Denver Colorado has been making headlines the past few years. It has appeared on several lists as one of the best places to live in the United States. It’s considered a more liberal city and is close to or home of quite a few colleges. Filled with beautiful views and outdoor enthusiasts, it makes sense that Denver would be a fairly easy town to find vegan food in. While the town has a few all-vegan eateries, many local restaurants cater to vegans and make it easy to find delicious food. We’ve rounded up our favorite strictly vegan as well as vegan-friendly options to help you decide just where to eat if you’re visiting the area. Vegan restaurants in Denver are relatively easy to find, so check out this list and plan your next vacation!
The Best All-Vegan Eateries in Denver
Watercourse Foods
Currently in its twenty-first year of business and its ninth year of business as a solely vegan restaurant, Watercourse Foods is a destination restaurant for any vegan in Denver. The business is focused on serving delicious vegan food, sourced locally when possible and providing a space for a sense of community. The interior is gorgeous, warm and inviting, with lots of wood surfaces, contrasting warm colors and beautiful lighting. These make it a great space for both casual and more intimate dining.
The menu caters to all tastes. It offers breakfast all day, salads, sandwiches, entrees, a kids' menu, and an extensive alcoholic selection. The menu offers items such as a Breakfast Sandwich, Baked Brie, Street Tacos Platter and a Macaroon Latte. The French Toast with Berries and Cream is sure to please no matter what time of day you enjoy it, especially served along side one of their many unique lattes. Their Farfalle Alfredo is both fresh and hearty, combining alfredo sauce, roasted red peppers, walnut parmesan and basil micrograms.
Native Foods Cafe
Native Foods Cafe is a fast-casual vegan chain that is offering a dramatic breakaway from the current fast food scene in the United States. It is one hundred percent plant-based cuisine and pledges to omit GMO soy and corn from all of their prepared foods. The interior is warm and inviting with wood and red walls while offering booth style seating and a casual vibe that is perfect for lunch dates with friends.
They offer a variety of plant-based spins on traditional fast food fare such as burgers, chicken sandwiches, clubs, wraps and tacos. The Chicken Run Ranch hits the spot with plant-based chicken, ranch dressing, and veggies all served on a whole wheat bun. Or if you’re feeling a little something heartier, you may opt for a pretzel bun, which we highly recommend. The OC Raw Chopper Salad is a great all raw, fresh and light salad that pairs well with any of the burger or sandwich options. It makes any meal taste a little fresher and a bit less indulgent, but in the best way possible.
Vegan Van
We couldn’t resist adding this all-vegan van to our list, despite it not being a restaurant. The Vegan Van offers amazing, vegan comfort food throughout parts of Denver a few times a week. The Vegan Van posts hours and times on its Facebook and Instagram pages, making it easy to locate or plan ahead to snag some delicious vegan food.
The menu, which can change depending on the day, offers items such as house-made burgers, loaded fries, wings, tacos and wraps. If you’re able to try the Chubby Girl, it’s a fantastically delicious feast of fries loaded with queso, green chiles, sour cream and green onions that is both fatty and fresh. The Freakout is an incredible hoagie with veggie balls, marinara and an extremely flavorful avocado pesto served with chips, to complete the experience.
Radha Govindas Buffet
This conscious all-vegan restaurant puts thought into every aspect of their business. From the all vegan, as organic, non-GMO and seasonal as possible food (some even from their own garden), to the biodegradable takeout containers, to the green cleaning products used in the restaurant, they put an incredible amount of thoughtful intention into all that they create and use in their space. The space is very warm and inviting. It has lots of warm colors, wood, live plants and crystals creating a peaceful dining atmosphere.
The restaurant offers a variety of items buffet style with ever-changing entrees. They are always served alongside freshly baked bread and a house-made cultured butter that is exquisite and can sometimes be ordered to take home to enjoy. The buffet is available both for lunch and dinner Wednesday - Saturday. And depending on your cuisine preferences, it’s wise to check the website to see what is served each night of the week, such as Asian inspired or Mexican inspired fare. The Potato Nacho Boats are a delicious alternative to traditional potato skins. They feature a cashew nacho cheese topped with coconut faux bacon. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, the Moon Pies are absolutely divine. Moon Pies use cake wafers to sandwich marshmallow which is all then coated in chocolate.
Superfood Bar
This one hundred percent vegan restaurant promises a lot in terms of offering the healthiest, most nutritious and delicious food. And delivers it. Superfood Bar was opened after years of research into the top healthy vegan eateries in the US. It focuses on offering all house-made, organic and locally sourced when possible, whole-food-based cuisine. The interior is warm, earthy and beautiful, although the seating is limited. So if you can’t find a spot, takeout for a picnic is a wonderful option.
The menu showcases the healthiest of foods such as smoothies, cold-pressed juices, wraps, and wellness shots. With items such as Ginger-aid Juice, Chocolate Avocado Smoothies, Acai Bowls and Kimchi Salad, it’s easy to see that this is one truly healthy spot to eat vegan fare. We are in love with the Chocolate Coconut Milkshake, filled with coconut water, fresh and dried coconut meat, coconut oil and of course cacao for a deep, rich and chocolatey delight. The Superfood Bar Salad is the perfect mix of greens, beets, hearty ranch dressing and coconut flakes for a variety of flavors and textures that will leave you feeling light and energized after you enjoy it.
The Best Vegan-friendly Options in Denver
City O' City
A vegetarian restaurant owned by the same people who own Watercourse, it offers a variety of vegan options clearly marked on the menu. City O’City focuses on procuring local food when possible including from their own urban micro garden as well as sourcing foods locally such as alcohol to support fellow vendors. The interior is beautiful, artsy and inviting and is perfect for both casual and intimate dining.
Many menu items that are not marked with a V have instead a VO, meaning a vegan option is available, making this have an extensive amount of items available to vegan diners. Menu items include waffles, tacos, salads, soups, bowls, and pizza. We recommend Fried Ravioli, a delicious blend of cashew ricotta, mushrooms and pesto served with a Marinara sauce. The Tempeh Bacon Hash is a glorious savory breakfast option. It mixes potatoes, caramelized onions, tempeh bacon, kale and vegetables and herbs, plus a few toppings. No matter what vegan option you try here, you really can’t go wrong.
Whole Sol
This all-organic bar offers a wide variety of vegan options and promises all items are free of dairy and gluten. This makes it a great option for those with allergies or intolerances. The interior is hip, with a variety of both warmer and modern elements and beautiful colors that add to its appeal.
The menu offers items such as smoothie bowls, juice, toast, snacks and lattes. We highly recommend trying the Mushroom Adaptogenic Latte. It is a combination of immunity-boosting reishi mushrooms and energizing cacao that is lightly sweetened and will leave you feeling amazing. The Sprouts and Kraut Toast is an incredibly healthy and delicious toast topped with sauerkraut, tree nut cheese and sprouts. We could go on and on as their many vegan items are extremely creative and delicious. But instead, we’ll just suggest you go and try them for yourself.
Vital Root
This beautiful restaurant offers what they call “99% vegan by request” options. Vital Root is focused on using real ingredients, no gluten and focusing on sustainable options such as buying local ingredients and using wind power. The interior is absolutely stunning, a mix of modern elements and earthy touches, with funky decorations and art. The interior begs you to stay if even just by yourself and enjoy the ambience and delicious food.
The menu offers items such as pancakes, soups, salads, wraps, juices, nut milks and coffee. We can’t help but recommend the drink Safe Word Cacao. It’s not only highly nutritious with hemp protein, cacao, medicinal mushrooms and MCT, but it’s a delightful nod to Portlandia. The Coconut Quinoa Pancakes are a delicious mix of textures and flavors. These pancakes feature a hibiscus blueberry-lemon compote that is out of this world delicious.
Corner Beet
This one hundred percent organic and locally focused restaurant has many vegan options. The interior is very warm and inviting, with lots of wood elements, art, plants and a variety of seating options that make you want to curl up with a book and eat food there all day. The food is fairly light and is more cafe style than full-on restaurant. However, it is still a great place for solely or companion dining.
The menu has a variety of vegan options and clearly states they happily will substitute avocado and coconut butter for cheese and butter. We highly recommend trying one of their unique beverages such as the Wylder Coffee, a probiotic organic coffee, or the CBD tea. Any of their vegan toasts, salads and acai bowls are great options and perfect for breakfast, light lunch or snack.
True Food Kitchen
This healthy eating chain offers a wide variety of vegan dishes. Founded on the premise that food should make you feel good, this restaurant focuses on in-season produce and anti-inflammatory foods crafted into delicious and creative dishes. The interior is sleek, warm and inviting and is a great space to dine both casually and intimately.
The menu offers a variety of items clearly marked with a V for vegan such as bowls, sandwiches, entrees, pizzas, appetizers and drinks. They offer a variety of gluten-free items as well making this a great option for dining out with others with a variety of food allergies and preferences. The menu does not have an extensive vegan selection, but what they do offer is delicious. The Butternut Squash Pizza is a fall seasonal item featuring squash, kale, cranberries, vegan ricotta, sage and onion and garlic to all come together for a flavorful masterpiece. The Charred Cauliflower is an amazing medley of flavors such as dates, dill, mint, harissa, tahini and pistachios that will make you wish the meal never ended.
And a few additional options…
Gluten Escape
A dedicated gluten-free bakery that also is dairy, soy protein and peanut-free and offers “95% of their products are egg-free/vegan”. This bakery has an extensive array of baked goods offered daily. It also has as an online menu that is clearly labeled with a V for vegan. You can swing by or call ahead to place an order, either way, you will not be disappointed. Vegan options include Salty Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bars, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Apple Pie, Cinnamon Rolls and Donuts.
Meta Burger
This all-vegan, fast-food style eatery is a great option when you want something quick or comforting. The interior is simple yet futuristic and is perfect for casual dining. Offering options such as burgers, bowls, sandwiches, Mac and cheese, fries, and shakes, it will satisfy all cravings for fast food. Some menu items include Philly Cheesesteak, Chili Mac and Cheese Bowl, Waffle Fries, and the Supernova Burger.
(You may also want to check out these vegan restaurants if you happen to be in Los Angeles, New York City or San Diego.)