Vegas Vegan Burrito
One of the fastest-growing movements in the world also happens to be one of the oldest in the world—vegetarianism. And October and November are big for vegans and vegetarians—World Vegetarian Day was Oct. 1, October is Vegetarian Awareness Month, World Vegan Day is Nov. 1 and November is World Vegan Month. If you’re looking for a place to find that veggie Vegas meal, whether you’re a vegetarian or not, we have puh-lenty of suggestions for you.
Buffets, although often meat-heavy, are more and more excellent places to find plant-based dishes—and not just at the salad bar. At Red Rock Resort Feast buffet, you can find a vegan paella on Friday and Saturday nights. If you’re there at the right time, you might even see it being made in a hefty cooking vessel; reports are that “it is bomb.” About 40 items rotate in and out of a healthy living area here.
At the Palms A.Y.C.E. Buffet, you’ll find quite a few veggie items—the vegan sushi is especially intriguing. The upscale Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace offers plenty of meat-free dishes; usually labeled if they are specifically vegetarian or vegan.
Most resort restaurants offer plant-based options. BBQ Mexicana at Mandalay Bay’s smoked tofu bowl with cilantro-lime rice features habanero barbecue sauce, an amazing quinoa, cowboy caviar and other goodies. Over at Guy Fieri’s Vegas Kitchen & Bar in The Linq, the Vegas vegan burrito is classified as “Lighter Fare,” but you are in no danger of starving. It’s pretty hefty, actually, double-wrapped and stuffed with black beans, guac, smoked sweet potato and coconut Thai curry sauce.
Vegan Paella
Some places even have entire tasting menus. Sage at Aria offers an elevated vegan tasting menu with sunchoke tartare and a green gazpacho; Michael Mina at Bellagio offers a super-delicious vegetarian menu, with stars like a market vegetable pot pie and matsutake mushroom custard. The dishes do change out, depending on the season. At Blackout Dining in the Dark off the Strip, request a vegan menu and you will almost certainly be satisfied. It’s super fun to try to test your tastebuds and narrow down what’s on your plate.
Veggie burgers abound in this city, and you can find patties of all sorts—Hexx Kitchen + Bar at Paris’ black bean quinoa burger with avocado is very, very nice. Slice of Vegas at Mandalay Bay offers a vegan menu, including pizzas with Daiya, and a killer meatball sub. Next door, Hussong’s Cantina also has vegan items—tacos, burritos, chilaquiles; those’ll make it a good day.
Scattered across the Vegas Valley itself are almost 20 strictly vegan restaurants; Simply Pure in Container Park downtown has garnered a reputation for excellent food, with spring rolls, grilled “cheese” with pesto and tomato paninis, nachos and green chili enchiladas on the menu.
It’s a good month to be vegetarian in Las Vegas, and next month, it’ll be good to be vegan. Or just eat like one.
