While Calgary will always be renowned for its local beef, the city is also full of treats for food enthusiasts adhering to vegetarian and vegan diets. Whether you live a life completely free of animal products or you’re just looking to cut down on your meat intake, these are just a few Calgary restaurants will put something delicious on your plate. Not all are strictly vegetarian, but they are all vegetarian-friendly and offer plenty of options for veggie-lovers.

Hearts Choices

There are many facets to Hearts Choices’ vegan food business: catering, market stalls in the Calgary Farmers’ Market and Granary Road Public Market, a food truck, a Thai café on McLeod Trail SW, and a café market in northeast Calgary. The cafés focus on Thai vegan dishes like faux chicken or vegetable curries, soy “beef” kung pao and ginger tofu as well as non-Thai meals like tacos, sandwiches and mac ‘n’ (dairy-free) cheese.

Location: 4127 6 St NE, Calgary

The Street Eatery

While The Street Eatery’s menu is full of all kinds of globally inspired street food, many flock to the restaurant purely for its selection of vegan and vegetarian dishes. The restaurant carries the famed vegan Beyond Burger (made with beet juice to mimic a real beef patty) and also serves vegan wings, vegan curries and vegetarian Korean stone bowls.

Seed N Salt 

Located in the Mission neighbourhood, this casual restaurant isn’t 100% vegetarian, but seeing as it specializes in bowls, salads and smoothies, there are plenty of ultra-healthy vegetarian choices at Seed N Salt. Dig into big bowls full of grains, veg and house made dressings or go the extra mile with a granola-topped smoothie bowl.

Location: 2008 4 St SW, Calgary

The Coup 

A nice sit-down vegetarian restaurant, The Coup is stylish and healthy at the same time. The lunch and dinner menus are varied, with selections like vegetarian ramen and hot pot, veggie-packed rice bowls, and an irresistible tempeh shawarma. The restaurant also features a fun cocktail list, with libations made with ingredients like turmeric, shiso, spirulina, and kombucha

Location: 924 17 Ave SW, Calgary

Avatara Pizza 

Too often, vegetarians are stuck with boring all-cheese or green pepper-covered pizzas, but Avatara goes the extra mile to create tasty meatless pizzas. Many of the pizza creations (like the butter chicken sauce-laden Guru) automatically come without meat, with the option of adding meat for an additional charge. There are also vegan cheese options available for those wanting to go dairy-free.

Location: 3406 3 Ave NW, Calgary

Himalayan 

Nepalese cuisine (which is absolutely divine) is a rarity in itself, but the Himalayan is also remarkable in that almost half of its menu is dedicated to meatless fare. Vegetarians can feast on a number of different spiced vegetable dishes, chickpea saag or a savoury tofu with noodles.

Location: 3218 17 Ave SW, Calgary

Ten Foot Henry 

Not a vegetarian restaurant but a “vegetable-forward” restaurant, this chic share plates place is designed to please groups made up of meat eaters and vegetarians. Some of Ten Foot Henry’s best dishes are ultra-creative presentations of carrots, cauliflower, or beets, with a selection of fish and meat plates to go alongside for diners who crave a bit of animal protein to complement the vegetables.

Location: 1209 1 St SW, Calgary

More Great Veggie Options

Vegan Street

An inviting 100% plant-based restaurant with a sunny patio featuring hammock chairs that serves comfort-food classics and unique margarita flavours.

WholeLifeGo

Their minimarket café is a one stop plant-based shop which inspires healthy living, making it easy and fun – select from comprehensive grab and go ready made products, or pick up organic grocery and fresh produce for your own healthy meals at home.

Mondays Plant Café

Casual, contemporary eatery offering healthy & vegetarian options such smoothies, salads & tacos.

Naturally, this is on top of all of Calgary’s other renowned restaurants, most of which have at least a few vegetarian options on their menus in order to accommodate all styles of eating. Get out there and get your veg on — this city is about so much more than meat and potatoes.