It’s easy to have a great vegan meal when eating out with friends. More and more restaurants are adding vegan items to the menu, and many chefs are happy to prepare a custom dish if you ask for one. Follow the #chicovegan hashtag on IG for current specials, farmers market vendors, cottage permit culinary geniuses, and pop-ups.
Ethnic restaurants are a great option to explore. Indian restaurants offer savory stews and curries made with lentils, beans, potatoes, and vegetables. Italian restaurants have a variety of pasta dishes and salads. Thai restaurants serve noodle, curry, and mixed vegetable entrees, usually available with tofu. Mediterranean restaurants carry falafel sandwiches and vegetarian platters. Several fast food and restaurant chains also serve vegan dishes – visit our Fast Food page for a detailed listing – but these local restaurants go above and beyond those common options.
Chico Vegan Highlights:
tl;dr: Tender Loving Coffee is essentially all-vegan and is a great spot to meet with friends to eat, drink, and catch up. Live Life Juice Company is almost all vegan, and also always satisfying. Aonami has a great vegan sushi menu, vegan miso soup, and Tofu Tuesdays (lower prices on some things). Pizza Riot is all-vegan and all-awesome, but doesn’t currently have a storefront; you can find their pizzas and other goodies at Chico Natural Foods, S&S and other stores.
12/22/2022: Several Mexican restaurants were deleted from this page because of conflicting reports on whether the rice or beans contained animal ingredients. In particular, it is very difficult to confirm whether seasoned rice is made with chicken-broth or seasoning powder that contains chicken fat. Rather than give inaccurate information, those locations that are not self-announcing that their ingredients are vegan have been removed.
And if you know a restaurant with great vegan food in the Chico area that we’ve missed, please contact us. Bon appétit!
Aca Taco
133 Broadway St and
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 894-0191
1000 W. Sacramento Ave, Suite D
Chico, CA 95926
(530) 343-0909
A local legend! Vegan-friendly Mexican food featuring everyone’s favorites: burritos, tacos, burrito bowls, tostadas…. Rice and beans are all vegan. Some vegetarian items come with cheese or sour cream, so be sure to order those without. For burritos and bowls, they also offer a special “Aca Style” vegetarian filling which includes onions, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, and zucchini. [As of 2/2024.]
Ali Baba
138 Broadway St
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 345-5000
Vegan-friendly falafel joint. Their basmati and seasoned rice are vegan (remarkably, the seasoned rice is seasoned with a vegan brand of “chicken-flavored bouillon”), but not their regular tahini sauce, which has yogurt added to it. However, you can easily and happily request their vegan tahini sauce! They also have excellent french fries at a verrry reasonable price, and they are, in my humble opinion, possibly the best fries in town!
The veggie kabob plate is also a good choice. It includes rice, hummus, salad and a variety of freshly-grilled veggies with tasty seasoning. The veggies are grilled over a flame, and do not touch any surfaces used to cook meat. (They may automatically include a side of tatziki, which is not vegan.) Don’t miss their delicious vegan sides like tabouli salad and dolmas.
The Allies Pub
426 Broadway, Suite 130
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 809-1650
There are a few vegan items on their menu, including the clearly labeled Hodge Podge, that is mini vegan charcuterie plate with fresh and dried fruit, falafel, hummus, olives, pickles, crackers, and a small side salad with a vegan lemon dressing. That and a side order of their vegan pita bread will have you set. They also, being a British style “Bulldog Pub” have a good array of craft brews. The staff seem knowledgeable and friendly as well. [As of 03/2024.]
Aonami Sustainable Sushi
128 W Second St
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 924-3168
Vegan menu choices are all clearly labeled; miso soup is mushroom-broth based and is always vegan; tempura batter is vegan. There are weekly specials, many of which are vegan – so be sure to ask what’s cooking. (You might want to try the off-menu “Megan roll” or the “Toube roll” (“Toube” is pronounced like “Toby”).) Portion sizes and price are excellent. Mention this page or Chico Vegan Meetup and get a smile from Jimmy, the owner. Tofu Tuesday offers a great price for a big tofu-based meal – miso soup, “Tofu Q”, inari and a tofu-based roll (dine-in only). [As of 03/2024.]
Bacio Catering and Carryout
1903 Park Ave
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 345-7787
Seasonal vegan-friendly to-go and business takeout lunch menu offering up salads and grilled tofu on many of their sides and salads, but, sadly, no vegan desserts. The menu allows for quality vegan options for your next moderately uncomfortable group lunch at work, family, or school. They offer a ready-made vegan sandwich, a vegan main, and plenty of vegan sides. They offer a couple of beverages and no upcharge for a plant-based milk, which is quite nice. Also quite nice is that their menu is clearly labeled — a ‘v’ means vegan, as it should. [As of 8/2021.]
Banshee
132 W 2nd St.
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 895-9670
Vegan-friendly menu offering up unremarkable portabella burgers and vegan steak-cut fries. As of mid-2017, they are carrying the Impossible Burger. They carry vegan buns, but if they run out they sometimes default to serving the burger on a lettuce “bun”. However, you can request vegan bread in place of the vegan bun (if they are out). They offer two kinds of vegan cheese – vegan cheddar and vegan Chao cheese, which you can have added to your burger OR order a straight up grilled cheese sandwich! Nice dark ambiance and selection of brews. Beware of the mushrooms as an add-on; they are inextricably and inexplicably fried in butter. [As of 8/2022.]
Beatniks Coffee House
1387 E 8th St.
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 894-2800
Assemble your breakfast from the sides menu – veggie hash, home fries, steamed greens, and a fruit bowl. There is a tasty vegan breakfast burrito on the menu with tofu, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, yellow squash, spinach, and tomatoes. They also offer breakfast cookies that are vegan and gluten free, which contain bananas, peanut butter, cranberries, coconut, almonds, semisweet chocolate chips and oats. Double check that they haven’t included white chocolate chips (which are almost always non-vegan). Be sure to tell server you are vegan.
They also offer a vegan scramble (the Costello). Roasted cauliflower, seasoned tofu, mushrooms, capers, red onions, green chilies, spinach, and roasted yams. Topped with salsa and avocado. Served with potatoes. Currently all the toast options besides the wheat (has honey) and gluten-free option are vegan friendly. Double check with server and have them check–sometimes the bread is different if they have run out and are using a replacement.
Brooklyn Bridge Bagel
117 W. 2nd St
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 345-3443
Vegan-friendly, but not clearly labeled. No egg wash, no dough conditioners are used. Flavors with “cheese” or “cheesy” in the name are not vegan, the rest are vegan. Look for the discounted $1/bag deals at the end of their business day around 1 or 2 p.m. The side potatoes are vegan as well. In November 2021 they *finally* started carrying vegan butter and cream cheese. Recently, they have been spotty on the cream cheese, but it can’t hurt to ask. Now I’m just holding my breath for a vegan hot sammich! [As of 2/2024.]
Burger Hut
3211 Cohasset Road
Chico CA 95973
(530) 342-4555
2451 Forest Ave
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 891-1430
Local chain of made to order burger joints where you add your own tomatoes, onion, lettuce and other condiments. They offer a vegan Beyond Burger on a vegan bun. They also offer a vegan cheddar cheese! [As of 8/2022.]
Burgers and Brew
301 Broadway
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 879-9100
Burgers and Brew in Chico (there are several locations in the Northstate) has two vegan burger choices: the Impossible Burger (sesame seed bun, lettuce, tomato onions and chipotle-garlic Vegenaise–ask for mushrooms if that’s your thing) and marinated portobello mushroom. The curly fries are good, as are the sweet potato fries, but are cooked in a shared fryer with other non-vegan menu items. They have vegan mayo on hand. Be aware that the veggie burger they offer is the original Gardenburger, which, sadly, has cheese in it and so is not vegan. [As of 10/2021.]
Cafe Coda
265 Humboldt Ave
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 566-9476
Vegan-friendly, with a clearly labeled vegan menu, a rarity in Chico. Be sure to tell the servers that you are vegan and they will know how to accommodate you. [As of 10/2021.]
Chada Thai
117 B West Second Street (downstairs)
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 342-7121
Chada Thai has a vegetarian menu that is actually vegan but is not clearly labeled. Make sure you ask for no egg in the Pad Thai. A variety of soups, curries and other popular Thai dishes are available. Hours vary so call ahead to make sure they are open. [As of 06/2022.]
Chico Natural Foods Cooperative
818 Main St
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 891-1713
Vegan-friendly, but not always clearly labeled. The hot bar usually has one or two vegan options. They also have a variety of house-made vegan side dishes, treats, and sandwiches in the fridge, labeled with special stickers. And, of course, you can always find a wide selection of vegan-friendly grocery items. Some staff are disdainful of veganism; some are great about it. [As of 2/2024.]
Chipotle Mexican Grill – Chico
620 Mangrove Ave
Chico, CA 95926
(530) 343-8707
1960 E 20th St #100
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 879-1623
Black beans, pinto beans, tofu sofritas, and guacamole are vegan. This listing is also on the fast food page.
Cocodine Thai Cuisine
2485 Notre Dame Bl, Suite 250 (Raley’s Shopping Center)
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 891-1800
Vegan-friendly, but not clearly labeled. They offer a a really nice vegan spinach wrap appetizer that is unique and delicious — it is a big plate with spinach leaves that you fill with items from the rest of the plate, including small chunks of tofu and ginger, and dip in a sweet sauce. Try the eggplant and tofu dish and the spicy fried rice (good). As with all non-vegan restaurants, it’s important to identify that you are vegan and that you need to have the non-vegan ingredients and condiments omitted.
The curries are not vegan, because the commercial pastes that are used here contain fish, oyster, or shrimp extracts. Be aware that well-intentioned staff might say that that the curries are vegan because they do not add fish, oyster, or shrimp-based sauce, but at that point, it’s too late, because their base ingredients contain animal products. [As of 10/2021.]
Cookie Shoppe
1600 Mangrove Ave
Chico, California 95926
(530) 899-3385
Local cookie shoppe with a standard menu of fresh-baked cookies. The following limited flavors are vegan: Russian tea cake, Mexican wedding cake, raspberry jam tea cake, apricot jam tea cake (you get the picture… tea cakes = vegan). [As of 1/2019.]
Deja Vu Breakfast Company
3221 Esplanade
Chico, CA 95973
(530) 287-5660
The Vegan Breakfast Plate is excellent (and yuuuge!) – house ranchero marinated tofu topped with sauteed mushrooms, zucchini, spinach, artichoke hearts, and tomatoes. It’s nice to be able to order something with no fuss. [As of 8/2022.]
Drunken Dumpling
1414 Park Avenue
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 774-2173
Drunken Dumpling started as an awesome food truck, in a time when clearly labeled vegan options at food trucks was rare and delicious vegan options even rarer. Drunken Dumpling was always a standout amongst the many well-intentioned but ultimately mediocre vegan offerings at so many food purveyors. Drunken Dumpling made the leap to a standalone restaurant, where the Vegan Mary is a standout – a vegan steamed bao filled with marinated tofu and some crunchy fresh veggies, topped with a delicious hoisin sauce, but always check for the seasonal vegan specials. For an additional charge, you can load up your bao with some of the Drunken Dumpling’s housemade vegan kimchi (no fish sauce!). The owner earned my vegan respect by demonstrating level 3 vegan knowledge that anchovies are a common ingredient in commercial Worcestershire sauce. Follow them on Instagram and Facebook and tell them that Chico Vegan sent you! [As of 7/2021.]
Farm Star Pizza
2359 The Esplanade
Chico, CA 95926
(530) 343-2056
A local favorite. Ask for vegan cheese (Daiya). Regular crust is vegan; it is made of organic wheat flour, whole wheat flour, rye flour, olive oil, sea salt, and filtered water and is excellent. They also can make a vegan calzone with Daiya cheese, veggies and marinara with basil, be sure to ask them to hold the ricotta. The gluten-free crust is not vegan. [As of 7/2021.]
5th Street Steakhouse
345 W 5th St
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 891-6328
Steakhouse with no labeled vegan options (it’s almost like they don’t care about vegans or people with alpha-gal allergies!), which is to be expected, because…it’s a steakhouse. That said, should you find yourself seated at this otherwise lovely restaurant renowned for excellent service, because of said excellent service, they are happy to prepare a fabulous and flavorful plate of grilled veggies (asparagus, yellow squash, tomato, peppers, onion) and a plain (but delicious) baked potato. I mean, I sound like I’m complaining, but I’m not — sometimes you take what you can get and be grateful for it, when you’re stuck dining at a place not of your choosing. [As of 8/2022.]
Fresh Twisted Cafe (formerly known as Hernandez Farms)
NEGATIVE REVIEW
Although this page is not in the business of posting negative reviews of restaurants with vegan options, Fresh Twisted has made mistakes on multiple occasions with serving animal products on vegan orders, such as putting beef patties on vegan burgers. If you notice the mistake, they refund your money, of course, but if their systems cannot reliably fulfill vegan orders, that shows a lack of respect for their vegan customers and makes them even worse than a non-vegan restaurant. In 2019 several members of local Chico vegan groups reported adverse experiences at this cafe, indicating persistent service and back of house issues. They offer smoothies, bagels with vegan cream cheese, soy chorizo as the sole vegan protein option on their breakfast and lunch sandwiches and wraps, and a vegan patty for their burgers. Although they offer vegan cheeses as add-ons to most of their menu items, it is not an option for their quesadillas. The black bean burger and hummus are not labeled vegan, so confirm before ordering. [As of 10/2021.]
Gen Kai
605 Mangrove Ave, Suite 180
Chico, California
(530) 891-3570
Fairly popular Japanese restaurant. They have a small section of vegetarian rolls on their menu, including a nice selection of pickled veggie sushi. They also offer an off-menu fried tofu (ask for agedashi tofu). Their miso soup is not vegan and the tempura batter is made with eggs. Sadly, miso soup at most Japanese restaurants typically is flavored with bonito (tuna) flakes, often from a packaged mix. [As of 1/2018.]
Ginger’s Restaurant
2201 Pillsbury Rd #100
Chico, CA 95926
(530) 345-8862
Vegan-friendly, but not clearly labeled. Fills that certain hankering you get for a la carte fast, hot, not-fancy Chinese takeout. [As of !0/2021.]
Gnarly Deli Sandwich Shop
243 West 2nd St. (downstairs, across from the El Rey)
Chico, CA 95928
Basement dwelling (but in a good way) sandwich shop and performance venue. The in-store special paper menu is clearly labeled, offering a vegan burger (“Inconceivable Gnarburg”), sandwiches (“No Mitch”), and hot dog (“No Mommy”). Online ordering is opaque as to vegan options, so check all the pull-down menus to see if there are vegan options for the item you wish to order. Be warned – Gnarly’s will not make any modifications to their menu items–if you would rather die than eat a dill pickle, for instance, plan on picking out those suckers on your own. [As of 8/2022.]
Gogi’s Cafe
230 Salem St
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 891-3570
Simple, fast, tasty Indian food. Let the staff know that you are vegan and they will happily point you to the vegan choices for the day…which often includes about half of the items! Samosas, chana masala, dal, aloo gobi, and other vegetable-based dishes are usually on the menu. They offer vegan naan as well, which is kind of jaw-droppingly amazing for an Indian restaurant. [As of 10/2021.]
Gordo Burrito – Taco Truck
Park and 20th St / Cypress and 8th St / 1295 E. 8th St (dine-in/next to Valero Gas Station Market)
Chico, CA 95926
(530) 809-1211
Vegan-friendly menu, but not clearly labeled. These are two taco trucks and a restaurant run by the same family. Good old standard bean burrito. The beans are vegan, sadly, the rice is not. Dine-in location offers complimentary salsas, escabeche, and spicy pickled carrots. [As of 8/2017.]
Grana
198 E 2nd St
Chico, CA 95926
(530) 809-2304
Vegan-friendly, upon request. They offer vegan specials that include seared tofu ‘”steaks,” sauteed maitake with seasonal veggies, and other changing vegan entrees. Also serves excellent flatbread and hummus, a roasted cauliflower bowl (with olive oil, lemon, and capers), and an excellent arugula salad with roasted tomatoes on top of flatbread. Also excellent is their ‘green’ pizza (specify no feta cheese). Other options include a beet and romaine salad with candied almonds (again, specify no cheese) and an appetizer that consists of olives, roasted garlic and local almonds in seasoned olive oil. [As of 10/2021.]
Guzzetti’s Catering and Indian Food
117 W 14th St
Chico, California 95928
(530) 896-1647
Guzzetti’s makes delicious and clearly labeled dips and flatbreads. They’re a regular at the local farmers markets or you can visit their shop, where they have a lot of Indian groceries – dals, rice, spices, spice mixes, chaat, frozen and refrigerated ready-to-eat Indian specialties, and more! [As of 10/2022.]
The Handle Bar
2070 E. 20th St
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 894-2337
The classic portabella burger with Daiya cheese and the vegan portabella muffaleta with savory olive tapenade are two options at this vegan-friendly place. They have Vegenaise as well. [As of 10/2021.]
Hudson’s Gastropub
2760 Esplanade Suite 100
Chico, CA 95973
(530) 636-4562
Diner with no labeled vegan options (it’s almost like they don’t care about vegans or people with alpha-gal allergies!), which always make me sad. That said, should you find yourself seated here, there are some hidden options — for instance, the housemade veggie burger is vegan AND they have vegan cheese you can substitute for dairy cheese. And if you’re there for brunch, here’s a kludgy workaround for a filling main item – huevos rancheros minus the pork, eggs, and créme sauce with added sautéed veggies, which is a heck of a lot better than the usual vegan special (i.e., dry toast and hashbrowns). [As of 8/2022.]
Hula’s Chinese Bar-B-Q
1937 E. 20th St.
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 715-7614
Casual, all-you-can eat Mongolian-Style BBQ spot. Have fun building your own tasty bowl of food! The rice, veggies, noodles and tofu are vegan, and there are plenty of tasty sauces to choose from. The chefs will gladly clean the grill before cooking vegetarian foods–just ask! [As of 10/2021.]
Ike’s Place
648 W 5th St (corner of Fifth and Ivy)
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 924-3171
Vegan-friendly menu, with many veganizable hot and cold vegetarian sandwiches. A good one to try is the Vegan Meatless Mike, which has marinara, Daiya mozzarella shreds, and vegan meatballs. Another good option is the James and the Giant Peach, which features a vegan fried chicken patty, cheese, and Ike’s yellow BBQ sauce. Their Dutch crunch and sourdough breads are vegan; the others may have honey or dairy in them. They also have a basic vegan burger (the King’s Hawaiian sweet roll that it is served with are not vegan (whey, eggs, butter, etc.), so swap it out for a Dutch crunch or sourdough roll) and vegan seasoned air fries. And more on bread — their gluten-free bread is also vegan, but, sadly, it’s often out of stock. Staffing issues have caused their hours to vary wildly, so definitely check their website or call them ahead of time. [As of 8/2022.]
Kwando Chinese Buffet
740 Mangrove Ave
Chico, CA 95926
(530) 343-6788
Vegan-friendly upon speaking with staff. For instance, they made a nice cucumber-avocado-tofu rolls upon special request. If you speak with the chef when you arrive, they will advise you of the vegan options, or create something for you. Certainly there are easier places to get vegan food in Chico (see: this list), but sometimes you have to go where your family or co-workers decides! [As of 7/2018.]
La Cocina Economica
905 Wall St
Chico, CA 95926
(530) 809-0370
Vegan-friendly menu, but not clearly labeled. The refries and black beans are vegan (yay), as is the guacamole. Sadly, the rice is not vegan — it is made with chicken broth powder. They variably advise the customers that the rice is vegan or not vegan, but unless they come out with clear labeling on their menu, it is hard to have confidence that the rice is vegan. A good alternative is to order their sopes with tofu, hold the cheese, add lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado slices, with a side of refries and black beans. Delicious!! (Sopes are English-muffin-sized pieces of cornmeal (masa) that are fried on each side.) The tofu was heated on the grill, but wasn’t well-seasoned. There was enough seasoning in the other ingredients, so that is not a big deal. Tofu can be subbed in any of the menu items, so you can try a tofu huevos scramble, a tofu enchilada (the enchilada sauce is vegan), a taco plate, and a nacho plate. You can also add fajitas to anything. As with so many restaurants in Chico, be sure to remind the server that you are vegan and to leave off the cheese.
La Flor De Michoacan Paleteria y Neveria
1008 West Sacramento Ave
Chico, CA 95926
(530) 893-9999
1354 East Ave (Safeway Shopping Center)
Chico, CA 95926
(530) 774-2219
668 Mangrove Avenue (Safeway Shopping Center)
Chico, CA 95926
146 Broadway St (2nd St. and Broadway)
Chico, CA 95928
Vegan-friendly scoops, paletas (popsicles), and fruit-based cold drinks, but feel free to ask server to confirm which frozen goodies are water-based (=non-dairy). The water-based items are clearly marked in bold on the takeaway menu. At the downtown location the dairy-free paletas are clearly labeled, making them easy to order. The only ice creams that are vegan are the mango and mango-chamoy (chamoy are those salty-sweet mango candies — they mix these in with the mango pulp) flavors; the other “water-based” neveria have 5% milk in them. . On the drink side, there are some unusual non-dairy choices – alfalfa, jamaica (hibiscus), lime, mango, peach, and pineapple. Combine a scoop of fruity goodness with a fruity drink and end up with a delicious smoothie. They also offer freshly squeezed juices. [As of 10/2021.]
Lili’s Brazilian Bistro
142 Broadway St
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 399-0675
Simple but excellent Brazilian food with labeled vegan options (look for the “V*” for vegan items; if you miss the “*”, you’re out of luck–so be sure to ask!). Vegan menu options include Lasanha Vegan (lasagna (but you knew that already, I bet)), Vegana (plate of veggies, rice and beans), and Sandwich de Vegana. The menu is seasonal and subject to change. [As of 8/2022.]
Live Life Juice Company
220 Broadway St
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 566-3346
2279 Springfield Drive, Suite 150 (Meriam Park)
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 809-2635
Serves up cold-pressed juices of many types, and all their grab-and-go refrigerated offerings are always organic, vegan, and gluten-free. Their grab-and-go packaged offerings include cashew parfaits, raw pies, zucchini noodle bowls, and kale Caesar salads. When the weather is cooler, they offer a hearty soups, including vegetable miso. They also have a rich, delicious cashew-based vegan soft-serve ice cream, usually in vanilla and chocolate flavor, but sometimes other flavors, like pumpkin spice, and plenty of toppings to finish it off. Note: Some smoothies contain honey, but this is clearly labeled. Many of their drinks are sweetened with agave. The store is locally owned by a trio of smart sisters. [As of 10/2021.]
Lovely Layers Cakery
131 Meyers St, Ste 120
Chico, CA 95926
(530) 828-9931
Consistently offer gluten-free and vegan cupcakes – very cute decorations, interesting (and tasty!) flavor combinations. They also offer coffee beverages and vegan smoothies, and occasionally have vegan cookies. Custom-ordered vegan cupcakes are available.
Sadly, they stopped making vegan and (gluten-free) full-sized cakes, but they will still create custom-order vegan cupcakes… and generally offer at least one vegan (and gluten free) variety for sale over-the-counter. [As of 10/2021.]
Marketplace Cafe at the CSU Chico BMU
400 W 1st St
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 898-4696
The Marketplace is located inside the Bell Memorial Union (BMU) on the CSU Chico campus. There are several food stations to choose from. They are closed on weekends. BREAKFAST (made to order, 7am-10am): Steel-cut oats, add-in options include dried cranberries, walnuts and/or brown sugar; seasonal fresh fruit cup; hash browns.
LUNCH (11am-3pm, get there by 2:00 pm (they sell out): Stations include (1) Chinese Food – tofu veggie entree; steamed white rice; steamed veggies (cabbage/broc/carrots), (2) Salad bar (you pick, they build), many options, including garbanzo, kidney, edamame beans and tofu, (3) Burrito/Taco Bar – spanish rice and both pinto and black bean options are vegan, (4) Sushi Bar – Ginger-teriyaki “sushirrito” with seasoned tofu cutlet, avocado, cucumber, jicama, red and green cabbage, julienned carrots, daikon sprouts, green onions, teriyaki sauce, nori sheet, sushi rice, (5) Soup bar – vegan chili always available, other vegan soup options, ingredients always listed on board above soup. Assorted grab and go snacks with many vegan options, including plant-based milks.
Mi Jalisco
1002 W 5th St
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 961-2279
Vegan-friendly and delicious, but very limited and not labeled. Local vegans recommend the vegetarian tacos with no dairy, black beans instead of refries, and add avocado. Neither the rice nor the refried beans are vegan.
Mi Pueblito
2365 Esplanade
Chico CA 95926
Not vegan-friendly. Lard in beans and chicken powder in rice. [As of 8/2022.]
Momona
330 Main St, Suite 100
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 487-7488
Momona is a noodle and bao restaurant located in downtown Chico. They offer a menu with clearly marked vegan options (look for the V+ indicator). In addition to tofu, they offer sauteed oyster mushrooms as a protein option for both rice and noodle bowls. Their mushroom bao is vegan and delicious; they also have a vegan tofu bao. In 2022 they added a vegan poke bowl featuring roasted carrots, turnips, and beets. They offer two straight-off the menu, blessedly no-modifications-necessary vegan ramen entrees – the Spicy Tan Tan Men Ramen and the Drunken Sugo. They are one of the few restaurants in town that offers a vegan mac salad, which is kind of amazing. And heads up – the price of a meal here ratchets up with every topping. [As of 8/2022.]
MOD Pizza
851 East Ave, Ste 150
Chico, CA 95926
(530) 636-4862
MOD is a pizza and salad place with beer and wine, conveniently located next to the movie theatre and Trader Joe’s. This is a make-to-order pizza place with vegan crusts, vegan cheese, vegan sausage, and vegan red sauce (as well as BBQ). Even their gluten-free crust is vegan. You choose your crust, then go down the line and add whatever sauces/toppings/herbs you want, all for a single price. When the pizza is done, you can choose to finish it with a number of sauces. [As of 10/2021.]
Mountain Mike’s Pizza
1722 Mangrove Ave
Chico, CA 95926
(530) 893-1923
Basic pizza joint with a salad bar. They make their dough in-house from a special Mountain Mike’s mix, which is vegan. Their tomato-based pizza sauce is also vegan. Put the two together and you have a basic, no-frills vegan pizza. They do not have vegan cheese on-hand, but if you bring your own, they will gladly put it on your pizza for you. On the salad bar, only the low-fat/no-fat Italian dressing is vegan.
New Earth Market
864 East Avenue (map)
Chico, CA 95926
(530) 673-9355
Hours: Mon-Sat 7am-9pm, Sun 8am–8pm
Natural foods and vitamin store featuring an excellent selection of organic produce and many vegan specialty goods. The sandwich and burrito bar have vegan options and you can build your own sandwich with Tofurky slices or hummus. The hot bar and deli have vegan options which are haphazardly labeled vegan; sometimes they’re labeled, sometimes not. Ask the staff to be sure. They often have vegan biscuits and peppery gravy on the hot bar on the weekend; get there early or it will run out. On occasion non-vegan items have been labeled vegan. The Cali’Concept Kitchen pizzeria located in a corner of the store will make vegan pizzas to order from the Cali’flour company using Daiya mozzarella. [As of 1/2019.]
Noodle House
605 Mangrove Ave
Chico, CA 95926
(530) 345-2022
Vegan-friendly menu, but not clearly labeled. Happily, the entire section labeled “Vegetarian Special” is actually vegan. The A4 vegetarian crunch roll appetizer is vegan (classic Vietnamese spring roll). The noodle soup is passable, especially given Chico’s limited soup options. [As of 10/2021.]
Pizza Riot aka Vegan Pizza Riot (currently no restaurant)
206 Walnut Street, Suite A
Chico, CA 95926
Sadly, Pizza Riot closed in 2023, BUT their brand lives on — you can buy frozen pizzas, chocolate covered peanut butter balls, bao, and other boodies at Chico Natural Foods, S&S, and perhaps other places. Check their website or social media to find out more. They use organic and non-GMO ingredients, and their dough, marinara, pepperoni, chikun, ricotta, pesto and most drizzles are all housemade from scratch, including their vegan gluten-free crust! Pizza Riot started as a pop-up operation 2017, then grew into a restaurant in 2020. They closed their storefront in 2023, but sstill sell to local natural food stores. All power to the pizza! [As of 03/2024.]
Priya
2574 Esplanade
Chico, CA 95929
(530) 899-1055
Many vegan Indian options, such as chana masala and dal, but also idli, dhosa, and rasam. Let the server know that you are vegan, non-dairy and they will direct you to the vegan options on the menu or on the very affordable lunch buffet. The naan is not vegan (made with yogurt), but they usually sub parathas at no extra charge. Double check the condiments; one or two of them have yogurt or dairy in them. Many find the food filling and good, but some report that it tastes salty or greasy. Sadly, the desserts are not vegan, but there is usually a well-meaning whole fruit option.
Ready Chef Go / Unwined at 980
980 Mangrove Ave
Chico, CA 95926
Ready Chef Go (530) 893-2433 / Unwind (530) 809-2634
This is two concepts in one building so they will be co-reviewed. They offer similar hours, but not exactly the same, so check the links.
Unwined at 980 is a sit-down restaurant with a limited menu created from local, in-season items. Because the menu is always changing, there are no specific item recommendations. The menu is vegan-friendly, but, sadly, not clearly labeled. The servers and/or kitchen staff are knowledgeable about the ingredients, so feel free to inquire! In general, if an item looks vegan, it is, and it if looks vegetarian, it is. Most items that were vegetarian could be modified to be vegan by asking to have the cheese left off. Half of the appetizers were vegan and all of the salads were easily veganized by asking for no cheese. Sadly, they did not have a main dish that was vegetarian/vegan or even easily veganized. However, the kitchen is responsive to requests for vegan entrees. In one case the owner stepped in and had the kitchen prepare the “nutloaf” that is usually served on the Ready Chef go side. It turned out to be very good, so perhaps they will add this to the regular menu on the Unwined side of things. In this case, the team at Unwind did not make me feel uncomfortable for making special requests and asking lots of questions.
Ready Chef Go is co-located with Unwind. Its main draw is a great salad bar that includes crumbled vegan “nutloaf,” local beans, local wild rice, local produce, and many options to make a well-rounded, delicious vegan salad. They also have ready-made entrees in a case to take home and a deli with many pre-made or ready-to-heat items in it. As with so many places, they have basically zero vegan desserts. Sadly, most of the pre-made items are NOT vegan. The vegetarian wraps and sandwiches on the menus cannot be altered to vegan because they are pre-made. About 50% of the deli salads are vegan.
Because the restaurants are co-located, they intermix menu items and change the menu frequently. The executive chef develops the menu for both sides and is (currently) very knowledgeable about vegan food and promises to make sure there are vegan options in the future as well as some gluten-free ones. Both Ready Chef Go and Unwind at 980 offer high-quality ingredients, nice ambiance, and friendly and knowledgeable staff. The cases are restocked on Sunday night so Monday is the best day to show up for the biggest selection.
Red Tavern
2804 Esplanade
Chico, CA 95926
(530) 894-3463
Vegan-friendly upscale dining with changing off-menu vegan specials featuring well-prepared and presented small plate seasonal local veggies, tofu, and occasional specials such as jambalaya, maitake, and other interesting entrees. Also open for brunch with similar menu items. Servers are helpful in navigating the menu to find vegan workarounds for most items on the menu. [As of 10/2021.]
Rice Bowl
1250 Esplanade
Chico, CA 95973
(530) 899-9098
Vegan-friendly, but not clearly labeled at all. Reports of terribly botched, clearly specified, vegan orders have happened, so please contact us if it has happened to you. As with most restaurants, be sure to specify that you are a strict vegetarian, no eggs, no fish, no fish sauce, oyster sauce or chicken broth. They have a Japanese menu that I have never ordered from.
S&S Organic Produce and Natural Food Store – BBQ and Deli
1924 Mangrove Ave
Chico, CA 95926
(530) 343-4930
Vegan-friendly, sort of. S&S is a natural foods store paired with a rather unappetizing butcher shop at one end, but if you can get past that, the store has a good selection of vegan products and a well-stocked health and beauty section. They have a made to order deli with two vegan sandwiches, “Spiced Tofu and Avocado” (be sure to ask for Vegenaise) and good old PB&J. There are two cheese-based “veggie” sandwiches (aka salad on a roll) which can be veganized by omitting the cheese and subbing Vegenaise for regular mayo. On the BBQ side they have the standard fresh-grilled portabella sandwich, but no vegan burger or hot dog option. There’s also a decent salad bar IN the butcher shop (!), but since that’s rather beyond my ability to ignore reality, I haven’t ever made a salad there. [Please use the “contact” link to give me your salad bar report!]
Shubert’s Ice Cream and Candy Shop
178 E 7th St
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 342-7163
This old-time ice cream and candy shop finally became vegan-friendly by offering a non-dairy mango sorbet (by non-dairy, they mean vegan) and coconut-based ice cream. Even its cones (cake, waffle, and sugar) are accidentally vegan (Joy Cone brand). They also use Hershey’s chocolate syrup, which is accidentally vegan as well. Finally, vegans get to enjoy an old Chico tradition, one that Chico dogs have been enjoying for years. [As of 06/2019.]
Sierra Nevada Taproom and Restaurant
1075 E 20th St
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 345-2739
The beer is vegan (made with “Irish moss” instead of isinglass (which is fish bladder)) and the tours are free! In the taproom restaurant there are a clearly labeled items, including a black bean burger, tomato pie pizza, and a veganizable portobello burger (hold the cheese, hold the aioli). They even have Miyoko’s mozzarella available upon request, which cooks up fabulously in their wood fired pizza oven! (To order the pizza, tell your server this: “Tomato Pie with vegan cheese, add seasonal veggies.”) (As of 03/2024.)
Sin of Cortez
2290 Esplanade
Chico, CA 95926
(530) 879-9200
This restaurant should be way more vegan-friendly than it actually is — they have an unfortunate and unnecessary habit of using butter in their potatoes and sautéed vegetables – so for a simple dish like papas locos – here are the adjustments to ask for: “add tofu or soy chorizo, remove cheese and sour cream and cook potatoes in olive oil instead of dairy-based margarine”. Sadly, their vegan-sounding Buddha Bowl, another simple dish composed of “lemon grass, coconut milk, and miso broth with grilled shiitake mushrooms in ginger-soy sauce, pan-fried noodles, bean sprouts, cilantro and green onion with a side of garlic chili paste, orange chili oil and fresh lime wedges” has the unfortunate attribute of fish-based lemongrass paste. [As of 12/2019.]
Sipho’s Jamaica
1228 Dayton Rd
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 895-1866
An old Chico vegan favorite that was inadvertently forgotten when this page was created. Did you know that Ital, the diet of the Rastafari movement of Jamaica, is a vegetarian diet? Sipho’s serves classic Ital cuisine – callaloo, brown stewed tofu, curried tofu, ital stew, rasta pasta, rice & beans/peas, and fried plantains. Add in some sorrel tea and you have the makings of a fine Jamaican meal. [As of 10/2021.]
Sol Mexican Grill
3269 Esplanade
Chico, CA 95973
(530) 342-4616
Vegans dining at this place need to proceed with caution because Sol’s hot salsa has chicken broth in it. (Why does a restaurant do this?!) Additionally, the rice is made with chicken broth. (Again, why?) They offer a great little enchilada with a side of refries and black beans, which are made with canola oil. They make fresh-cut skinny fries from scratch. The deep fryer for the fries is used to deep fry chimichangas and other items (but not fish). Tofu is available as a protein option and fajita veggies can be added to just about anything. The guacamole is vegan. As with almost all restaurants in Chico, inform your server that you are vegan; if you fail to do that here, cheese might be unhelpfully sprinkled over your beans. Do not expect your server to let you know that there is chicken broth in the salsa. They serve water in plastic reusable cups, instead of the foam or one-time use plastic cups that other places favor.
Sushi Burrito King
101-169 Cohasset Rd
Chico, CA 95926
(530) 892-8688
Menu is not clearly labeled, but this former Dairy Queen Drive Through fast fusion joint offers three veggie burritos that are vegan: the Veggie Protein, the BLT (bean curd (tofu), lettuce, tomato), and the Veggie Mixed Greens. All of their flavored teas are vegan. Their milk teas are dairy-based, with no plant milks available. They also offer vegan veggie rolls and veggie sides. Nothing is labeled vegan but almost everything vegan is clearly vegan is as they list ingredients for burritos and rolls in their menu. Don’t be fooled by the unattractive exterior. [As of 12/2019.]
T-Bar Fusion Café
250 Vallombrosa Ave
Chico, CA 95926
(530) 895-8100
555 Flying V St #1
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 809-1545
Vegan-friendly menu, clearly labeled – look for the green “v” for vegan and ignore the darker green “veg” for vegetarian (go figure…) on the menu and pay attention to the items mentioned below. The bowls and wraps are good. The wasabi-ginger dressing is a good vegan choice for your bowl or wrap; not only is it a good choice, it’s the ONLY vegan choice (go figure…). The ginger tofu is delicious, and they offer the Impossible Burger as a protein option! The naan bread offered with the otherwise vegan hummus is not vegan, which also means the beloved avocado toast is not vegan, since it is only served with naan. That said, of the four wrap options, the gluten free wrap is coincidentally vegan (for an upcharge…), so you might be able to ask for your avo toast to be served on a gluten free wrap (for an upcharge…).
Be aware of four things: (1) the servers are using a reference guide which classifies drinks which include casein (a dairy milk protein) as “dairy free”. They may mistakenly verbally identify these drinks as vegan. For instance, the “Frosts” are “dairy-free”, but not vegan: the base has casein. So, avoid the Chico Chai Frost and similar drinks. (2) There is casein (a dairy milk protein) in the chai powder mix that they use as a base for many drinks. This means that in addition to things like the Chico Chai Frost (above) not being vegan, a simple order like chai black tea and vanilla with soy milk from their “Steam Me” menu also is not vegan. (3) The naan contains dairy and is not vegan, though well-intentioned servers will advise guests that it is vegan. (4) Finally, the restaurant uses seasoned miso mixes as the base for several miso applications, such as in the miso salad dressing. The miso mix that the restaurant uses contains fish, which means that even a simple recipe like the miso soup and “low-cal miso salad dressing” are not vegan. [As of 04/2022.]
Tacos “Mary”
429 Ivy St (Fifth and Ivy)
Chico, CA 95926
(530) 892-8176
Vegan-friendly menu. Individual items are not clearly labeled, but there is signage saying their beans and rice are vegan. Really good Mexican takeout (a bit greasy with huge portions) with super late-night hours–open till 3 am. Be sure to confirm your order when you pick it up, even for in-house service — they have been known to make errors. [As of 7/2018.]
Taj Fine Indian Cuisine
208 Cedar Street
Chico, CA 95926
(530) 592-3395
Vegan-friendly, but not clearly labeled. That said, there are some delicious vegan options here, as there are at many Indian restaurants. The spice level is moderate, not mild, but in a good way. Many vegan Indian options, such as chana masala and dal fry, but also aloo gobhi, parathas and samosas. Let the staff know that you are vegan, non-dairy and they will direct you to the vegan options on the buffet. The naan is not vegan (made with yogurt), but can usually sub roti. [As of 03/2024.]
Tender Loving Coffee
365 E. 6th St
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 433-0414
Small cafe with house-roasted coffee. All drinks are vegan, with oat milk standard (no up-charge!). Tasty house-made vegan breakfast sandwiches, burritos and specials. Also offers vegan treats and pastries including. [As of 03/2024.]
Tin Roof Bakery
627 Broadway
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 892-2893
Ordinary sandwich shop with an excellent bakery for bread; not so great for vegan items except for the occasional vegan scones. They offer simple-salad-in-a-sandwich vegan sandwiches and also some vegan-friendly made-to-order salads. As a vegan I don’t feel particularly welcome at this cafe. [As of 03/2024.]
Upper Crust Bakery & Cafe
130 Main St
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 895-3866
Usually offer one or two vegan baked goods, but they often sell out, so check early. (The scones are especially delicious.) They make great custom order vegan cakes. For lunch, some side dishes are vegan, and they occasionally have a vegan soup of the day. Coffee is great, and they have vegan milk out to use as creamer. [As of 2/2024.]
Wine Time
26 Lost Dutchman Dr
Chico, CA 95973
(530) 899-9250
Wine Time is a small plates restaurant specializing in seasonal dishes made with local ingredients. Vegans are made to feel welcome here! Their menu is vegan-friendly and clearly labeled, with many vegan or veganizable options on the menu at any given time. Here are some of the vegan options: housemade vegan baked brie (!!), chile verde, curried veggies, French onion soup, butternut apple soup, purple potato medley with butternut garlic aioli, lasagne rolls, vegan Caesar salad, black bean and banana empanadas, and for dessert a lovely mocha cashew chilled cheesecake. They also host seasonal high tea with excellent vegan options; by reservation only (follow their website or social media to know when these are scheduled). [As of 04/2022.]
Woodstock’s Pizza
240 Main St
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 893-1500
Fun, family-friendly pizza place. Vegan-friendly menu, but not clearly labeled. Regular, thick, and gluten-free crusts are all vegan (and all tasty)! Extra charge for Daiya cheese. Some salads can also be made vegan. [As of 2/2024.]
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