8 vegan-friendly Cedar Rapids restaurants

In this post, I’m sharing some of my favorite spots where you can dive into delicious plant-based meals that go far beyond a ho-hum salad.

In this post:

If you’re looking for a seriously top notch vegan pizza, get yourself to Cappy’s Pizzeria. This cozy, old school-style pizzeria has some of the best pizza in the state.

While the restaurant isn’t entirely plant-based, their calzones, deep dish pizza, and New York-style thin crust can all be made vegan.

The crust and pizza sauce are vegan by default. And they offer non-dairy cheese and Impossible meat for an additional fee.

Start with breadsticks.

You can get them brushed with oil instead of butter. Or get them with non-dairy cheese on top.

They have vegan cheesy bread too!

In addition to non-dairy cheese and Impossible meat, their plant-based pizza topping options include:

• Red onion
• Mushrooms
• Spinach
• Fresh garlic
• Black and green olives
• Fresh basil
• Jalapeños
• Tomatoes
• Green peppers
• Artichokes
• Pineapple

Vegan deep dish pizza is a rare commodity in Iowa, and the one at Cappy’s is phenomenal.

With crusty brown edges and a generous amount of sauce on top, it’s the definition of comfort food.

But my favorite reason to visit Cappy’s is for one of their vegan cheeseburger pizzas! (For some reason, it’s not listed on the menu, so you have to ask for it special.)

It’s topped with Impossible meat, non-dairy cheese, lettuce tossed in dressing, red onions, and pickles.

I don’t care where you’re coming from, this pizza is worth the trip! Check out my reel to see this amazing Cappy’s pizza in action.

The Full Bowl is a vegetarian restaurant specializing in globally-inspired rice and bean bowls. Most of their menu items are vegan by default, except for optional dairy cheese and eggs.

The Full Bowl used to be housed inside of NewBo City Market, but now they have their own brick and mortar location at 120 10th Ave SE, Cedar Rapids. (Heads up: Their entrance is on 2nd St SE.)

The menu changes weekly. However, chana masala and the No Coast bowl are usually on the menu.

The chana masala is delightfully spicy and comes on a bed of brown rice with mint cilantro & mango chutney on top.

The No Coast bowl is made with black beans over brown rice. It’s topped with salsa and house-made cashew sour cream.

Avocado can be added for an additional charge.

You can also expect weekly specials like the Cajun red beans & rice bowl. It is hearty and packed with red kidney beans, celery, carrots, and seitan sausage.

As soon as you walk into Taste of India, you’re greeted with a wave of enticing spices.

Their restaurant is unassuming, located in a strip mall and off the beaten path from other more bustling areas of the city. However, the interior is nicely decorated with a fountain and low lighting.

Vegan items are marked on the menu. And there are A LOT of them.

On their website they note that a separate clay oven, pots, and pans are used for cooking vegetarian dishes, away from the non-vegetarian ones.

Heads up: Taste of India gets busy on the weekends. So make reservations if you want to get seated right away.

Start with vegetable samosas, which are generously sized and stuffed with potatoes and peas.

They are served with tamarind and cilantro chutneys. The cilantro chutney is especially fresh & vibrant.

My favorite item on the menu is chana poori. This chickpea dish has rich, round flavors. It’s served with poori, a fried puffy bread, like a pillow on a plate.

It’s in the appetizers section. But it works just as well as a main dish.

Aloo gobhi is also delicious. It’s made with potatoes and cauliflower stir-fried with onions, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, and spices.

For a saucier dish, try aloo mutter with potatoes and green peas in a tomato sauce.

I also recommend the lentil dal in a sauce with onions and garlic, and pindi chana with chickpeas, ginger, garlic, and onions in a tomato sauce.

Everything is balanced in flavor with a good kick of heat. (We order it medium spicy.)

Don’t forget the fluffy rice and tandoori roti.

When out-of-towners visit, NewBo City Market is a fun place to take them.

It’s an indoor market and business incubator, where new small businesses can get their feet wet before hopefully moving to their own locations.

With lots of food vendors, a few shops, and a bar area, there’s always something new to explore. In the summer months, they have outdoor music on Friday nights.

While the businesses inside of NewBo City Market are always changing, there are consistently vegan options inside.

New Pioneer Co-op is well loved in Eastern Iowa. They have three locations (Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and Coralville).

Much of the produce and products on the store shelves of this natural grocery store come from local producers.

They also have a terrific array of vegan specialty products.

They make their own baked goods in-house. There’s top-notch bread, pastries, and desserts. I especially love the vegan chocolate chip cookies and cinnamon rolls.

On the to-go shelf look for house-made items like popcorn tofu, curried tofu salad, and cold sandwiches. I especially recommend Cashew on a Hot Tin Roof.

At their deli, you can get hot sandwiches made fresh to order from 10am-4pm Tuesday through Saturday.

My favorite is the vegan tempeh reuben. The spicy Cajun tofuwich is also a crowdpleaser. There are dining tables inside, as well as picnic tables outside.

Beer fans can also get their vegan food fix at Lion Bridge Brewing Company.

In the restaurant, they have a separate vegan & vegetarian section of the menu, which I always really appreciate. It make for easy ordering!

(It would be great if they’d add this feature to their online menu as well.)

While you’re there, grab a vegan fried chicken sandwich served with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and onions on a pretzel bun.

The sandwich doesn’t come with a spread. So I recommend asking for house-made beer mustard on the side.

(If only they had vegan mayo, it would be a big improvement!)

By default, the vegan chicken sandwich comes with kettle chips. Or you can upgrade to french fries for a few dollars more.

Other plant-based menu options include Vegan Fritz’s burger with a quinoa/garlic patty, edamame, and a hummus platter. The soft pretzel bites or large pretzel are also vegan when ordered with beer mustard (omit beer cheese).

If you prefer to stay in and have your vegan eats from the comfort of home, get delivered meals from Veggie Reaper. They’re a vegan food delivery service & caterer based out of Center Point, Iowa.

They do regular drop-offs in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, so you can stock up on their delicious plant-based treats. Plus, they often pop up at special events.

Menus change depending on the season. Expect things like fettuccine alfredo, breakfast burritos, eggless egg salad, peanut noodles, southwestern salad with lentils, dairy-free cheesecakes, and oatmeal cream pies.

For more information on current menu items and their delivery days, check out veggiereaper.com. Plus, you should keep them in mind for when you don’t have time to meal prep, but still want healthy, plant-based foods at the ready.

Right next door to Cedar Rapids is Marion, a quaint Iowa small town.

They have an adorable town square with shops & restaurants. Amongst them is The Hip-stir, a cocktail bar with vegan options.

The interior of the restaurant is very playful.

There’s a row of booths made from wine barrels, which are semi-private.

They have upcycled doors on the ceiling, Tiffany-style chandeliers, stained glass church panes, and even a reconfigured motorcycle.

There’s a lot to take in while you wait for your food.

There are currently 5 vegan options on the menu.

• Sesame noodle salad with cashew dukka
• Beet street salad
• Jackfruit tacos with miso chimichurri
• Jackfruit udon bowl
• Seasoned edamame with herb soy vinaigrette dipping sauce

(You can see the vegan section of the menu on their Facebook page.)

The seasoned edamame is fried instead of steamed, which is surprising.

That makes it not quite as seamless to break them open to the beans inside. But it enhances the bar food vibe.

They have two jackfruit dishes on the menu.

I’m often wary of jackfruit on menus at non-vegan restaurants, because it’s an ingredient that’s easy to mess up.

But they do a pretty good job with it. It’s nicely browned around the edges.

Jackfruit is a component of an udon bowl with shiitake mushrooms and pineapple in a spicy chipotle-miso broth.

It’s a very eclectic combination of ingredients and flavors. Especially the pineapple. (For my palate, pickled onions would be a better choice for acid.)

But it is tasty & a very generous portion size. It is enough for 3 meals.

Jackfruit tacos are also available.

(By the way, after your visit to Hip-stir, I recommend stopping by SCOUT. It’s a really cute kitchenware & stationery store that I always enjoy.)

In a hurry?

There are several vegan fast food options in Cedar Rapids.

Options include Moe’s Southwest Grill (shown above), Chipotle, Burger King, Panda Express, Dairy Queen, Noodles & Company, Taco Bell, and Starbucks.

For specifics about their plant-based options, check out this post on vegan fast food.

For more vegan options & highlights in Iowa, click on these other handy guides.

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

Updated April 23, 2025. Originally posted January 13, 2018.