My Favorite Tucson Plant-Based Eats
Sustainable Swap Sundays
Though I love the beautiful desert landscape, the rich local art culture, and plentiful weekend activities . . . I have to admit that the food is probably the best thing Tucson has to offer. A short trip from the Mexican border, Tucson boasts some spectacular Mexican food among other delights. Tucson also offers a wide variety of plant-based food that I can’t get enough of.
Though I’ve been a vegetarian for nearly 10 years, veganism has still maintained a sort of mysticism for me. Making a great dish without a lot of the pantry staples relied on in most cooking is a daunting task. But I’ve come to find that there are some amazing vegan chefs out there who need only a little creativity to make something special.
Eating more meatless meals is a better choice for our health, but it’s also a great one for the planet too. You don’t need to commit to veganism or vegetarianism, but reducing our meat and dairy consumption is still a great way to make an impact on reducing carbon emissions, water usage, and even the horrifying loss of rainforest habitat.
And luckily in 2022, the options for plant-based eating in restaurants has expanded immensely! Below I will include some of my favorite options at Tucson restaurants, though this is by far not an all-inclusive list. For a more expansive map of vegan options in Tucson, I’d suggest following Hannah of @deathfreefoodie on Instagram. There are also some great suggestions in this article here.
Beaut Burger - 267 South Avenida del Convento
This little restaurant is located in the MSA Annex alongside several other restaurants and shops. Their entire menu of burgers, fries and more is vegan and it’s one of my favorite restaurants for comfort food, vegan or not. Their patties are a combination of legumes and grains that pack a flavorful bite.
If you go, make sure you get their star side dish: the beer battered cauli bites.
Lovin’ Spoonfuls - 2990 N Campbell Ave #120
Lovin Spoonfuls has a pretty varied menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, from sandwiches and burgers to pasta dishes and burritos. It’s all vegan so don’t worry about what to get, though their fried chicken dinner and amazing milkshakes are two of my favorite items. Even better, Lovin Spoonfuls encourages to-go patrons to bring their own containers!
Tumerico - 2526 E 6th St, Tucson & 402 E 4th St
Tumerico feels like an icon in Tucson gastronomy and I’ve never heard a bad thing about it. They serve all vegetarian and vegan optional Mexican plates that come loaded with a generous quantity of beans, rice, greens and guacamole. Their menu changes daily so make sure to call ahead if you’re ordering pick up. I get something different almost every time I go, but I particularly love their tamales and anything with jackfruit!
Guilins Chinese Restaurant - 4445 E Broadway Blvd
Finding plant-based Chinese food has not been something I’ve been successful in, but Guilins has thankfully ended my search. They have an expansive vegetarian/vegan menu of a lot of classic Chinese American dishes like General Tso’s chicken and broccoli & beef, and many other noodle, tofu, and vegetable dishes. I usually order from their vegetarian chicken options, but the one thing that’s non-negotiable to get at Guilins is their vegetarian drumsticks appetizer.
Sauce - Multiple Tucson and Phoenix locations
Though it’s not typically a plant-based restaurant, the local pizza and wine chain is now offering vegan cheese to be used on any of their pizzas! They also offer a wide variety of vibrant salads if you want something a little different.
Zemam’s and Zemam’s Too! - 2731 E Broadway Blvd & 119 E Speedway Blvd
Zemam’s is an Ethiopian family restaurant that boasts an incredible variety of dishes, many of them plant-based. I’ve heard wonderful things about this restaurant from a former roommate for years, yet somehow haven’t managed to try it for myself yet. The original Zemam’s has been temporarily closed for some time, but their Speedway location is still open.
Happy dining!
Grace Kennedy
For clarity, none of the brands featured in this blog post were sponsored.