Top 10 Restaurant Choices For Vegetarians

Years ago, dining at a chain restaurant for vegetarians or vegans meant a wilted salad made from discarded lettuce and tomatoes that didn't look pretty enough to go on a cheeseburger, or you might get a plate of steamed vegetables with no seasoning. But in recent years that has drastically changed. In 2008, a study conducted by The Vegetarian Times showed that 7.3 million Americans were vegetarians and an additional 22.8 million followed a "vegetarian-inclined" diet. Those numbers haven't changed a lot — in the last 20 years, the number of Americans claiming to live a vegetarian lifestyle has remained at about five percent.

But the numbers of products available to vegetarians has exploded. In 2017, the sale of vegetarian products was more than $3.1 billion. And that change is not limited to grocery stores. While a lot of chain restaurants have a long way to go when it comes to supporting vegetarians (we're looking at you, McDonald's), there are a slew of places that have tasty veggie options on their menus and cater to vegetarians and vegans.

In recent years, Chipotle has had some struggles. It's certainly hard for the once king of fast-casual Mexican restaurants to come back after several high-profile E. coli outbreaks. Even though the CDC suspects the problem was tainted produce, Chipotle is still a prime choice for vegetarians because pretty much anything they offer can suit a meat-free diet. Plus, if you forgo the meat, you won't hear the famous "guac is extra" line when you ask for it on your bowl or in your burrito.

When Chipotle began to roll out sofritas in 2013, the game changed for vegetarians and vegans eating at the chain. Chipotle's sofritas consists of pieces of fried and shredded organic Hodo Soy tofu braised in chipotle peppers and poblano peppers, then cooked with tomatoes, onions, and a variety of spices. It is absolutely delicious, but some people think it's a way for Chipotle to make more money off vegetarians, because sofritas cost as much as adding meat to your meal. Sure, it costs extra, but it's also a tasty way to get more protein in.

Subway has been pushing its healthy menu options down the gullet of the fast food eating masses for well over a decade and by far the healthiest items on their menu are the Veggie Delite sandwich and Veggie Delite salad which are obviously safe for vegetarians to eat. Subway sets itself apart from other sandwich chains with its bread choices, which increase the flavor profile of a veggie-only sandwich.

Many Subway locations also offer a veggie patty and frequently roll out vegetarian-friendly sandwiches like the falafel launched in 2013. Sure, most people thought it tasted like sawdust, but effort counts for a little.

Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation are excellent choices for not only vegetarians, but vegans as well. The soup and salad buffet chain's mission statement says "eating fresh, healthy, wholesome food is an important part of leading a well-balanced life." Its menus certainly reflect that with a wide range of salads, soups, and pasta dishes suitable for vegetarians. Most of the items are rotating, with veggie-only options always in the mix. This is one restaurant chain where a vegetarian can pig out without getting bored. Unfortunately, the company filed for bankruptcy in October 2016 and will be closing some underperforming locations, so get there while you can to try to keep your local branch open.

In the past year, Moe's Southwest Grill has taken the crown away from Chipotle as the reigning king of fast-casual Mexican restaurants. Some would say Chipotle's E. coli woes had something to do with it, but it could just be Moe's delicious queso and the fact that you get free chips and salsa with every meal. Moe's has made a commitment to fresh ingredients, and all its burritos, bowls, tacos, and quesadillas can be prepared with organic tofu. Moe's is also vegan friendly, uses only soybean oil and vegetable stock, and doesn't put gelatin in its guacamole. Who knew that some restaurants put gelatin in their guacamole? Apparently it's used as a stabilizer in some guacamole recipes, but if you're eating at Moe's you'll know it's made fresh.

While P.F. Chang's offers several vegetarian dishes like the very spicy ma po tofu, stir-fried eggplant, and the Buddha's Feast, it's P.F. Chang's more casual sister restaurant, Pei Wei, that shines as an excellent choice for vegetarians and vegans craving Asian-inspired cuisine. Like most fast-casual restaurants, Pei Wei's meals are fully customizable and tofu can be added to any meal to replace meat-based protein. An unlikely hero on the menu at Pei Wei is the edamame hummus, but be aware that the vegetable spring rolls are cooked in the same fryer as pork egg rolls and crab wontons.