Find vegan Denver Airport options easily with this handy guide. Everything from grab and go fast food meals to sit down dinners.
Hungry and stuck at the Denver Airport with a long layover? Make the most of it with this guide to vegan options at the Denver Airport.
Luckily, as far as airports go, it's not a bad one for the vegan traveler.
In addition to several stores where a person can amuse herself during an unexpected layover, there are also many vegan options in case you forgot to pack food to take on a plane.
(Root Down is easily the best dinner option if you have the time. And for dessert, don’t miss Voodoo Doughnuts in the B concourse!)
Here's a list of your vegan options and where you can find them at the Denver Airport in Colorado. As always, check with your server about the ingredients when you order since menus change.
If you discover a new vegan option at the Denver Airport or notice something that needs to be corrected, please let me know!
Pro tip:
Remember, the A, B, and C gates can all be quickly accessed by way of the tram at the lower level of the Denver Airport. If you have the time, go exploring.
In this post:
Jump to:
- Auntie Anne’s
- Ben & Jerry’s
- Cantina Grill
- Caribou Coffee
- Dunkin’ Donuts
- Einstein Bros. Bagels
- Freshëns
- Garbanzo
- Heidi’s Brooklyn Deli
- Jamba
- Mesa Verde Bar & Grill
- Modern Market
- Novo Coffee
- Panda Express
- Qdoba
- Que Bueno
- Root Down
- Snooze
- Starbucks Coffee
- Superfruit Republic
- Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs
- Timberline Steaks & Grille
- Voodoo Doughnuts
- Wetzel’s Pretzels
Auntie Anne’s
Location: C Gates, Near gate C26
As long as you ask for the pretzels to be made without butter, these pretzels can be prepared vegan:
- Original
- Cinnamon Sugar
- Sweet Almond
- Garlic
- Jalapeño
- Raisin
Ben & Jerry’s
Location: A gates, Center core
Ben & Jerry’s has rotating non-dairy ice cream flavors available.
Possible options include:
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- Change the Whirled
- Strawberry cheezecake
- Strawberry marshmallow
- Berry berry extraordinary sorbet
- Lemonade sorbet
Cantina Grill
Location: Jeppesen Terminal, East Side Level 6, B Gates Mezzanine
The Cantina Grill menu includes roasted veggie street tacos (request no cheese) and a southwest salad (request no cheese).
They note on their menu that any item can be made vegetarian or gluten-free. Ask for help turning those items vegan.
The black and pinto beans are made without lard. The rice is made with water, not animal-based broth.
They offer both a sit-down restaurant option, as well as order at the counter.
Caribou Coffee
Locations: A Gates Center Core, B Gates Mezzanine, C Gates (Near C32), Jeppesen Terminal (Level 6 East)
Most Caribou Coffee locations offer several non-dairy milk options including almond, coconut, and/or oat.
Be aware that the oatmeal at Caribou is NOT vegan. It contains nonfat dry milk powder, which cannot be removed.
Caribou offer bagels that are vegan. (Just stay away from cheese topped bagels.) However, they don’t have any vegan spreads, unfortunately.
Dunkin’ Donuts
Location: A Gates, Center core, Cell phone lot
The hashbrowns, some bagels (cinnamon raisin, everything, multigrain, plain, and sesame), brown sugar oatmeal (made with water or non-dairy milk) are vegan.
They also have almond & oat milk for their coffee. As of March 5, 2025, non-dairy milk doesn’t cost extra.
Einstein Bros. Bagels
Location: C Gates Center Core, Jeppesen Terminal Eastside
Many of the bagels at this chain are vegan. Grab any of the following:
- Cinnamon Raisin Bagel
- Cranberry Bagel
- Everything Bagel
- Garlic Bagel
- Onion Bagel
- Plain Bagel
- Poppy Seed Bagel
- Pumpernickel Bagel
- Sesame Seed Bagel
- Blueberry Bagel
- Chocolate Chip Bagel
- French Toast Bagel
- Pretzel Bagel
- Bagel Roll
Then have it topped with peanut butter, strawberry jelly, avocado, or spicy brown mustard.
If you’d like to make a bagel sandwich, ask for toppings like capers, cucumber, lettuce, pickle, red onion, spinach, or tomato.
Not feeling a bagel? They also have avocado toast.
Freshëns
Location: A gates, Center Core
Freshëns offers a number of vegan smoothie options including Bangin’ Berry, Caribbean Craze, and Goin’ Green.
Garbanzo
Location: B gates, Center core
They have stuffed pita, salads, plates, and wraps. Vegan filling options include portobello mushrooms and falafel.
Fill them out with spreads like hummus, tomato cucumber salad, kalamata olives, and tahini sauce.
Heidi’s Brooklyn Deli
Location: B Gates, Near B87
Three kinds of smoothies at this location appear to be vegan.
- Triple berry: Strawberries, blueberries, banana, apple juice
- Summer splash: Strawberries, peaches, banana, apple juice
- Blueberry monster: Blueberries, banana, apple juice
- Fruit basket: Strawberries, blueberries, banana, peaches, apple juice
You can also ask about a bagel sandwich with hummus or peanut butter, or veggie sandwich with no cream cheese.
Jamba
Location: B Gates Mezzanine
Jamba has a wide array of plant-based smoothies – including summer blackberry, apples and greens, vanilla blue sky, mega mango, and many more.
They also offer several non-dairy milk options including oat, coconut, almond, and soy. For dessert, grab So Delicious oat milk frozen dessert.
Mesa Verde Bar & Grill
Location: A gates Mezzanine
Possible vegan options include:
- Chips & guacamole
- Salsa
- Portobello mushroom street tacos (with no cheese)
- Veggie burrito (with no cheese)
- Fresh fruit
Modern Market
Location: B gates, Center core & C gates, Near C28
Modern Market is a Colorado chain focused on natural foods. Almost all of their salads can be made vegan with a few tweaks (i.e. by substituting tofu and/or using avocado instead of cheese.)
Most of their salad dressings, except for the creamy dressings, are vegan, because they use agave syrup instead of honey.
They always have at least one vegan soup. A lot of their sandwiches can be made vegan by substituting tofu.
Look for a V+ on the Modern Market menu board to locate their vegan options.
Current vegan options at Modern Market include:
- Buddha bowl with sesame glazed tofu, rice, quinoa, roasted broccoli, carrot, citrus cabbage slaw, peanut, cilantro, and peanut mango sauce
- Green chili
- Peanut butter banana oatmeal
- Super berry oatmeal
- PB & J overnight oats (The listed ingredients include Greek yogurt, but it’s marked with a vegan symbol. Ask for clarification when ordering.)
- Roasted potatoes
- Mixed green side salad
- Gluten-free bread
Novo Coffee
Location: A gates, Center core west side & B gates, Center core
Satisfy your grumbling tummy at Novo Coffee with a Bon-asaurus breakfast burrito. It’s filled with hash browns, Anaheim green chiles, sautéed
mushrooms, sautéed onions, and roasted tomatillo salsa.
Wash it down with a latte. Both oat and almond milk are available for an additional charge.
Panda Express
Location: A gates, Center core
Panda Express is a fast food Chinese restaurant with a few vegan options.
Panda Express options include:
- Chow mein
- Vegetable spring rolls
- Super greens
- White or brown rice
Qdoba
Location: B Gates, Center Core, Mezzanine
Qdoba has veggie tacos, burritos, and bowls, which can be ordered with beans.
Que Bueno
Location: B Gates, Near B52
Que Bueno offers burritos, chips, salsa, and guacamole.
They offer grilled vegetables as well as vegetarian black beans for burritos, tacos, and taco salads.
I had a vegetable burrito with black beans (request no cheese) and a side of chips & guacamole during my last visit. The vegetables had a good amount of spice on them, making the burrito less bland than some other airport options. It’s also very big, making it large enough for two people to share.
For more heat, ask for a container of sliced jalapeños to go.
Root Down
Location: C Gates
Root Down is a local Denver favorite focused on seasonal fare. Look for their airport location at the top of the escalators from the tram.
If you’re looking for a nice, sit-down vegan meal at the Denver airport, this is it.
Look for a “V” on the menu next to the items at Root Down that can be prepared vegan by request. Be sure to tell your server that you’re vegan.
Current options include:
- Farro Caesar
- Beet & goat cheese salad (without cheese)
- Pozole
- Country-fried tofu with black Lentil curry, farro, snow peas, and tomato & jalapeño-cilantro chutney
- Buddha noodle bowl with ramen noodles, avocado, edamame, pickled vegetables, herbs & kaffir peanut sauce
- House made veggie burger with superfood slaw, jalapeño jam, avocado mash, and pretzel bun with sweet potato fries
- Banh mi turkey burger (sub with veggie burger) with cilantro chutney, jalapeño, pickled vegetables, cucumber & sriracha aioli with sweet potato fries
- Sweet plantains
- Chocolate banana bread
Be aware that the prices are really high. Expect a $26.40 veggie burger or salad for $23. (You can see the full menu with prices here.)
If you don’t have time for a sit-down meal, they also have a to-go area that includes a free standing water station.
Snooze
Location: B gates, Center core mezzanine level
Looking for a vegan breakfast at DIA? Grab a bowl of Goldilocks’ porridge.
It’s made with a mix of steel cut oats, quinoa, and millet in almond milk. It’s finished with a topping of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, bananas, toasted almonds, and hemp seeds.
They also have hashbrowns available.
(Other Snooze locations have a lot more options, but visitors to DIA have said that’s unfortunately not the case at this location.)
Starbucks Coffee
Location: A, B & C gates (several locations)
In addition to specialty coffees with soy, coconut, and almond milk, one can typically find oatmeal, bagels with avocado spread, a variety of nuts, dried fruit, and potato chips for sale.
Read more about Starbucks vegan options in this post about vegan fast food.
Superfruit Republic
Location: C Gates, Center Core
Start your day with a colorful acai bowl at Superfruit Republic. They have a variety of fruit and nut toppings. All of the acai bowls in their lineup include a drizzle of honey, so you’ll want to ask them to omit that.
Acai bowls come standard with a coconut milk blend, but can be swapped out with soy milk, oat milk, or almond milk for an additional fee.
For warm breakfast options, they have steel cut oats, avocado toast, almond butter & banana toast, and hummus toast.
Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs
Location: B gates, Near B24
Lots of their veggie dogs can be prepared vegan at Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs. For side dish, grab a bag of potato chips.
It’s an affordable option, where you basically build your own dog. Plus, they really load up the veggie dogs with vegetables. They also have a Beyond Burger on the menu. Order it without cheese.
Timberline Steaks & Grille
Location: C Gates, Center core
They offer a hummus plate & house salad that appear to be vegan. Ask your server before ordering.
Voodoo Doughnuts
Location: B Gates, Mezzanine Level, northeast side
Is it worth it to travel to the Denver Airport just to get vegan donuts? I’ve got to say yes!
While they also sell non-vegan donuts, Voodoo has many exciting vegan options. (No sad baked donuts here!)
Vegan donut options include maple cream, Portland cream, Voodoo doll, apple fritter, raised glaze, chocolate ring, maple bar, and more.
In a rush? Order ahead from their website.
Wetzel’s Pretzels
Location: B gates, Near B23
As long as you order them without butter, the Wetzel bits & original pretzel are vegan.
More vegan Denver Airport options
Lots of the stores with magazines, books, and snacks also have vegan options like dried fruit, nuts, and chips. Keep them in mind for a last minute, grab and go option.
Found an awesome vegan option in the Denver Airport? Let me know in the comments if there’s something I should add!
Content updated January 29, 2026. Denver Airport Vegan Guide originally posted July 19, 2013.
Elizabeth McGuire
There is a delicious vegan breakfast burrito at Novo in the B Terminal!
Cadry Nelson
Thank you for letting me know, Elizabeth! I really appreciate it. The burrito sounds terrific. I added it to the list!
Jess
No impossible burger at Denver Central Market unfortunately.
Cadry Nelson
Thanks for letting me know! I updated the list.
Josh
Thanks so much! This is a great help!
Cadry Nelson
You’re so welcome, Josh! Happy travels!
Han
Sadly just went to caribou coffee and they use powdered milk in the oatmeal, and it can’t be removed 🙁 Everything bagel is vegan without any spreads.
Cadry Nelson
What a bummer! I’ll remove oatmeal from this listing. Thank you for letting me know, Han!
Erik
My girlfriend & I ate from a Mediterranean restaurant that I think was near the C gates. They made a portobello-based vegan gyro that was memorably delicious, even when soggy on the plane several hours later. Terrific flavor. Sorry, but I do not recall the name of the place. Hopefully somebody else can help with that. The place doesn’t look like much—just a fast food facade, really—but don’t let that fool you.
Thanks for compiling and sharing such a broadly beneficial list!
AErik
Update: it’s Garbonzo, and it’s in B center core
Cadry
Thanks for the information, Erik! I updated the post to include Garbanzo.
SV
Root Down: So if you’re vegan and want their $17 ramen which has egg and bacon, you cannot substitute with a vegan protein without paying $6 extra for the tofu. so meat eaters get protein for a fair price but vegans have to shell out extra money. Makes zero sense.
Cadry
Wow, that’s ridiculous! What did you do?
Shira Isenberg
I had to fly to Denver for business yesterday and googled “vegan food in Denver airport” and came upon this post. I enjoyed the most delicious salad at Root Down yesterday and I never would have found it if it weren’t for your post. Probably the best vegan airport meal I’ve ever had! Thanks!
Cadry
I’m so glad to hear that, Shira! Thanks for letting me know. Root Down is always my top pick if I have the time for a real meal at the Denver Airport. I’m glad you enjoyed your salad, and thanks for the nice comment!
Jessica
I see there’s a sign for Snooze coming (2019) top floor above trams gate B! Snooze is amazing.
Cadry
Ooh, good tip! Thanks for letting me know, Jessica!
Marissa
Panda Express has the Impossible Orange Chick’n now.
Cadry Nelson
Thanks for the reminder, Marissa! I’ll add it to the list. I hope they keep it around for a while.
Marissa
Thanks! I hope that it stays around, too.
Qdoba doesn’t have the Impossible ground here anymore.
The only vegan thing I’ve had at the B Concourse Snooze is the Goldilocks Porridge. I’m not sure if they have the vegan options that other Snooze locations have or not.
I work at the airport, so I’m always hunting for more vegan options.
Cadry Nelson
Thank you so much for the intel! I really appreciate it. I updated the post to take off Impossible ground & add the porridge at Snooze.
Do you happen to know what’s happening with Voodoo Donuts at the airport? They were supposed to open a while ago, but their website still has it listed as opening soon.
Kisha
Unfortunately Snooze at the airport doesn’t offer the extensive vegan options that other locations do. Stick to the porridge and a side of hash browns.
Cadry Nelson
Thank you for letting me know, Kisha! That’s a pity they don’t have more extensive offerings. I updated the post.
Anj
They discontinued the beyond orange chicken, at least at the airport 🙁 , we checked today.
Cadry Nelson
Aw, bummer! It was supposed to go away at the end of November, but it had been sticking around… Another reader got it a few days ago there. I’ll go delete it from the list. Thanks for the update, and I hope you found something else equally delicious!
Michelle
Thank you for sharing!
Lauren
Just want to add that the potatoes at modern market (comes with tofu scramble) are unfortunately made with duck fat. Also, I know this post is pretty old, but add a nasal tofu scramble to the list of vegan options from root down.
Cadry
I just called the DIA location of Modern Market and spoke with the manager. He said the potatoes aren’t made with duck fat. He said they’re fried in canola oil. Thanks for the tip on Root Down. I regularly update this post. So even though it was originally posted several years ago, I make changes/additions as needed.
Lauren
That’s good to know! I stopped going to modern market when I found out about the duck fat thing (root down is more centrally-located anyway, and their tofu scramble is labeled vegan). Maybe they changed it recently? I just tried the sofritas tacos from Cantina Grill. Not bad with some added guac, pico, and hot sauce. Thanks for the post!
Lauren
Masala* tofu scramble
Not nasal
Katherine
This is saving my life right now. Just landed in Denver for a layover and am starving! Found this right away!
Cadry
I’m delighted to hear that, Katherine! I hope you found something delicious & satisfying. Safe travels!
Doug
Thanks for updating this! Happy to report the Cantina in the B gate has tofu, very similar to Chipotle’s sofritas.
Cadry
That’s great, Doug! I was just at the Denver Airport back in August. I spent 5 unexpected hours there! But I didn’t notice the new addition at Cantina. I’ll update this post now. Thanks so much for letting me know!
Nick Meador
Thank you for this resource!
Bobbie
Thank you so much! This was super helpful! I went to cantina grill!
Cadry
I’m so glad to hear that it was helpful! I hope you had a great trip.
Sam Kear
Thank you for the comprehensive list. I had a great meal at Root Down during a layover at DIA. I would highly recommend paying that place a visit if you have the chance.
Cadry
I’m glad to hear that the list was helpful, Sam! Root Down is easily my favorite place to eat at DIA as well. I haven’t visited since 2014, but maybe it will happen again this year. http://cadryskitchen.com/2014/01/16/root-down-denver-airport-vegan/
murby
wow, very comprehensive, thanks for the time spent researching this, i fly through denver almost every year so this is very helpful!
i’ve been to the cantina many times for a vegan burrito & it is always good, prices are high which can be expected at the airport, but the staff is always pretty nice & the food is pretty fresh & tasty!
last time through i stopped in at the que bueno for a vegan burrito & it was almost as good, the service at the burrito bar wasn’t as good as cantina, but they worked it out… however, i was very happy to find negra modelo beer on tap at the que bueno bar, served by a super nice bartender, this is my favorite mexican beer & i’ve only ever seen it in bottles, even in mexico, so that was an added bonus!
Amy
Love the list. It helps out since I work at the airport. Although Cantina is not the same company as Itza wrap Itza bowl. Cantina belongs to the company I work for, Skyport as for Itza wrap, it belongs to the company Mission Yogurts just like Que Bueno. Also, Itza wrap has been permanently closed for a few months now. Another good place that has a few vegan options is City Wok in concourse
B mezzanine
Cadry
Thanks for letting me know about the closure of Itza Wrap, Itza Bowl! I removed it from the list. If you get a chance, let me know what vegan options exist at City Wok, and I’ll add them.
Jenn
This is perfect! I’m going to be in CO next spring and I’m meeting up with 3 other friends all coming from different locations. I might very well be in this airport for several hours at least. That Asian Bowl looks so good and Country Fried Tofu? YES!
Cadry
Oh, great! Colorado is so beautiful. I hope you have a wonderful trip!
If you have a long airport wait, definitely head to Root Down. It has the best atmosphere and high quality vegan options. Plus, you get a taste of Denver while you’re there since it’s a revered local business.
Veganpotter
Actually, pretty much ZERO of Einstein Bagels products are vegan due to their dough conditioners. The same goes for Panera Bread Company
Cadry
Thanks for the note! I emailed with Einstein several times about the L. Cysteine issue. To keep things simple, I hadn’t included that dialogue in the post, but it’s certainly worth noting as it is a concern. Here’s what they said:
“Thank you for your interest in our products. The criteria for Vegan are defined as:
– Containing no animal ingredients or animal by-products
– Using no animal ingredients or by-products in the manufacturing process
– Not tested on animals by any company or independent contractor
According to the criteria mentioned above, these four bagels cannot be considered vegan at this time:
– 100% Whole Wheat with Honey – contains honey and that disqualifies that item from being considered vegan (animal by-product)
– Pumpernickel – contains soy lecithin which may be derived from an animal source
– Chocolate Chip – contains milk
– Asiago – contains milk
We are pleased to say that we have finalized a transition over to a synthetic form of L Cysteine in our bagel recipes. At this time all bagels we produce for Einstein Bros. and Noah’s are made with a synthetic form of L Cysteine that does not contain ingredients derived from animals. However, please note that will not make any claims that any that our items are guaranteed to be vegan at this time as we do carry animal products in our stores and the possibility for cross-contamination does exist.
I hope this information has been helpful. Thank you again for taking the time to contact us.
La-Shawn Lattery
Guest Services
Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, Inc.”
IAYF
First of all: Thank you for putting in so much effort to help out us stranded vegan travelers. That really made my day.
Second: I just went to Que Bueno and am quite disappointed. Had the Burrito, which was very bland. The medium salsa is a joke. The rice was kinda “grainy”, almost as if it wasn’t done. Some folks might prefer it that way, I don’t. The Taco bowl looked better, but now I’m full. At least that is settled for now 🙂
IAYF
I finally went to Root Down: Amazing food and lovely staff. Had a half plate of edamame hummus for $7 and it was still a respectable size and very delicious. The burger dishes looked pretty good, too. Should have gone there in the first place, but didn’t want to spend that much money. Well, with the $8 for the awful burrito and the 5$ for the horrible froyo at tcby i would gave thrived at Root Down. Note to self: don’t be cheap when it comes to nutrition. Treat yoself!
Shelley
Flying in and out of Denver later this month and I’m a planner! Thanks for putting my mind at ease. 😀
Cadry
I’m so glad to hear it, Shelley! Have a nice flight!
deborah
Such a great post since I always end up sitting at DIA waiting to get home…I’ve gotten the hummus plate at Pour la France alot and its good.. Big plate of fresh cut veggies with greek olives and sweet pickles and a huge mound of delish hummus… I’ll look for all your choices as well from no on.. I always bring food on the way to where ever but always harder coming home to pack all my yummy homemade choices..
Amanda B
Thank you! I will be flying to Denver for the July 4th weekend and after my bout with the Mexico City airport food choices, I am ever-grateful for your post here. Love your soups and posts!
Cadry
That’s great, Amanda! I’m glad that this post will be useful for you. Have fun on your trip! And thanks for the kind words about my soups and posts. I’m glad you like them!
Anonymous
Thanks so much for this guide, I’m vegan and Roots Down really hit the spot! : )
Cadry
Oh, excellent! I’m really glad to hear that!
Leslie
TCBY at DIA now has vanilla almond milk frozen yogurt that is vegan!
Cadry
That’s awesome, Leslie! Thank you for letting me know!
rika@veganmiam.com
Denver Int’l Airport was one of my least favorite airports, including SFO (I think generally for domestic flights). We fly very often on international flights including business class (loved the vegan meals, too)…plus it’s nice to know that they have vegan options. Thanks for sharing!
Cadry
You’re welcome! I hope it proves to be useful for you!
Tami
What a great post! You should make this into a smart phone app! I have eaten at the Cantina – before going plant strong but good to know I can still eat there.
I guess I will bookmark this post for future reference – thank you so much!
Cadry
That’s a good idea, Tami! I’m such a novice to smart phones. I actually was using a flip phone until just a couple of months ago! Do you know anything about how one goes about making an app?
Kelly @ Vegan Iowan
Thank you for your hard work and research on this – the only thing than being stuck on a layover is being stuck with nothing to eat.
Cadry
Absolutely! Traveling can be exhausting enough without being hungry too! 🙂
Joey
I’m really surprised at how vegan friendly Denver airport is – whenever I have to head out of my usual (London) airports, I always take sandwiches with me just in case! I like the Mexican type choices in Denver – I’d pick them every time!
Cadry
I’m a big packer too! On a flight last winter, when a TSA person checked my bag he noted that I had “a gourmet meal packed.” (You think the candelabra was too much?) No matter what kind of food is available at the airport, I’d always prefer my own organic, homemade food instead. However, sometimes that is harder to manage when you’re super busy and/or coming back from a trip, where there wasn’t any access to a kitchen.
I almost always opt for Mexican-type choices too. It seems like it’s harder to mess up beans, rice, and vegetables. Airport Mexican food is blander than I’d prefer, but it’s still passable.
Hey, kind of off topic question, do you have much access to Mexican food in England? When I’ve visited, I’ve had a hard time finding much of it.
Andrea
I haven’t found myself at the Denver airport in along time, but if I do, I’ll refer back to your post for guidance. We were just at both Detroit and Minneapolis airports. At Detroit, we barely had time to run to our next flight, but at Minneapolis, we headed straight to C concourse to French Meadow Bakery to pick up “spa salads” to take on our connecting flight to Seattle. None of the other locations of French Meadow had any vegan offerings on this trip. One of the flight attendants, upon seeing us digging into our organic salad greens, veggies and tofu, commented that she wished they had food like that on the plane.
Cadry
I didn’t realize there were multiple locations of French Meadow in the Minneapolis St. Paul Airport. Good to know! It’s so nice that there are those kinds of options available there. Hopefully someday all airports will have truly good options like that!
Shira Isenberg
The last time I was at French Meadow at MSP, they had a vegan tempeh reuben sandwich. It was really good, if a bit oily.
Cadry
Sadly, French Meadow at MSP has closed! They lost their bid at that location, and People’s Organic will be taking their spot. Hopefully they will have some vegan options. French Meadow still has standalone locations in Minnesota, but I’ll miss having them at the airport!
Robyn
This comment doesn’t really have anything to do with Denver airport, but I didn’t see another way of contacting you. I’ve read a lot of your post in the last 8 months or so since I’ve discovered your blog. I know that you are really good at putting into words, how vegans feel about some of the criticism we get from non-vegans or total vegan haters. Like the posts you did about vegan “burgers” and other “meats” and meat like textures…
Anyways..
Sometimes I don’t know exactly how to verbalize my thoughts when someone tries to “attack” me and tell me that there is no such thing as a vegan because that plastic, that paint, that drywall, that rubber, that glue/adhesive, that blah blah blah has some sort of animal derived ingredient in it.
I don’t know if there is an animal derived ingredient in my cell phone case or computer monitor or the paint on the walls of my house.
I do know that I can control a lot of what I buy and food is the main thing that I can guarantee is vegan, next would be my clothes. I do not buy leather, fur, silk, wool, etc…. and I try to buy clothes/shoes that mention the word vegan in the description. Again I do not know if the plastic that my deodorant stick is housed in has animal ingredient or the rubber soles of my running shoes. But I try my best. If I know there is a guaranteed vegan option I always buy it. But not everything a person needs in life has a vegan company making it…
I’ve heard other vegans say that it’s not about striving for perfection, but for progress. I feel like that is what I/we are doing. Hopefully the more we continue to insist on plant based items, the more companies will start purchasing plant based ingredients to make whatever it is they are making….from paint to plastics to glue to rubber to WHATEVER!!! 🙂 Hopefully the more we DON”T eat meat, dairy, eggs, fish, etc. the less dead animals there will be to be making all the gross animal derived ingredients, and hopefully there will be a lot more vegetable by-products to make everything we could ever want and need in life :).
I’m sure I have rambled enough, and hopefully I worded myself so it makes sense to read….I’ve been a vegan for 2 years now and I’m never going back for any reason, but like I said, it’s hard to live a normal life on a small budget and have an absolute guarantee that all my plastic devices and containers and whatever else don’t have animal ingredients in them. I’m trying…believe me!! What are your thoughts on this…????
Cadry
Hi Robyn,
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment! I wrote you back with a lengthy response yesterday, only to have the internet eat my comment. Let’s try this again! 🙂
I can totally hear the frustration in your tone. It makes me wish that I could reach out through cyberspace and give you a hug.
I really think you said it all! Being vegan is not about trying to gain some kind of personal purity. It’s about doing what we can to make the most compassionate choices possible. Doing the things you are already doing – not eating animals and their secretions, not buying products with wool, silk, feathers, or leather, not supporting companies that test on animals… Those are all concrete things that we can do to put our money where our values are and show companies that there is a demand for compassionate products.
Billions of animals are killed every year for meat. To subsidize that meat and make it even cheaper, companies sell the byproducts of the meat industry. That’s the very reason why it can make it difficult to avoid animal byproducts. They’re so omnipresent and cheap, companies use them, and like you said, it would be difficult to know whether there is anything animal-based in the sealant in a book or rubber in the soles of shoes. Hopefully as the demand for meat decreases and demand for compassionate products increases, companies will move to plant-based ingredients instead.
I don’t think it helps the animals to spend the time we could be using volunteering at animal sanctuaries, leafletting, writing to congresspeople, or baking vegan cupcakes for the office party, to instead be researching the ingredients in your computer monitor. Making someone who is already vegan .0000005% MORE vegan is considerably less useful than encouraging someone who is 100% not vegan to consider the compassion in their choices.
I know how defeating it can feel to do your best, only to have others minimize your efforts as “not enough.” Luckily, I am not vegan for the naysayers. I am vegan for the animals. I’m vegan because it feels good to live a lifestyle that is in line with my own ethics and values of compassion and non-violence. Whether or not someone thinks I’m “vegan enough” is none of my business. I’m not doing it for them.
Thanks again for the thoughtful question, Robyn.
All the best,
Cadry
P.S. My email address is cadryskitchen@gmail.com. Feel free to write me there or in the comments section anytime.
Dawn
hhank you for the tips! The veggie burger served at Boulder Beer in Boulder contains cheese. I have not asked at the airport location but have assumed it is the same.
Cadry
Thanks so much for letting me know, Dawn! Much appreciated! I’ll remove it from the list.
Anonymous
Hello!
Thanks for this exhaustive list! Although, I would like to point out that Einstein Bagel uses L. Cysteine (an amino acid) as a food stabilizer in most if not ALL of their bagels.
“The majority of L-cysteine is obtained industrially by hydrolysis of poultry feathers or human hair. Synthetically produced L-cysteine, compliant with Jewish Kosher and Muslim Halal rules, is also available, albeit at a higher price.”
The only bagel I could find that did not contain this ingredient is their Sun Dried Tomato Bagel, which could have been a typographical omission since their plain bagel recipe contains this ingredient.
I had called their corporate office to inquire about the source and they could not verify which one they use, probably the less expensive “animal based” kind since their bagels are produced in massive quantities.
Thanks again Cadry!
Cadry
Thanks for the note! I emailed with Einstein several times last winter about the L. Cysteine issue. To keep things simple, I hadn’t included that dialogue in the post, but it’s certainly worth noting as it is a concern. Here’s what they said:
“Thank you for your interest in our products. The criteria for Vegan are defined as:
– Containing no animal ingredients or animal by-products
– Using no animal ingredients or by-products in the manufacturing process
– Not tested on animals by any company or independent contractor
According to the criteria mentioned above, these four bagels cannot be considered vegan at this time:
– 100% Whole Wheat with Honey – contains honey and that disqualifies that item from being considered vegan (animal by-product)
– Pumpernickel – contains soy lecithin which may be derived from an animal source
– Chocolate Chip – contains milk
– Asiago – contains milk
We are pleased to say that we have finalized a transition over to a synthetic form of L Cysteine in our bagel recipes. At this time all bagels we produce for Einstein Bros. and Noah’s are made with a synthetic form of L Cysteine that does not contain ingredients derived from animals. However, please note that will not make any claims that any that our items are guaranteed to be vegan at this time as we do carry animal products in our stores and the possibility for cross-contamination does exist.
I hope this information has been helpful. Thank you again for taking the time to contact us.
La-Shawn Lattery
Guest Services
Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, Inc.”
Anonymous
Thanks for the update! You obviously got further with this than I did. All I got was, “we don’t know for sure”… : )
Cadry
You’re welcome! It took a surprising amount of back and forth emails to get the information that I wanted. 🙂
Sara
Woah, that’s awesome! I’ve been avoiding Einstein and am glad I can eat a bagel there now if I feel like it (there’s one near my job).
Cadry
I’m glad to be a help, Sara!
Phil Weinstein
Panda Express — correction — their mixed vegetables are lightly wok’ed (fried) — not steamed — but very gently cooked. And pretty salty by “nutritarian” standards. That’s ok. I still recommend that dish as a healthy vegan choice ..
Cadry
Hi, Phil! Thanks for your input! I haven’t checked out Panda Express, since I’ve always heard that everything there is either covered in a sauce that contains chicken broth or is cooked in chicken broth. According to some reports, even the mixed vegetables are cooked in chicken broth. However, I haven’t personally contacted Panda Express, and so I can’t say for sure. Have you contacted them?
On their website, Panda Express notes that nothing there is vegetarian. However, that could be more of a cross contamination issue than an ingredient issue. It’s not entirely clear. They don’t have an option of seeing if there is chicken broth in the mixed vegetables, but it does note that the mixed vegetables have milk in them. http://s3.amazonaws.com/PandaExpressWebsite/files/pdf/Nutrition_2030118.pdf Animal-based butter, perhaps? If it is butter, maybe it could be omitted upon request…
Phil Weinstein
Thanks, Cadry, for talking a closer look at this. I guess there’s no chance that the “milk” indicated in that chart is a nut, bean or seed milk. How unnecessary — I hope they change this.
They should be more specific. I wonder how people would react to showing that bodily fluid as “bovine milk”. It comes from a type of sweat gland of a bovine. (I call it “bovine milk”).
Cadry
Too bad it’s not nut, bean, or seed milk! Maybe someday!
Phil Weinstein
Vegan options at DIA … this is my favorite:
Panda Express, at the DIA Terminal AND in Concourse A. I look forward to this every time — their steamed vegetables with steamed _brown_ rice. A satisfying very-healthy choice . It’s not on the menu — just ask for a large or double-serving of steamed vegetables (and the steamed rice, white or brown if they have it — lately they have).
I’ve always been charged way less than the standard fare — the staff loves the irreverence of asking for the only truly healthy and ethical choice, not even on the menu. (Tipping largely makes them accomplices).
You can WALK from the DIA Terminal to Concourse A through the bridge-tunnel (an alternative security point). Nice little walk before or after a long flight. I slightly prefer the Concourse A Panda Express … you can go there even if your flight is through the Concourses B or C — it’s on the way — the train stops there.
– Phil
JL
I’m at the Denver Airport all the time! This is great!
Chef Jimmy’s in Terminal A has an udon noodle salad with peanuts that is awesome (had it for breakfast this morning) and La Casita in Terminal C has vegan Mexican food (breakfast burritos – hold the cheese and egg, add beans!).
Thanks so much for this great resource!
Cadry
Thanks for the great tips, JL! I added them to the list!
Laura
Went to Chef Jimmy’s today and the manager told me the udon salad is not vegan, and that nothing they sell is vegan. I guess they must have changed something since you were last there 🙁 But, I went to Itza Wrap Itza Bowl after that and had a great Thai Veggie Wrap!
Cadry
Thanks for the update, Laura! I’ve never been to Chef Jimmy’s, but I’d heard from a reader/vegan blogger that the udon salad was vegan. I’ll remove them from the list. I’m glad you still had time to grab something good to eat at Itza Wrap, Itza Bowl!
Bianca- Vegan Crunk
Handy! I’ll make sure to reference this should I end up at the Denver airport one day!
Cadry
Great, Bianca! I hope it will be useful for you!
Caitlin
this is particularly helpful for dayv, since he has had to travel to denver in the past for work. thanks for the info!
Cadry
You’re welcome! It seems like at least 50% of the time we’re flying through Denver. I’m glad it happens to be one of the more pleasant airports!