The Ultimate Vegan Road Trip: The Midwest

It’s the last week in this month-long adventure, and we’ve saved some of the best for last!


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It’s the last week of our virtual veg-friendly tour of the US, featuring seven days of great plains and open roads. It’s a lot of ground to cover in one week (literally), but we managed to find 15 veg and veg-friendly stops for you to make on your way around Mount Rushmore, boat tours of Chicago’s breathtaking architectural offerings, and the Great Lakes. Don’t forget to check out Sasha Farm in Manchester, MI to visit with some happy potbellied pigs, donkeys, and sheep!

States: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin

Itinerary:
The Chicago Diner (Chicago, IL): While you really can’t go wrong at this 100-percent vegetarian joint—and we really mean that—The Chicago Diner’s Radical Reuben is a must-eat. It is one of our seven favorite vegan sandwiches, after all!
Native Foods Café (Chicago, IL): This SoCal vegan chain recently expanded to Chicago, and we would highly suggest stopping by for its Oklahoma Bacon Cheeseburger. Highly. Suggest.
Sweet Cakes Bakery (Chicago, IL): The vegan cupcakes (that come in a root beer float flavor, what?) and people watching at this Windy City bakery can’t be beat.
The Owlery (Bloomington, IN): All of the menu options at The Owlery—including pierogies, coconut-macadamia tofu, and Philly cheesesteaks—are vegan (though non-vegan cheese is also offered). Plus, the restaurant is adorable and located in Bloomington’s historic Near West Side neighborhood. What’s not to love?
The Red Avocado (Iowa City, IA): Organic vegan brunch, lunch, and dinner are offered at The Red Avocado, but we would stop by for dessert and order the pumpkin shortcake with mango and cashew cream.
d’Sozo (Wichita, KS): Vegan gluten-free pizza? Got it. Crêpês? Of course. Dairy-free milkshakes? Absolutely. We dare you to only order one thing from d’Sozo’s huge cruelty-free menu.
Little Africa Ethiopian Restaurant (Grand Rapids, MI): Sip on mango juice and order the sampler platter at this veg Ethiopian restaurant that is loved by locals.
The Lunch Room (Ann Arbor, MI): A Kickstarter success story serves up barbecue tofu sandwiches, pad Thai, and Coconut Bliss ice cream sandwiches out of an adorable food truck.
Galactic Pizza (Minneapolis, MN) We are suckers for vegan pizza, and Galactic’s “planet-saving pizza” fits the bill. Most of the pizzas can be made vegan, including the Paul Bunyan, which is covered with toppings native to Minnesota.
Blue Bird Bistro (Kansas City, MO): Veg-friendly Blue Bird focuses on local, organic food for its menus, and includes tofu scrambles and a smoky green curry.
McFoster’s Natural Kind Café (Omaha, NE): The hemp butter, hummus, and tofu scrambles from McFoster’s are must-tries if you find your way to Omaha.
Pattycake Bakery (Columbus, OH): What’s better than a vegan bakery? A vegan bakery that serves mini raw strawberry cheesecakes and buckeye bars, a delectable brownie-like bar with layers of peanut butter and chocolate.
Café Aladdin (Fargo, ND): Tasty veg items like dolmas and falafel are clearly marked on the menu at this Greek and Middle Eastern restaurant.
Mixed (Sioux Falls, SD): This healthy-fix stop features award-winning salads made-to-order, perfect for a road-trip detox day.
The Green Owl Café (Madison, WI) This vegetarian restaurant marks its vegan menu items with an adorable green owl, which makes us want to try the vegan schnitzel and faux crabcake po’boy all the more.

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