: Nooch Vegan Market

Joshua LaBure, the man behind Chomp! Vegan Supper Club and the vegan Neat Market (and a member in good standing of the vegan activist collective Plants & Animals Denver), has arguably done more for vegans in this town than anybody else. And now, he's about to take his efforts to feed the plant-based ... More >>

Sub-Culture serves a dozen vegetarian (and vegan-optional) sandwiches

During its short time on the map, Sub-Culture has become very popular; it opened last year and has already garnered a Best of Denver award as the Best Non-Sports Spot for Watching Games. But we were more concerned with the food than the atmosphere when we swooped in to pick up lunch (after ordering ... More >>

Country skillet potpie (vegan-style) for a hearty meal on Meatless Monday

No one's saying you have to go meatless just because it's Monday -- but as incentive to join the growing movement, every week we're offering an animal-free recipe. With the chilly weather this past weekend we decided to skip salad, and instead grabbed some fresh fingerling potatoes and yellow baby ... More >>

Old Blinking Light takes plant-based eaters south of the border

Eating Mexican food as a vegetarian isn't easy, and as a vegan? You might as well forget it unless you're at a plant-based restaurant. Or at Old Blinking Light Kitchen & Cocktails in Highlands Ranch.

Chocolate-chip vegan scones for a breakfast treat on Meatless Monday

​​No one's saying you have to go meatless just because it's Monday -- but as incentive to join the growing movement, every week we're offering an animal-free recipe. If you've tried our banana walnut muffins or peanut-butter cookies, then you know vegan baking isn't nearly as difficult as i ... More >>

The Living Room serves up happy-hour veggie snacks

After a long day in the office, there's nothing like kicking back with some happy-hour drinks -- and maybe some happy-hour bites, so that you can still drive home safely. While the wine system at the Living Room, 1055 Broadway, is a lot of fun to geek out on, even the house selections are decent (a ... More >>

The French Press has breakfast options for vegetarian eaters

​As difficult as it is to find vegan options at breakfast joints (read: nearly impossible), it's also not always easy to find plain old meat-free entrees. And the farther from central Denver you travel, the more difficult that task becomes. So we were thrilled to discover the French Press, 85 ... More >>

Freshcraft's vegetarian selection and beer list hits the spot

Freshcraft, which opened in 2010 on Blake Street, has earned nods from us for having a fantastic bottled beer list, and we've been looking at the myriad vegetarian options on the menu for quite some time, but we only managed to make it to the craft-beer-and-fresh-food joint this past Monday night. T ... More >>

Virgilio's pizza stretches to accommodate vegan and vegetarian needs

​If you've been to Virgilio's, which took over a massive spot at 10025 West San Juan Way in Littleton for its second (and now, only) location, then you no doubt already know about the garlic knots. Although they're not vegan -- the knots are brushed with garlic butter before they are baked -- ... More >>

Ali Baba Grill vegetarian spread brings the Middle East to Golden

​Vegetarian fare plays an important role in Lebanese cuisine, and Golden's Ali Baba Grill is testament to the fact that you can get delicious (meat-free!) international cuisine as far west as the foothills. There doesn't seem to be a down-time for this eatery; when we stopped by on Labor Day ... More >>

The veggie sandwich at Snarf's satisfies our delivery needs

​The convenience of a workday lunchtime meal delivery is something taken for granted by many meat eaters; there are dozens of eateries all over the city willing to deliver anything on the menu right to your doorstep. But vegetarians and vegans who'd like a simple sandwich delivered for lunch o ... More >>

Meet at the Corner Office for the quinoa-and-garbanzo veggie burger

​Downtown Denver has its share of cute, modern eateries dishing up sandwiches and salads, but the Corner Office still stands out in the crowd. Its so-hip-it-hurts, yet still playful decor provides the perfect backdrop for beautiful people sipping martinis and nibbling on the food offerings. E ... More >>

Veggie-loaded soup, salad and sandwiches at Parsley

​Grabbing lunch to go is easy for most meat-eaters: No matter where you stop in, there's bound to be something on the menu that looks good. Not so for vegetarians and vegans. Sure, most places offer up at least one veggie-friendly dish ... but if you're not a big fan of portabello mushrooms or ... More >>

Pizza Fusion slices up another vegan-friendly pie

​You can find pizza anywhere in the city -- but finding vegan-friendly pizza is a slice more difficult. Pizza Fusion made the hunt much easier when it opened a few months ago; its vegan pie is topped with casein-free soy cheese (Follow Your Heart mozzarella -- which, as you can see in the phot ... More >>

VegFest 2011: Top five lifestyle products

Paintings by vegan artist Ken Voss.​On Saturday, VegFest 2011 took over the Exhibition Hall at Jefferson County Fairgrounds; among the lifestyle products available were these chaotic yet controlled abstract paintings by vegan artist Ken Voss. And more -- including aromatherapy for dogs and pap ... More >>

Compassionate Cooks' Colleen Patrick-Goudreau talks about her VegFest topic, her new book and more

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.​Colleen Patrick-Goudreau is the founder of www.compassionatecooks.com and the author of three must-have cookbooks for plant-based eaters: The Joy of Vegan Baking, The Vegan Table and Color Me Vegan. She'll be speaking at VegFest tomorrow at the Jefferson County Fairgr ... More >>

DelectablePlanet.com's Lester Karplus on globalism, plant-based eating and why the elitist argument is flawed

Lester Karplus.​Lester Karplus, co-founder of DelectablePlanet.com, has eaten veggie for almost forty years; he'll be offering up cooking demonstrations at VegFest tomorrow, which runs from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds. We talked to Karplus about his shift toward vegeta ... More >>

Civic Center Eats offers plenty of options for veggie-eaters

​Being a vegetarian or vegan sometimes means you're not always sure whether something like Civic Center Eats is a good plan for lunch. Sure, there will be dozens of selections -- but how many of those cater to a vegetarian palate? Plenty, as it turns out. When we visited the food trucks that ... More >>

Tocabe's fry-bread menu is loaded with veggies

​We've raved about Tocabe before -- it won a Best of Denver award in 2009, and former restaurant critic Jason Sheehan gave it a stellar review. And even better: Tocabe is vegetarian- and vegan-friendly.

Larkburger's Amy Burger substitutes a portabella cap for the beef patty

​There are lots of good veggie burgers in this city, but many of them are problematic for vegan eaters: They almost always contain some form of egg or dairy to help bind the veggie patties together. But vegan burger-lovers need not bend nor break their dietary rules to get their fix: Larkburge ... More >>

OiNKs! BBQ caters to meat-lovers and veggie-eaters alike

​When Wolfe's closed in December, it took one of the town's best vegetarian barbecue options with it. But at least there's still barbecued tofu on Colfax Avenue, thanks to OiNKs! BBQ.

Reader: Veggie girl, be happy with your choice

​After Amber Taufen penned her "open letter to cranky carnivores", the flip side of her "open letter to militant vegans," Steve put things in perspective: If you think being Vegan is hard, try having kids allergic to peanuts, tree nuts and sesame and also trying to give them healthy non-anima ... More >>

An open letter to carnivores: What, in the name of cow pies, is your problem?!

​After I penned my open letter to militant vegans, several people asked why I was focusing on militant vegans and letting meat-eaters off the hook. They had a point. Although I take issue with the comments that suggested militant vegans are an urban legend -- I've met more of them than I care ... More >>

Reader: A vegan doesn't eat pig, but will sometimes act like one

​Why did it take Veggie Girl Amber Taufen so long to go from vegetarian to vegan? Partly the vehement vegans she encountered along the way, as she revealed in her "Open Letter to Militant Vegans". That letter inspired dozens of responses -- some mild, many militant. "Please don't fight blame ... More >>

An open letter to militant vegans: Shut the fu*k up!

​Dear militant vegans: Please, please, for the love of all things holy, do a favor for everyone -- non-militant vegans, vegetarians and carnivores alike -- and shut the fuck up already.

Reader: What's your beef? Taco Bell bean burritos are great for vegans

Vegans make a run for Taco Bell bean burritos -- hold the cheese.​An Alabama law firm has a beef with the amount of meat in Taco Bell's tacos, which has set off a stampede of claims, counterclaims and an opportunistic campaign by Mercy for Animals,, which is suggesting that the chain solve its ... More >>

Mercy for Animals has a solution to Taco Bell's legal woes: Go vegan

If there's hardly any beef, then why not go vegan?​Taco Bell has been sued by Alabama-based law firm Beasley Allen, which claims the chain was using too little beef in its "beef." And because this country loves meaty litigation, Taco Bell turned around and sued right back, claiming that not on ... More >>

D Bar Desserts sweetens the vegetarian food scene

​As adults, we can eat what we want when we want -- which sometimes means dessert for dinner. And those are the times you'll want to head to D Bar Desserts, 1475 East 17th Avenue, where the Food Network's Keegan Gerhard creates beautiful cupcakes and truffle treats for the display case, as wel ... More >>

The Rebellion tosses out vegetarian and vegan pizza pies

​There are no tables inside the Rebellion, 2231 South Broadway, and although the patio offers extensive seating perfect for sunny Colorado days (summer and winter alike), you might not want to wait for clear skies to get your pizza fix. Understandable. Thankfully, the pizzeria offers deliver ... More >>

Blue Sky Cafe is a west suburbs breakfast haven for veggie lovers

​Although Denver is a vegetarian-friendly place, it's not always easy to find a decent meat-free breakfast. And as difficult as it can be for vegetarians to scrounge up a place that serves meat substitutes, vegans have it even worse: Just try finding an egg-, dairy- and meat-free breakfast any ... More >>

WSPA: Eat cruel-free meat before you ruin the rest of your holiday meal

Vegan ham. This should be banned like tainted infant formula.​There's been a lot of discussion around here lately about all things vegan, vegetarian, cruel-free, meat-free and humane. Last week, for example, Sarah, a former vegetarian, went back to eating meat, which, of course, led to a full ... More >>

Geek in the Galley: Jobs for experimental bakers

Looks just like real bread, doesn't it?​ While I am not generally one for hyping the cause of vegetarian-this or vegan-that, there has always been something about the art (yes, art) of vegan and gluten-free baking that has tickled my geek bone. It's the same instinct that makes me love the m ... More >>

Denver's iconic James Dean mural is coming down

Sam Taylor's gets to the meatless of the matter

​It's hard to imagine anything more meaty than BBQ. It is a cuisine based entirely on the flesh of the pig, the cow and, in some cases, the chicken. So it's no surprise that a BBQ joint owner might hang up on a sales rep trying to sell him vegan meat substitutes. That's certainly happened a l ... More >>

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