Veggie Delights
Vegetarians rejoice – the days of settling for a side salad are over. Here are standout restaurants that prioritize vegetarian (or vegan) dining.
Vegetarians rejoice — the days of settling for a side salad are over. With more than 80 cafes and restaurants in Middleton, finding a few meatless options on a menu isn’t hard. But some places go above and beyond. Here are standout restaurants that prioritize vegetarian, and often vegan, dining.
Hubbard Avenue Diner serves breakfast all day with plenty of options for vegetarians. Sweet breakfast classics like pancakes and French toast sit alongside savory choices such as huevos rancheros and the Popeye omelet. For lunch or dinner, the daily house-made soup often includes a vegetarian option and pasta dishes like mac and cheese or Mediterranean penne (skip the feta to make it vegan) are always comforting picks. Salads and sandwiches round out the menu, including a vegetarian-friendly take on a Reuben. Called “The Sheldon,” this sandwich features grilled strips of marinated tofu, tomato, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese (remove cheese for vegan).
Diners can also skip right to dessert; Hubbard is known for pie. While all the pies are vegetarian, several fruit pies, including apple, strawberry-rhubarb and cherry, are vegan. The diner also features three monthly pie specials, one of which is almost always vegan.
Hubbard is located on Hubbard Avenue, downtown. Open daily, check holiday schedule.
Photo Credit: Hubbard Avenue Diner & Food Fight Restaurant Group
Voted the best Chinese restaurant in the Madison area since 1984, Imperial Garden has spent more than 40 years perfecting its dishes, including 11 vegetarian options. For those who like a little heat, five of these come with a kick, including garlic eggplant and several tofu dishes. The restaurant’s family-style dining makes it a great spot to bring friends and share a variety of flavors, while the elegantly decorated space offers a casual yet refined dining experience.
Located on the south-east side on the corner of University Avenue and Allen Boulevard.
Villa Dolce brings big flavor with homemade pizzas that make vegetarian dining easy. While any meat-topped pie can be customized to go without, several pizzas start out meat-free. For something sweet and savory, try the pear and gorgonzola with mozzarella, whipped ricotta, arugula, maple walnuts and a drizzle of truffle honey. The Mediterranean layers spinach, kalamata olives, red peppers, onions, feta and pesto, and the margherita delivers classic simplicity. Enjoy one on the sunny outdoor patio and add the standout brussels sprouts on the side. Nearly all of the house-made pastas are crafted without meat.
Taza makes it easy for vegetarians to eat well and eat plenty. More than half the menu at this authentic Mediterranean spot is vegetarian, with 10 entrees to choose from. Even better, seven of them can be made vegan. Want to sample a little of everything? Order the vegetarian classic combination, a flavorful plate of hummus, baba ghanouj, tabbouleh and falafel, served with a choice of side.
Located downtown; they also cater.
Photo Credit: Susanna Widicus Weaver
In a rush and looking for something fast, fresh and easy? Café Zupa’s in Greenway Station is the perfect pit stop after a day of shopping, golfing at Pleasant View Golf Course, or racing through Middleton Bike Park. With five veggie soups plus sandwiches, salads and protein bowls made to order, it’s easy to skip meat (or any animal products) while enjoying a fresh, satisfying meal on the go.