It’s a roller coaster of emotion to be a vegan browsing through the Denver Restaurant Week with initial high hopes of all the dairy- and meat-free options, only to find you're being offered little more than salads. However, there are eateries touting solid vegan menus over the next ten days — so you can get a starter, main course and dessert that are completely plant-based. Here are ten restaurants offering a vegan menu for Denver Restaurant Week, from Friday, February 22, through Sunday, March 3.
Departure Restaurant + Lounge
249 Columbine Street
720-772-5020
$35
The three-course meal consists of orange glazed carrots with coconut yogurt, crunchy seeds and pomegranate; vegetable chow fun with peppers, garlic and scallion; and a chef selection of sorbet.
Bones
701 Grant Street
303-860-2929
$25
For a starter, choose between papaya salad with red cabbage, fresno pepper, peanuts and tamarind vinaigrette or the cucumber salad with shaved carrot, sesame vinaigrette and Korean pepper. Course two is a green-curry tofu with bamboo shoots, coconut, kaffir lime and rice noodles. For dessert, it’s coconut sticky rice with fresh mango.
1515 Restaurant
1515 Market Street
303-571-0011
$35
Start things off with a 1515 House Salad with dry fruits, grapes and sunflower seeds in a citrus vinaigrette. Next up — the vegan risotto with carrots and squash ribbons. Dairy-free chocolate mousse completes the meal.
The marinated tofu is the vegan maincourse during Restaurant Week at Azitra, which offers a large vegan menu all year-round.
Azitra
535 Zang Street, Broomfield
303-465-4444
$35
Two first-course options are gluten-free artichoke pakora (crispy artichoke fritters with chutney), or jackfruit pav bhaji (pulled jackfruit, a winter spice blend, chili and naan wedges). The second course is a gluten-free basil-marinated tofu and vegetables with spiced coconut crème served with basmati rice and naan. A vegan chocolate raspberry cake provides a delicious sweet ending.
The beautifully plated hummus is the vegan starter option at Fireside Lounge during Restaurant Week.
Fireside Lounge
24933 Clubhouse Circle, Golden
303-526-0616
$25
A hummus plate with celery, carrot, radish, sesame seeds and micro-basil is the first course, and for the main course, a roasted cauliflower with pomodoro sauce, heirloom tomatoes, and a fall farro salad. A dairy-free passion fruit mousse with fresh berries is for dessert.
Oblio's Pizzeria offers a vegan pizza crust and dairy-free cheese all year long, including during Restaurant Week.
Oblio's Pizzeria
6115 E 22nd Avenue
303-211-1511
$25
Get a choice of the house red or white wine or a local beer to start. All salads — a winter spinach salad, chopped salad or the Mediterranean — are vegan without the cheese. Balsamic vinaigrette and oil and vinegar are the vegan dressing options. Build your own twelve-inch pizza with a signature vegan crust or a plant-based cauliflower crust. Top with vegan cheese and an assortment of veggies, including mushrooms, artichoke hearts, broccoli, black olives, pineapple, peppers, spinach and more. For dessert, the cinnamon bread sticks are vegan.
Rio Grande
1525 Blake Street
303-623-5432
$35
The balsamic vinaigrette and champagne vinaigrette are vegan for the salads. For the main dish, the portabello, squash and veggie fajitas with tortillas, beans and rice are available, sans sour cream. The dessert vegan option is sopapillas that can be served with agave nectar instead of honey upon request.
Charred cauliflower is the meat- and dairy-free appetizer for Denver Restaurant Week at True Food Kitchen.
True Food Kitchen
2800 East Second Avenue
720-509-7661
$35
First course is charred cauliflower with harissa tahini, medjool dates, dill, mint and pistachio. Second course is a tofu teriyaki quinoa bowl with broccoli, heirloom carrot, bok choy, mushroom, brown rice, avocado and toasted sesame. For dessert, the gluten-free chia-seed pudding is topped with banana and toasted coconut.
Linger
2030 West 30th Avenue
303-993-3120
$35
There are two first-course options: tom kha soup with spiced coconut milk, grilled tofu, mushrooms, bean sprouts and chili oil, or a winter superfood salad with quinoa, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, garbanzos, dukkah and sweet potato-almond purée. The main course is potato masala dosa with a crispy lentil crepe, squash, Brussels sprouts, apricots, sambar curry, tamarind date sauce and coconut mint chutney.
Jill’s Restaurant & Bistro
900 Walnut Street, Boulder
720-406-7399
$35
The three-course meal kicks off with a kale Caesar salad with crispy chickpeas and a citrus tahini vinaigrette. The nutty curry stuffed acorn squash is filled with roasted tomato quinoa, braised kale and kabocha squash purée. For dessert, warm sticky toffee pudding is topped with candied blood orange and coconut dulce de leche.
