Cougar Bites: No meat, no dairy, no problem

Compared to Portland, home to a growing number of vegan restaurants, the city of Vancouver does not offer as much variety. With this dilemma in mind, I have sought out five vegan restaurants that are fairly close to campus and worth giving a try.

The Mighty Bowl

The Mighty Bowl is an excellent choice for VanCoug vegans, their food is delicious, healthy and reasonably priced. The Mighty Bowl’s choices of food include burritos, burrito bowls, toast, smoothies, juice and

juice shots. The avocado toast is a favorite of mine which, includes smashed avocado, salt and pepper, green onion and chipotle seasoning. Additionally, I highly recommend the acai smoothie bowl. Blended with an acai berry base and topped with banana, blueberries, strawberries, various seeds, granola and coconut shavings, it makes for an amazing treat on a hot day. For those who enjoy eating out, they also offer limited outdoor seating. The Mighty Bowl is a must-try, and it’s Eighth Street location is only 9 miles from campus. However, be sure to keep in mind that they close early at 3 p.m every day.

Moo

Moo is Vancouver’s first and only completely plant-based burger joint. Sharing location and owners with The Mighty Bowl restaurant, Moo is also 9 miles away from campus. The menu offers four different burgers with baked fries and house-made sauces like their vegan ranch. Moo uses impossible patties, which have a very meaty flavor and diverges from a regular veggie patty. I ordered

the moo burger which includes tomato, lettuce, red onion, pickles and moo sauce, which is a combination of vegan mayo, ketchup and various spices. I recommend adding avocado and vegan cheddar cheese to create a delicious duo for your burger! As for Moo’s beverage options, the Modern Times passion fruit guava sour is very tasty, especially if you like beer that isn’t too bitter. If you’re curious about which drinks go best with what burger, the menu provides some thoughtful suggestions on which pairings work best.

Rally Pizza

Looking for the ultimate vegan pizza in Vancouver? Rally Pizza is the most impressive of them all! Out of the large variety of vegan options, I went with the Rally Combo. This flavorful pizza includes tomato sauce, roasted mushrooms, olives, smoked jalapenos, sweet and sour onions, vegan cashew cream and roasted red peppers. Despite most restaurants raising prices for vegan items, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the vegan pizzas are similar in price to their non-vegan options. The only downside about Rally Pizza is the far drive of 12.5 miles away from campus. 

Angel’s Donuts & Ice Cream

Although being 14.1 miles away from campus, Angel’s Donuts and Ice Cream is worth the drive.  Angel’s offers four different vegan donut flavors, including lemon, strawberry, orange and apple crisp.                                              

Personally, I think the apple crisp is by far the best choice, including an apple filling inside with sprinkled sugar on top. Angel’s Donuts & Ice Cream also has vegan bagels with cream cheese for those who prefer savory over sweet!

Ice Cream Renaissance 

If you find yourself in need of vegan dessert, this homey little ice cream parlor currently offers two vegan ice cream flavors, the chocolate Grasshopper and the strawberry sorbet Bahama Banana Split. The Grasshopper is a delicious chocolate treat made with coconut milk and bits of Andes chocolate mints. The ice cream is reasonably priced, and the parlor offers very limited, but stunning, indoor and outdoor seating. Though a bit far from campus, located 9.6 miles away in downtown Vancouver, it is a lot closer than many of the vegan ice cream parlors in Portland. 

Eating a vegan diet doesn’t have to pose a challenge, especially in Vancouver. With new vegan restaurants surfacing around town, there are plenty of opportunities to find some plant-based alternatives in your area. Hopefully, these suggestions can help vegan VanCougs find foods that fit their dietary needs while still enjoying a delicious meal.