Veganizer Denver and VegFest Colorado are teaming up to host Denver’s first Vegan Restaurant Week, taking place May 13 through May 19. Participating restaurants, both plant-based and not, are offering at least one vegan special during this stretch, and some are cooking up multi-course meals.

Sarah Eastin, plant-based chef and leader of Veganizer Denver, says that even though the demand for plant-based options is soaring and Denver has a large community of vegans, there just aren't as many options here as there are in other food-forward cities like New York, Portland, Los Angeles and Austin.

“I want to show restaurants that there is great opportunity in adding vegan options to their menus,” Eastin says, noting that many local eateries already have vegan options on their menus that the plant-based community doesn’t know about.

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Charcoal Bistro is one of Denver's upscale restaurants participating in Vegan Restaurant Week.

Courtesy Charcoal Bistro

“I am also a huge foodie and creative when it comes to preparing my own food. I just love to see other people's creativity, too — and especially eat it,” the chef adds.

There's been incredible interest from businesses, according to Eastin. Tap & Burger, Pieology Pizzeria, Next Door American Eatery, Mellow Mushroom, Hopdoddy Burger Bar, Concourse Restaurant Moderne and Charcoal Bistro are just a handful of the restaurants that have already signed up to participate. The lineup also includes food trucks, such as WongWayVeg, the Veggie Yeti, the Veggie Whisperer, SOS Catering and Migration Taco.

The exact menus will be announced as the event gets closer, and the Vegan Restaurant Week website will continue to be updated as new restaurants sign up and menus become available.

With a full week devoted to plant-based dining out, Eastin also hopes to raise awareness for upcoming Veganizer events, at which she helps “veganize” a restaurant for one meal or one day, as well as Veg Fest, which comes to town July 27-28.

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