Vegan Quad Cities: Where to eat in the QC

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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
• Mussamun curry

Would you like beer or cocktails with your meal? They have those as well.

I recommend the cucumber basil smash, which includes gin, cucumber, basil, and sugar.

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 is happy 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 delicious layered flavors & addictively good. The place is beautifully decorated, and the staff is friendly & helpful.

They have V’s on the menu for items that can be prepared vegetarian. But you’ll still need to ask staff members about what modifications can be made to prepare a dish vegan. (They used to have some labeled vegan options on the menu, but they don’t anymore.)

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

Confusingly, even some menu items listed with a V can’t be made without fish sauce, because of the curry pastes. (It would be great to see vegan labels on the menu for easy ordering!)

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.

To start, try the crispy Thai vegetable roll.

For the main course, the farmer’s curry with tofu is wonderfully full-flavored.

When I ordered it, it was lighter on spicy heat than I prefer. However, when I asked about it, they brought over their house-made chili oil, and it’s fabulous. I highly recommend asking for it when you’re there.

Noodle dishes are my favorite, but none of the noodle dishes are listed as veganizable on the menu.

However, when we’ve asked about the drunken noodles, they have left out the fish paste and made a batch for us.

Flavors of India in Davenport is on the main thoroughfare. Across the street from Exotic Thai, it brings even more yummy goodness 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!

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.

To start, try a 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.

They also have blistered shishito peppers as an appetizer option. However, for $13, it seems overpriced for what it is. If you do order it, request no Twin Span sauce to make it vegan.

For your main course, order the healthy amigos fajitas with Beyond Meat. Request no queso or crema to make it vegan.

It would be awesome to see Twin Span Brewing add some vegan sauces and/or non-dairy cheeses to the menu!

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. At this time, options that are vegan or veganizable are highlighted on the menu.

These options include:

• Edamame potstickers
• Truffle fries
• White bean & harissa soup
• Curried butternut bisque
• Red pepper hummus
• Soyrizo & quinoa bowl
• Black bean burger
• Garden salad
• Spring roll salad

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 March 9, 2025. Originally posted October 24, 2013.