2021 Denver Vegan Food Tour

Got back to my favorite city after a 3-year hiatus. And a lot has changed! But all my favorite places are still just as great, if not better! Below I have linked all the restaurants I went to and LOVED, along with what I ordered! I have also shared my google map at the end with all the places I found with good plant-based options, more thrifting, and shops! Some of them I didn’t get to, but if you have the opportunity to check them out let me know what you thought!!

Eats:

Vital Root

First on the list is none other than Vital Root. Hands down my favorite restaurant in the city and a must-visit. If you listen to any of my recommendations, this is the one I would suggest the most. It is a 100% gluten-free restaurant and pretty much everything on the menu can be made vegan. They have great substitutions for scrambled eggs and things like that. I went TWICE during this trip and this is what I ordered in the order of how much I recommend it. Number one, the Korean BBQ Veggie Wings! They are battered and fried cauliflower and broccoli wings with an incredible hot sauce and ranch for dipping! Such a good appetizer to start with and maybe share if you are feeling generous. Next is the Sweet Potato Pancakes. They are probably the best gf & vegan pancakes I’ve ever had. So much flavor and they have a purplish hue to them which is fun! Served with some unique toppings of popcorn and burnt maple whip! Those are on the brunch menu so make sure you get there between 11-2. If you are a fan of falafel like me, I definitely recommend trying theirs! It is some of the best I’ve tried yet. So light and fluffy inside with a crisp crust on the outside. You can get it as a side or if you want to have it as a meal, you can get the Falafel Wrap! It has a delicious gluten-free naan wrap with roasted tomatoes and tzatziki sauce! I am always a fan of noodle dishes so I had to try the Pad Thai. It was packed with veggies and was on a bed of a spicy chili sauce. So fresh and the flavors were on point! If you are looking for a bowl, the Siagon Bowl was really yummy. It has lemongrass tofu, sweet potatoes, and just a bunch of goodness. If your a fry connoisseur like myself, you’re gonna want to try their Sweet Potato Fries. They are a great addition to pretty much any meal in my opinion. They are waffle cut, AKA the superior of all fry shapes, and come with their homemade ketchup! On to desserts, the Beet Brownie is a must. I got it both times I was there and it is just such a solid dessert. So moist and lightly sweet. Is more of a cake than a brownie in my opinion but regardless of its category, so good. Next are the cookies. The Peanut Butter Tahini Cookie is delish! If you know me at all, you know I like anything with peanut butter and this cookie is no different. It is more of a crunchy cookie so if you’re into that, you’ll love it as much as I do. And finally the Chocolate Chip Cookie! Another great treat to grab on your way out (or on your way in if you are like me and like to eat dessert before dinner). It is a soft-baked cookie and is perfect!

City ‘O City

This is a new place since I’ve been in the city but it is now one of my top favorites! Owned by the same people as the famous Watercourse, they are not all vegan but pretty much everything can be made plant-based. Tons of gluten-free options and good substitutes for things. I was there for Saturday brunch and tried the Chicken and Waffles which was to die for! It was breaded ‘chicken’ cauliflower and a delicious waffle with a savory sauce, carrot bacon, and maple syrup. Doesn’t get much better than that. They have a very extensive breakfast menu so if you love breakfast like me, I recommend getting there for their breakfast hours! I also had the Chophouse Burger which was amazing. Made with their homemade patty, mushrooms, and steak sauce. Served with really good fries as well. Make sure you save room for dessert because you are gonna want to try their soft serve ice cream called Wizards! Basically vegan DQ Blizzards, they have vanilla, chocolate, or swirl ice cream, and then you can get mix-ins. I tried the Peanut Butter Cup, Funfetti, and the Cookie Dough. They also have a few other flavors that rotate I believe. I wish I had a bigger stomach to try more things on their menu but I will 100% be back! Their menu is pretty big with so many things that sound incredible.

Watercourse Foods

Watercourse is such a solid place to go! 100% vegan with plenty of gluten-free options. Great outdoor seating and the menu is pretty extensive. I tried the Potato and Leek Frittata which is totally unique to anything I tried this week. Such different flavors and it’s a meal I don’t usually have. If you like messy sandwiches, the BBQ Pulled Jackfruit Sandwich is something you should consider trying! Jackfruit is hit or miss but they hit a home run with this sandwich. The bbq sauce is delish and there is a creamy slaw on it that is just chefs kiss. You gotta try the Mac & Cheese is something everyone should try without a doubt. You can add it as a side to one of the entrees or you can get it by itself. Such a good version of a classic. Their fries are also really good if you want to get that as a side too. As for desserts, they have delicious cheesecake which is always such a good vegan dessert to try. They have flavors that rotate all the time but we were able to try the Carrot Cake Cheesecake and it was so good! They have a HO HO Cupcake that is a must-try as well! Gluten-free version and regular :)

Whole Sol Blend Bar

I love me some good smoothie bowls and this place delivers!! All the bowls are served in coconuts and the atmosphere in every location is so so cute! We tried the PB&J Bowl and the OG Bowl with added plant protein and peanut butter on top! We also tried the Vegan Breakfast Sammie which features Just Egg scramble! It was my first time trying it and I actually really loved it! Especially when it is on soft gluten-free bread and with all sorts of veggies! Everything is plant-based and literally, every smoothie sounds good. If I lived near one of these I would go there all the time!!

Piante Pizzaria

Okay okay. THIS PLACE. You need to check out. It’s 100% vegan and they have an amazing gluten-free crust. It is mostly wood-fired pizza and everything on the menu sounds amazing and I hope to try it all one day! I had the Lasagna Pizza which has ‘meat’ crumbles, red sauce, and cashew ricotta on it. So so so good! Also had the Mr. White which is their take on a classic white pizza. Also amazing!! I highly recommend getting their ranch and some marinara sauce to dip the ‘za in! I also got the Jalapeno Poppers as an appetizer. Such good vegan junk food!!

High Point Creamery

Ice cream is always a requirement for these vegan food tours and this place delivered! It’s located on the same street as Vital Root and in the mix of a lot of cool shopping so it’s a great place to grab a little treat. I tried the Coconut Crème Brûlée and the Mango Coconut Lassi which is a seasonal flavor. Both were delish. They do not have gluten-free cones but hopefully, that will change in the near future.

Bang Up To The Elephant

Now I didn’t get a chance to go to this restaurant BUT it’s 100% vegan and everything looks incredible. The pictures that I’ve seen are so cute so I hope to someday visit! If you are in the area, definitely check it out and tell me what you thought.

Allegro Coffee

One of my favorite coffee shops to visit! And this time I was able to fully enjoy it by writing this blog post there :) I am not a coffee drinker but I am sure it is good coffee since they roast the beans in-house. They have lots of teas though. I love a good iced green tea and theirs is really good.

Shopping:

Union Station

Lots of walking around to do and fun shops in and around Union Station and in downtown Denver. Lots of little stores and unique outdoor brands with showrooms there. Lots to see plus it is just fun to be downtown.

Denver Farmers Market

The farmers market is two days a week and is fun to go to just to see what Denver has to offer. It is smaller than the Boulder farmers market but still fun to visit!

Peak Thrift

Peak thrift is a fun thrift store to pop into. It’s super close to downtown and you might be able to find some good stuff. Not as good as a buffalo exchange and not quite as much to look through compared to a Goodwill, but I found a Free People Dress and some cool Colorado University t-shirts. Also, they have an awesome Colorado mural painted on the side of their building to take pictures in front of. The thrift store is kinda a bonus to that :)

Feral

This is a super cool outdoor equipment store with cool hats, stickers, professional gear, etc. Plus they have a little second-hand/thrift section where they buy used workout and outdoor adventure clothing. I got a nice lululemon long sleeve for only $9!

The Yogi Exchange

If you like good quality yoga clothes and care about the brands you buy, but don’t want to buy new or full price this is the place for you! They have tons of Lululemon, Alo Yoga, Athleta, Spiritual Gangster, Outdoor Voices, and lots of other big-name brands. Their prices are definitely higher than other thrift stores but the quality of the items is much higher. They also have a table with tons of crystals and rocks which is fun to look at and browse. Next door, they have a sister store with regular clothing like jeans and tops and dresses. Brands like Madewell, Free People, Anthropology, etc. I feel like it is a little overpriced but still super fun to look at.

Inspyr Boutique

This is a super cute boutique in the same area as Vital Root. Lots to look at and such cute clothes! I got a cute pair of sunglasses :)

Cherry Creek

This is one of the largest clusters of stores in the country and there is so much to explore. There is a nice regular mall with fun stores like Zara and then there are stores along the streets right outside the mall. Cool stores like Yeti and CB2, and then also smaller boutiques.

Stay:

Best Western Plus

The Best Western Plus Executive Residency Denver-Central Park Hotel was actually super nice and VERY affordable. Since we wanted to go all over the place in Denver, we stayed in this hotel which was about 15 minutes out of the city. It was not hard to get in and out of the city to go back to the hotel at all. There are so many hotels downtown but it is hard to do research on the exact area you want to be in, plus they can be so expensive.

Hiking:

Red Rocks Park & Amphitheater

I love love LOVE Red Rocks and exploring that area. It is so beautiful and there are lots of different difficulties and lengths of hikes to do there. It is a little touristy but there is a lot to explore. There are more popular hikes, which I try to avoid. I went to a concert at Red Rocks so I hiked during the day and then stayed for the concert. It was amazing and I highly recommend doing that if you are going to a concert there!