Vegetarian Food and Cooking

Wazee Supper Club taps into vegetarian fare

Denver has no shortage of places serving up delicious, locally brewed beers with solid food offerings. And now the venerable, revamped Wazee Supper Club is one of them. The beer list is as big as (if not bigger than) the food menu, which features your typical bar offerings -- burgers, wings -- with ... 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 >>

Reader: Veggie Girl needs to "beef" it up!

Every week, Amber Taufen serves up a heaping helping of healthy food in Veggie Girl. Yesterday, she focused on the vegetarian fare at Crema. And while Crema's vegan lattes made with almond milk are certainly sweet, one reader thinks Veggie Girl needs to give spots serving vegan and veggie fare more ... 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 >>

PETA: Encourage nonviolence by putting James Holmes on vegetarian diet

In the wake of the Aurora theater shooting, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals canceled a Denver protest in deference to the victims. But now, PETA has made the tragedy the centerpiece of a new PR blitz. The organization has written a letter to the Arapahoe County Sheriff Office (see it bel ... More >>

Which 'Wich? is a chain which has vegetarian-friendly options

Although Colorado is home to some veggie-friendly chains (Chipotle, Garbanzo, etc.), we're never sure about chains that originate in other states. Which 'Wich?, which got its start in Dallas, was one of those unknown quantities -- but now we're happy to report that it offers more than one vegetarian ... More >>

The veggie burger at My Brother's Bar is a slice of heaven

My Brother's Bar is known for its burgers (and its history), and nothing about those burgers is known for being vegetarian-friendly: The words "juicy" and "mouthwatering" are generally thrown around. Also, "beef" and "bison." But the joint's Boulder Burger is vegan friendly -- and a fine option for ... 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 >>

Denver's ten best vegetarian dishes in non-vegetarian restaurants

Picking the Best Vegetarian Dish in a Non-Vegetarian Restaurant for the Best of Denver 2012 was a tough task. The owners of omnivorous restaurants have really gone above and beyond lately to cater to lacto-ovo vegetarians and totally plant-based eaters alike. In no particular order (save for number ... 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.

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 >>

Youth of Today

Thursday, November 10, Summit Music Hall, 1-866-468-7621.

Baby spinach & fresh peach salad pairs beautifully with Peachfork Wheat at Ale House at Amato's

​The rooftop patio at Ale House at Amato's is gorgeous -- and even though snow is forecast for tomorrow, given typical Colorado weather, it won't be long before diners can bask in the sun while enjoying skyline views of the city. And although the menu tends toward the meat-heavy, there are a c ... More >>

Racines' Vietnamese vegetarian sandwich hits the lunchtime spot

​Racines is deservedly popular with meat-eaters and vegetarians alike. The salads and veggie-friendly Mexican entrees are amazing, and a relatively new addition to the menu, the Vietnamese vegetarian sandwich, can easily be modified to suit vegan palates.

City O' City is ready to welcome the city of Denver today

Stephanie DeCamp​"It's pretty unprecedented, what we're doing here," says City O' City chef Brendan Doyle, who's chomping at the bit to open the restaurant's expanded space today -- after more than a month off for renovations. "And we're all super-excited about it," he continues. "We use the ... More >>

Reader: Boulder has outgrown its granola label -- now it's time for Westword to grow up

​One reader welcomed the news that Tiffin's has opened in Boulder -- but didn't appreciate this start to Lori Midson's piece on the all-vegetarian Indian joint: Seems that the Boulder granola set may be finally tiring of tofu. At least that's what Justin Patel, co-owner of Tiffin's, an all-ve ... More >>

Duo and Olivéa join the nationwide Meatless Monday campaign

​Meat: It's not all that's for dinner -- at least not on Monday nights at Duo and Olivéa, both of which are the first restaurants in Denver to join the campaign to go meatless on Mondays, a nationwide initiative (some would call it a movement without the "moo") to persuade Americans to stick ... 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 >>

Organixx serves up vegan and veggie breakfasts during sedate mornings

​Organixx, the modified fast-casual restaurant at 1520 Blake Street, does 75 percent of its business during lunch hours. Which is somewhat surprising, considering the tasty breakfast and dinner offerings, with several vegetarian options and a handful of vegan delicacies. In other words, if you ... More >>

Are vegetarian standards different in New Mexico? Larry Gutierrez of Little Anita's thinks so

Beef broth does not a vegetarian chile make.​Yesterday we finally got to chat with Larry Gutierrez, the president of Albuquerque-based Little Anita's, and he seemed confused as to what, exactly, constitutes vegetarian cuisine. Earlier this week, we reported that Little Anita's -- which veggie ... More >>

Reader (and owner): Veggie green chile back at Little Anita's

​For over a decade, Little Anita's -- the Colorado outpost of a New Mexico group -- was a go-to spot for vegetarians hungering for meat-free green chile. But sometime last year, the five Little Anita's restaurants in the metro area started making both their red and green with beef stock -- whi ... 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 >>

Chef and Tell, part two: Rachel Kesley on umeboshi vinegar, the traveling food cart and eating a buzz button

Lori Midson​ Rachel Kesley WaterCourse Foods 837 East 17th Avenue 303-832-7313 www.watercoursefoods.com This is part two of Lori Midson's interview with Rachel Kesley, executive chef of WaterCourse Foods. In part one of that interview, which ran in this space yesterday, Kesley dishes on pro ... More >>

Rachel Kesley, exec chef of WaterCourse Foods, on produce-driven menus, vegetarianism and her fascination with figs

Lori Midson​ Rachel Kesley WaterCourse Foods 837 East 17th Avenue 303-832-7313 www.watercoursefoods.com This is part one of Lori Midson's interview with Rachel Kesley, executive chef of WaterCourse Foods. In part two of that interview, Kesley dishes on umeboshi vinegar, the traveling food ... More >>

H Burger Co.'s revamped veggie burger is a winner

​The last time we went seeking a decent veggie burger in this cowtown, we checked out Park Burger, whose house-made veggie burger is definitely a winner, particularly if you're looking for a traditional mustard-and-pickle setup. But if you work or live closer to downtown than to Englewood, or ... More >>

Chipotle wins peta2 award for Most Vegan-Friendly Restaurant Chain

​It's no secret that Denver loves Chipotle, our hometown hero achieving world domination in the mission-style burrito restaurant chain universe. But the rest of the country loves Chipotle, too -- including the youngsters who voted in peta2's fifth annual Libby Awards to give Chipotle the honor ... More >>

The best meal I ate all year: Peter Franus wine dinner at Elway's Downtown

​When I was invited to a special dinner with winemaker Peter Franus at Elway's Downtown, I was a tad skeptical as to how, exactly, they would cater that meal to my palate. As a vegetarian, I usually turn down invites like this -- I've worked in the restaurant industry for many years, and far b ... More >>

Le Central's ever-changing menu saves room for vegetarians

​Being vegetarian does not mean restricting your diet to only a handful of cuisines -- you can find dishes across every culture that accommodate non-meat-eating needs. Surprisingly, though, it's not always easy to find a vegetarian dish at a French restaurant. The cuisine is so rich and relies ... 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 >>

We brake for Interstate and vegetarian comfort food

​Although the bar at Interstate Kitchen & Bar, 901 West 10th Avenue, is packed during the early evening hours, the dining room is nearly empty, with just one two-top finishing up a meal over what sounds like a quiet business discussion. The room will get busier as the hour gets later -- but if ... More >>

Park Burger's housemade veggie burger: No beef necessary

​For a while, it seemed like a new gourmet burger joint was opening every few minutes in the metro area. Although they're not as ubiquitous as Starbucks (yet), restaurants specializing in well-made burgers were clearly a big trend. The question -- at least as far as this Veggie Girl is concern ... More >>

Mountain Sun turns out ideal versions of American classics

Meat-monger Mario Batali will release a vegetarian cookbook

​We're officially nervous that PETA is taking over the world. Mario Batali, head of an empire that's entrenched in pork fat, beef cheeks and cured meat, is writing a vegetarian cookbook. First Meatless Monday and now this? What's the deal?

A carnivore's guide to five great vegetarian dishes

Vegan rice pudding at the Dushanbe Teahouse​We love meat. Love it. But recently, we've found ourselves ordering vegetarian dishes and, well, enjoying them. Maybe it's the summer heat, or maybe we're being subconsciously swayed by cute vegetarian campaigns. Whatever the reason for our recent d ... More >>

How Mario Batali was won: the rhetoric behind Meatless Monday

​About a month ago, if you'll recall, I raked my former idol, Mario Batali, over the coals for jumping on the bandwagon of the cute veggie campaign, Meatless Monday. And in the aftermath, as was only fair, I was chastised for my pigheadedness (no pun intended). But as my comments about anima ... More >>

Veggie Girl: Tasting the best burgers for your grill -- so you don't have to

​You know what's really annoying? When you're having a cookout for some kind of holiday -- say, the Fourth of July -- and one of your guests mentions they don't eat meat anymore. What the hell do you feed those people? We'll be covering hot dogs in July, in honor of National Hot Dog Month, b ... More >>

Coors Field ranks fifth on PETA's annual list of best ballpark food

You'll find plenty of veggie options inside those doors.​Most vegetarians remember the days when attending a ball game meant subsisting on popcorn and peanuts -- not bad as snacks go, but let's be honest: Peanuts are no substitute for a ballpark dog. Since 2002, People for the Ethical Treatmen ... More >>

Johnson & Wales chef Eric Stein dishes on vegetarian food (Denver has the worst), Michael Long (he's a genius) and peanut butter and jelly

Lori Midson​This is part two of Lori Midson's Chef and Tell interview with Eric Stein, chef/instructor at Johnson & Wales. To read part one of that interview, click here. Most embarrassing moment in the kitchen: I worked for a restaurant called Adesso in Providence, Rhode Island, that featur ... More >>

Today: Eat out for the Boulder County AIDS Project

Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant will donate a portion of its proceeds to BCAP.​Eat out for a good cause today, when both Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant, 2010 16th Street in Boulder, and Aji Latin American Restaurant, 1601 Pearl Street in Boulder, will donate 15 percent of the day's sales to the Boulder ... More >>

Tonight: Conscious Eating discussion at the Mercury Cafe

Adam Brock and others speak out.​"You are what you eat" -- we've all heard that one before. But writers and activists such as Michael Pollan have brought the issue of conscious eating into the forefront. And tonight, the Mercury Cafe, 2199 California Street, will serve up "Conscious Eating: ... More >>

Hippie McHipster

City, O’ City should get real about its vegetarian leanings.

WaterCourse Foods

What’s breakfast without some bacon? No reason to rise and shine.

Road Warriors

The owners of Steuben's have region to believe.

Changing Course

How I learned to stop worrying and love seitan.

Bite Me

Green Achers

Check, Please!

Readers give our food critic something to chew on.

In Like a Lamb

India's Rang Mahal won't get your goat, but it got our vote.

Go With the Flow

Mouthing Off