While vegan dish options are expanding throughout Tucson, options for 100%-vegan restaurants are still limited.
Thankfully, all of those restaurants feature diverse menus that even omnivores will love.
Beaut Burger
267 S. Avenida del Convento
Barely over a month old, Beaut Burger is already making a splash with its vegan burgers. Both the buns and patties are house-made, while the fries are marvelous too. Diners can stay classic with nostalgic toppings or go adventurous with unique items such as zhoug and tamarind chutney. The Midwestern desserts are vegan as well.
Keep up with Beaut Burger on Instagram.
Lovin’ Spoonfuls
2990 N. Campbell Ave. #120
Established in 2005, Lovin’ Spoonfuls has over a decade of experience under its belt. The menu ranges from breakfast staples such as pancakes and breakfast burritos all the way to vegan versions of steak, fried chicken, and meat loaf. The Buffalo Cauliflower Wings and Adzuki Burger are staples.
For more information, visit lovinspoonfuls.com.
Urban Fresh
73 E. Pennington St.
Urban Fresh’s plant-based menu is health-focused, but there’s no shortage of flavor. The downtown eatery offers a wide variety of juices, smoothies, snacks, salads, soups, wraps, sandwiches, and more. For a huge portion, order the Green Chile Burger: a half-pound patty made of tofu, mushrooms, flax, and panko baked and topped with Merchant’s Garden lettuce, onion, tomato, avocado, and roasted green chile on a sesame seed bun.
For more information, call (520) 792-9355 or visit urbanfreshtucson.com.
Zinman’s Food Shop
111 W. 4th St.
Zinman’s is off the beaten path, but make the trip for their freshly-milled grains. The difference is immediately apparent in their pastas, pancakes, and muffins. Additionally, Zinman’s sells the freshly-milled grains in bulk for home cooks and chefs looking to create their own high-quality goods. The grocery section is useful for locally-gleaned citrus and freshly-prepared products such as hummus.
Keep up with Zinman’s Food Shop on Facebook. For more information, visit zinmans.com.
Honorable Mentions
The Tasteful Kitchen
722 N. Stone Ave.
While the menu at the Tasteful Kitchen is mostly vegan, a few dishes on the constantly-changing menu will occasionally include dairy and eggs. The Miso Eggplant on the summer 2018 menu features eggplant medallions with a savory miso glaze, coconut black rice, green curry sauce, and Asian greens for an eye-opening cornucopia of flavors.
For more information, call (520) 250-9600 or visit thetastefulkitchen.com.
Tumerico
2526 E. 6th St.
Most of Tumerico’s dishes are vegan with the option to add cheese or eggs. A daily-changing soup and coffee comes included with each entree. Enjoy vegan takes on Mexican staples such as Jackfruit Carnitas, Nopalitos Carne Asada, and Veggie Mole.
For more information, visit tumerico.com.
Know of one or more vegan restaurants we missed? Let us know.
Article written by:
Jackie Tran
More about JackieJackie Tran is a Tucson-based food writer, photographer, culinary educator, and owner-chef of the now-closed food truck Tran’s Fats. Although he is best known locally for his work for Tucson Foodie, his work has also appeared in publications such as Bon Appétit, National Geographic, and the New York Times.
An adventurous foodie, he enjoys culinary experiences ranging from seasonal omakase to sloppily devouring green chili patty melts in his car afterhours. His favorite foods include aguachile, garlic noodles, and leftover fried chicken illuminated by the fridge light. His favorite drinks include morning micheladas, fireside imperial stouts, candle-lit negroni, and grassy mezcales.
Outside of food, he also loves playing musical instruments, karaoke, Tetris, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and petting Addie’s dog Spaghetti.
If you’d like to stalk him, visit his Instagram @jackie_tran_ or jackietran.com.
