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Foodie 15: The Best Vegan Food in Downtown Tucson

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Foodie 15: The Best Vegan Food in Downtown Tucson

by Hannah HernandezDec 1, 2023Updated Dec 2, 20243 min read
They say that variety is the spice of life, and downtown Tucson’s food scene offers just that in its dining options for vegans, vegetarians, and those simply wanting to add more plant-based meals to their diet. This guide includes creative restaurant dishes ranging from creamy pasta to vegan poke, burgers, and desserts. So buckle up, and add some variety to your life as you eat your way through the heart of Tucson any time of the day.
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11 of 15 spots

4th Avenue Delicatessen

425 North 4th AvenueDowntown

This shiny little gem on Fourth Avenue recently added a vegan menu, and they went all out with a variety of stacked sandwiches and smothered hot dogs. The “Vegan Hot Dog” menu includes Chicago, N.Y.C., Chili, and more. The garlicky pesto spread and savory veggies on the Sundance Kid sandwich will have you falling in love with veggies if you’re not a fan of them already. Indoor and outdoor seating is available.

HUB Restaurant & Ice Creamery

266 E Congress StDowntown

Grab a seat indoors or out on the patio and enjoy a loaded vegan burger and your choice of fries or tater tots. Plus, they have tart, sweet, and creamy hand-crafted ice creams. Rotating vegan selections are always available and made only with the best natural ingredients.

JoJo's Restaurant

76 W Washington StDowntown

Savor house-marinated olives, grilled carrots, brussels sprouts, mushroom chorizo, and mushroom baguettes. In the courtyard, you’ll find the Monsoon Room with various beautiful cocktails, some featuring oat milk. 

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Martin’s Comida Chingona

557 N 4th AveDowntown

Never frozen, never fried. You’ll find endless high-quality vegan options on Martin’s menu. The beans, rice, flour tortillas, salsa, and horchata are all vegan as is. With tacos, tortas, burritos, and tostadas, there’s something for everyone. Dine inside with a ton of entertaining art, or grab a seat outside.

OBON Sushi Bar Ramen

350 E Congress St #120Downtown

Sip a cool drink and enjoy the weather on Obon’s misted patio. Choose from Fresh Veggie Handrolls, Vegan Poke, and two different variations of vegan ramen. Veggie White: mushroom soy milk marinated tofu, scallions, broccolini, enoki, and the Bamboo Veggie Black: red miso beech mushroom, enoki, bean sprouts, onion, scallions, garlic oil, and kombu.

Penca

50 E Broadway BlvdDowntown

 Enjoy tacos, pozole, and even a chile relleno stuffed with sautéed spinach, mushroom, squash, and amaranth on a creamy cashew tomato salsa. The black beans, calabacitas, arroz poblano, and nopales sides are all vegan.

Reilly Craft Pizza and Drink

101 E Pennington StDowntown

Doesn’t matter if you’re casually wandering downtown or wanting to add romance to your date night; Reilly’s warm ambiance and light dishes will be a great addition to your day. Start your visit with their house-made bread (ask for no butter to make it vegan). Garlic, mushroom, eggplant, peppers, and onion top the crispy Vegan Pizza. Add nutritional yeast to make it cheesy.

The Boxyard

238 N 4th AveDowntown

Stop by Daddy Burger for lettuce-wrapped Beyond burger and crispy fries. Visit Nhu Lan Vietnamese and order a Banh Mi Dau Hu (French-style soft sandwich) and tofu spring rolls with peanut sauce. Los Perches offers packed Beyond Burritos and we’ll-dressed Veggie Hotdogs on toasted buns.

Urban Fresh

73 E Pennington StDowntown

Urban Fresh’s menu is thoughtful, house-made, and 100% vegan. Are you working or wandering downtown on a weekday? Order ahead or walk up Monday – Friday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Burgers, smoothies, fresh juice remedies, and a plentiful selection of gluten-free dishes are available. Eat your meal out in the spacious outdoor seating area.

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Scratch-made Japanese ramen goes far beyond instant noodles, with rich broths like tonkotsu, miso, and shoyu. Tucson has more specialty ramen shops than you might expect. Here’s where to find them around town.🍜

@ikkyu.tucson 
@jaramencurry 
@kiwamiramenbar 
@kukai___ 
@marujapanesenoodle 
@maruplusaz 
@obonsushi 
@raijinramen 
@theramenbartucson 
@tossfriedchickennramen 

More guides on Tucsonfoodie.comScratch-made Japanese ramen goes far beyond instant noodles, with rich broths like tonkotsu, miso, and shoyu. Tucson has more specialty ramen shops than you might expect. Here’s where to find them around town.🍜 @ikkyu.tucson @jaramencurry @kiwamiramenbar @kukai___ @marujapanesenoodle @maruplusaz @obonsushi @raijinramen @theramenbartucson @tossfriedchickennramen More guides on Tucsonfoodie.com
@Scentedleaf is opening a new location in the former Starbucks at Speedway and Country Club!!🥰

The locally owned tea shop celebrates its grand opening tomorrow, October 10, from 11 am to 9 pm, with 50% off all tea drinks and 25% off loose-leaf tea and merchandise.

📍3025 E. Speedway Blvd.@Scentedleaf is opening a new location in the former Starbucks at Speedway and Country Club!!🥰 The locally owned tea shop celebrates its grand opening tomorrow, October 10, from 11 am to 9 pm, with 50% off all tea drinks and 25% off loose-leaf tea and merchandise. 📍3025 E. Speedway Blvd.
The grand opening is TODAY, Oct. 8! 🎉

@istanbultucson is expanding with a second location, @istanbulmediterraneanexpress, at 5660 W. Cortaro Farms Rd. 

The fast-casual spot will feature about 75% of the original location’s menu, plus two exclusive dishes: build-your-own Turkish stuffed baked potatoes, known as Kumpir, and fresh-ground doner made in-house. The falafel plate and stuffed potatoes can also be made vegan. 

“The first restaurant taught us what our customers love most, so at Cortaro we’re focusing the menu around our most popular dishes while making the experience a little more casual and convenient. Most importantly, we’ve learned that no matter how much we grow, the quality of our food has to stay high every single day.” — Kamran Esar

Daily hours: 11am - 9pm

Read the article on Tucsonfoodie.comThe grand opening is TODAY, Oct. 8! 🎉 @istanbultucson is expanding with a second location, @istanbulmediterraneanexpress, at 5660 W. Cortaro Farms Rd. The fast-casual spot will feature about 75% of the original location’s menu, plus two exclusive dishes: build-your-own Turkish stuffed baked potatoes, known as Kumpir, and fresh-ground doner made in-house. The falafel plate and stuffed potatoes can also be made vegan. “The first restaurant taught us what our customers love most, so at Cortaro we’re focusing the menu around our most popular dishes while making the experience a little more casual and convenient. Most importantly, we’ve learned that no matter how much we grow, the quality of our food has to stay high every single day.” — Kamran Esar Daily hours: 11am - 9pm Read the article on Tucsonfoodie.com
Phoenix bakery @Proofbread is popping up in Tucson! 

Starting Friday, Oct. 9, the Phoenix-based sourdough bakery and stone flour mill will take over the two former @Cafefrancaisaz locations for a Tucson pop-up.

Expect naturally leavened country loaves, chocolate croissants with 81 layers of laminated dough, morning buns, ciabatta and more. 🥐🍞

📍 7831 E. Wrightstown Rd. 
📍 3855 E. Broadway Blvd. 

Both locations will be open 7 am-2 pm throughout October. If the pop-up is a success, Proof Bread says it could become a permanent Tucson operation. 

Read the article on Tucsonfoodie.comPhoenix bakery @Proofbread is popping up in Tucson! Starting Friday, Oct. 9, the Phoenix-based sourdough bakery and stone flour mill will take over the two former @Cafefrancaisaz locations for a Tucson pop-up. Expect naturally leavened country loaves, chocolate croissants with 81 layers of laminated dough, morning buns, ciabatta and more. 🥐🍞 📍 7831 E. Wrightstown Rd. 📍 3855 E. Broadway Blvd. Both locations will be open 7 am-2 pm throughout October. If the pop-up is a success, Proof Bread says it could become a permanent Tucson operation. Read the article on Tucsonfoodie.com