The hungry food scene in Tucson has been an advocate for many local restaurants in the community, and in turn, the restaurants pay it forward. For example, brand-spankin’ new dishes from a restaurant that’s been keeping us fed for more than 30 years.

Ghini’s French Caffe first opened its doors in 1992 and owner and chef Coralie Satta — AKA Chef Ghini — adds new experiences to the menu from time to time. Right now, there’s a collection of vegan and vegetarian bites you need to check out pronto.  

“I put a whole lot of time and energy into this new menu — mindfully creating vegan and vegetarian dishes,” said Satta. “I won’t bring in or use products that aren’t clean or natural, anywhere on my menus, so we spent a lot of time with the R&D of these dishes and ingredients.”

One of the highlights on the menu is the Mushroom Mozzarella Veggie Burger. The patty is vegan and is then topped with grilled mushrooms, roasted tomato aioli, and a smoked paprika vegan mozzarella sauce. “We make our own oat milk and vegan cream sauces,” Satta added.

“I feel like our vegan dishes and menu offerings taste as good, in some cases, even better, than their dairy-filled counterparts,” said Satta. “So, no one is sacrificing anything at all when making a vegan choice on our menu. That is what I’m most proud of!”

When scanning over Ghini’s new menu, and if you’re looking for meat-free options, be on the lookout for the green text. There are also a few dishes on the menu that can be made vegan — the Tomato Brie Baguette being one of those bites.

“Don’t be afraid to ask. Even our omelets. I’m happy we could offer all of those as well. I really love the Just Egg product — I’m a huge bean lover and the base is mung bean.”

Satta has a few favorites on the menu, too.

“The vegan dishes I enjoy the most on our menu are ones that have always been on our menu, our Plant-Based Vegetable Soup,” she said. “It is a soup I have been eating for decades and no matter how I am feeling, it always hits the spot without leaving me feeling sluggish. It never upsets my stomach, like I can get from eating French fries for instance, which is one of my favorite things to eat (thank goodness we don’t deep fry!).”

“And, our Tofu Provençal! With the perfect amount of garlic, tomato, and herbs to still taste French Provincial? And, I really love Tofu!”

To this day, Satta is still in the pilot’s seat and most dishes, if not all, are recipes that Satta’s grandmother would cook for her when she was a kid in France. “Another one of my favorite vegan offerings is the Vegan Grilled Cheese, with slow-roasted onion, grilled tomato, baby spinach, vegan mozzarella, and a balsamic reduction. It’s so good!”

“Also, our Croques! I really, really wanted to make them available for vegans as they are so, so, so good and fulfilling — heart, belly, and soul,” said Satta. “We have several choices available for vegans and they can also be made gluten-free!”

Other vegan highlights on the menu include the Mushroom & French Brie Croque. This one includes mushrooms and French brie, of course, and then layered with béchamel, gruyère, and parmesan cheese before it’s baked on French bread.

If you’re in the mood for alfredo pasta but without bellyaches from the dairy, get a load of the vegan Mushroom Alfredo. This is one of those dishes you can request to be made vegan so be sure to speak up.

Stop by the Bakery

Ghini’s made-from-scratch menu doesn’t stop there and spills over into La Baguette Bakery, which is located right next to the dining room — just follow your nose and you’ll find it. Try one of the fruit tarts (they’re vegan).

Ghini’s French Caffe is located at 1803 E Prince Rd. For more information, including hours and the full menu, visit ghiniscafe.com.

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