Vegan Quad Cities: Where to eat in the QC

The Quad Cities straddle Iowa and Illinois.

They include Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. On the Illinois side there’s Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline.

(What’s that? There are actually five cities that make up the Quad Cities? Well, yes. But let’s move on.)

There are several restaurants in the Quad Cities with vegan options. Today I’m sharing some of my favorites.

Vegan Quad Cities options include pizza, Thai, Indian, Middle Eastern, breweries, and more. Plus, an all-vegan taco truck!

In this post:

Davenport’s Exotic Thai is one of my favorite restaurants in the state.

The lengthy menu has denotations next to the items that can be made vegetarian. From there, you’ll have to ask about vegan options.

When ordering, let them know that you’re vegan & to omit fish sauce, oyster sauce, shrimp paste, egg, etc.

If you’re ordering for pick-up from their website, you can click next to the allergens you want to avoid.

There’s also room to note your vegan preferences. It’s very handy. They offer tofu and jackfruit in their curry dishes.

Some of my favorite food options include:

• Tau hau tod (crispy tofu appetizer)
• Thai rolls
• Garlic tofu
• Pad kee mao (drunken noodles)
• Yellow curry

Would you like beer or cocktails with your meal? They have those as well. I recommend the cucumber basil smash.

Cocina Verde is an all-vegan taco truck, which you can find around town in the Quad Cities.

They’re often at area breweries, where you can pick up a drink to go with your tacos.

Follow their Facebook page to see where they are popping up next.

Look for mouthwatering options like tacos made with pinto beans, soy protein, and garbanzo beans, as well as specials like tamales.

Don’t miss their delicious vegan nachos.

Their desserts are also stellar.

I had these super moist double chocolate cupcakes, as well as zucchini lemon muffins.

For a quick and casual order-at-the counter option, Olive Tree Café in Bettendorf has lots of options for vegans.

They have an extensive menu of salads, bowls, wraps, flatbread pizzas, and more.

Some of the menu options require a simple request of no cheese, tzatziki, or aioli.

If in doubt, the staff has been more than happy in the past to confirm with the kitchen which items don’t include animal products.

Before I started making my own air fryer baba ganoush at home, whenever I’d go to the Quad Cities, I’d pick up a container of theirs.

It has chunks of eggplant in it and the mild, smoky flavor I crave.

The falafel bowl (above) is packed with rice, salad, hummus, and baba ganoush.

It usually comes with dairy-based cheese. Just ask them to leave it off.

The Mediterranean salad is made with mixed greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, and Kalamata olives.

It typically comes with dairy-based cheese. Simply ask them to omit that.

Miss Phay Cafe is a Viet-Thai restaurant in downtown Davenport. The food here is full of layered delicious flavors & addictively good.

They have a few marked vegan options on the menu. But otherwise, you’ll have to ask what modifications can be made to prepare a dish vegan. (It would be great to see more clearly denoted items for easy ordering!)

When ordering, let them know that you’re vegan & to omit fish sauce, oyster sauce, shrimp paste, egg, etc.

If you’re ordering for pick-up from their website, you can click next to the allergens you want to avoid. There’s also room to note your vegan preferences.

I recommend the vegan cha gio (crispy spring rolls), pad Thai with tofu (omit egg), and ca ri curry with tofu.

The vegan pho is very soothing. Plus, it’s enough food for 3 meals.

Flavors of India in Davenport is on the main thoroughfare. Across the street from Exotic Thai, it brings even more deliciousness to the area.

Vegan options are marked on the menu. Options include veg Manchurian, samosa, pakora, hakka noodles, vegetarian biryani, gobi aloo, aloo mattar, and Punjabi chole.

I ordered the Punjabi chole with a medium level of spiciness. The heat level was absolutely perfect, and the dish popped with layered flavors.

The portion size was generous – easily enough for two or three people.

Aloo mattar is made with potatoes and peas in a flavorful tomato gravy.

Your Pie is a franchise with over 70 locations in the United States – including one in Davenport, Iowa. It’s basically the Chipotle of pizza places, similar to Blaze Pizza.

At the counter, you simply point out the ingredients you’d like to be added to your white or wheat crust. Then it’s quickly cooked in a brick oven.

At this non-vegan pizza chain they offer vegan cheese and plant-based sausage. (The vegan sausage has an additional $1 up charge.)

The pizza is delicious, and goes well with one of the craft brews they have on tap.

Enjoy your pie on their small outdoor patio!

Jennie’s Boxcar is an adorable eatery in East Moline. They specialize in street tacos and tequila.

They are across the street from train tracks (hence the name). The interior is super cute and very Instagramable.

They have lots of creative cocktail options, including jalapeño margaritas (shown here).

They also have seasonal offerings like lavender margaritas and Valencia orange mules.

Their menu has clearly marked vegan options, which is always appreciated.

Everyone at our table raved about the roasted cauliflower tacos, listed on the menu as paco.

The cauliflower is tossed in a sweet barbecue sauce along with cabbage and pineapple salsa. It was a tasty mix of sweet and spicy.

We also enjoyed the el camote (sweet potato) tacos, which includes black beans, onions, avocado, and cilantro.

They also have tortas with the same fillings as the tacos above. They can be made vegan by omitting crema and cheese.

Mantra Indian Cuisine is located in downtown Davenport, not far from the Mississippi River.

It’s a non-vegan restaurant with lots of marked vegan options, which makes dining out so much easier.

I always enjoy the chana masala, and the aloo gobhi is also top notch.

If a fully loaded New York-style vegan pizza is what you crave, Lopiez is the answer. They have locations in Davenport and Moline.

Create your own calzone, 10, or 20 inch pizza. Or order The Mayor right off the menu.

The Mayor comes packed with three types of non-dairy cheese, Impossible burger, spinach, tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, green peppers, mushrooms, and artichoke hearts on an agave crust.

Get it as a pizza or as a calzone. It’s a satiating pie you can sink your teeth into.

For a 50’s-inspired fast food experience, check out Portillo’s. They offer Chicago-style hot dogs surrounded by a retro motif.

(I even made this cute Instagram reel about it!)

Records, vintage ads, and old timey toys decorate the walls.

Vegans can satisfy their hunger with a plant-based garden dog.

A smoky Field Roast frankfurter is topped with mustard, relish, celery salt, onions, tomatoes, pickles, and peppers on a poppy seed bun.

Very tasty!

Be aware that the fries at Portillo’s are cooked in a beef tallow & vegetable oil blend. So you’ll want to skip those for a vegan meal.

Some folks recommend getting potato chips instead, but this location doesn’t offer them.

Top Hat Pizza is a takeout or delivery only pizza joint in Moline.

They have lots of vegan options – including local favorites like Quad Cities-style taco pizza.

They offer vegan meats aplenty with vegan sausage, chicken, pepperoni, and chorizo, as well as non-dairy cheese.

Be aware that each vegan meat & cheese comes with an additional surcharge. In addition to the cost of the pizza, which already includes the price of dairy + meat, vegans have an added cost of $5 for each vegan meat & $4 for vegan cheese on a large pizza.

That can add up. I was surprised when two large pizzas came to $75.

The pizzas were very tasty and provided multiple days of delicious leftovers.

We ordered both QC-style, which means long rectangular slices.

We had a taco with vegan chorizo, vegan cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, taco chips, and taco sauce.

We also ordered a build-your-own with vegan sausage, banana peppers, and bell peppers with non-dairy cheese.

Are you a beer fan who likes outdoor patios? You’ll want to visit Twin Span Brewing in Bettendorf.

They offer Beyond Meat, and have several vegetarian items on the menu. From there, you’ll have to make some omissions to get a vegan dish.

My favorite item on the menu is the Bavarian pretzel. This over-sized pretzel is great for sharing and served hot.

It comes with a cup of Boetje’s mustard. Request no beer cheese on the side.

Another tasty option is Tex-Mex fajitas with Beyond Meat.

It’s cooked with poblano peppers and red onions. Then it’s served on a piece of slate with guacamole, salsa, and corn tortillas.

Request no queso on the side to make it vegan.

Loaded fries can be made with Beyond Meat. They’re topped with pico de gallo.

Request no queso or queso fresco to make it vegan.

We also ordered the blistered shishito peppers, which I’d skip in the future. They’re very generous with the size, but it still seems overpriced at $11 for what it is.

Request no Twin Span sauce to make it vegan.

It would be awesome to see them add some vegan sauces and/or cheeses – especially since there’s a surcharge for adding Beyond Meat, so you’re paying more but omitting other pricey ingredients.

Cavort is an intimate restaurant in downtown Davenport with a menu inspired by the tropics. This date night-worthy restaurant also offers a variety of fun cocktails.

The menu changes regularly. Visit their website for current options.

Expect options like edamame, red pepper hummus, rainbow hummus wrap, and Tindle, a plant-based chicken.

Here’s a peek at what I’ve tried in the past. (Be aware these items are no longer on the menu.)

Plump mandu steamed dumplings were served in a very salty broth.

This vegan version of chicken piccata was made with Gardein cutlets coated in a bright & light lemon caper sauce and served with roasted potatoes.

We also had a crab cake style sandwich with a banana blossom cake. It was served with a heaping pile of mango salsa. On the side, crispy fries.

The Freight House Farmers Market in Davenport is within eye line of the Mississippi River. They have both an indoor & outdoor market.

The outdoor market is open from the beginning of May through the end of October. The indoor market is open year ‘round.

In addition to produce, the farmers market has arts, crafts, and music.

For something of the quick casual variety, there are vegan fast food options at:

• Noodles & Company
• Moe’s
• Portillo’s
• Bruegger’s Bagels
• Burger King
• Starbucks
• Qdoba
• Chipotle
• Whitey’s (They have one dairy-free option – chocolate mint.)

Natural Grocers & Fresh Thyme market have a wide selection of produce & vegan specialty products.

For even more plant-based options in the Hawkeye state, check out these posts:

• Cedar Falls
• Cedar Rapids
• Decorah
• Des Moines
• Fairfield
• Iowa City
• Iowa Farm Sanctuary
• Mason City

Content updated December 15, 2024. Originally posted October 24, 2013.