Denver Emerges as America’s Next Major Vegan Food Hub

Denver restaurant leaders explain how rising costs and industry challenges have spurred a surge of vegan eateries. The city is positioning itself as a major plant‑based dining destination.

There was a time when Denver was all meat and potatoes. At one point branded a “cow town” thanks to its 19th-century cattle trade, historic stockyards, and agricultural economy, so by the 20th century, the Colorado capital was naturally packed with steakhouses. And the roots of this meat-heavy food culture run deep. The city’s oldest restaurant, the Buckhorn Exchange, opened in the 1890s and still serves a cowboy-coded menu of fried alligator tail, elk medallions, and buffalo prime rib. But there is far more to Denver’s food culture than its meaty reputation. Drive just 10 minutes northeast of the Buckhorn Exchange, and you’ll find one of the first signs that something interesting is happening in town: the newly opened Denver location of Soda Club, one of New York’s most popular vegan restaurants. The Soda Club dining room is just as busy, but the menu couldn’t be more different. Its best-selling Roman-style pizzas are topped with roasted carrots and fried artichokes, while its beloved pasta dishes feature pistachio pesto, fried leeks, and black kale. It turns out the people of Denver want plants, too, and lots of them. RELATED: One of New York City’s Best Vegan Restaurants Just Opened in Denver “Our investment in Soda Club reflects how much we believe in Denver,” Soda Club founder and Colorado native Ravi DeRossi tells VegNews. “There’s an audience here for what we’re doing. Our responsibility is to give people an experience worth coming back for.” Indeed, Denver’s vegan scene has a quiet confidence about it. It is by no means immune to the struggles affecting the wider restaurant industry, including rising costs, staffing shortages, and an ongoing affordability crisis. Still, several recent openings suggest there is real momentum behind plant-based dining in the city. “Colorado is known as being ‘meat and potatoes,’ but the tides are shifting, and more vegetable growers, cooks, and eaters are coming out of the landscape. It’s been a beautiful transition to watch over many years here as a native,” says Rocky Hunter of Denver vegan restaurant Gladys According to HappyCow, Denver has nearly 300 vegan-friendly restaurants, nine of which, including Soda Club, are listed as entirely vegan or vegetarian. DeRossi credits those restaurants with cultivating the demand that allowed Soda Club to choose the Colorado capital for its next location. “The community deserves a lot of credit,” he said. “These restaurants have been doing this work for decades, building relationships and making this food part of everyday life here. New restaurants benefit from that foundation.” Denver’s open-minded culture helps, too, DeRossi added. The city has a reputation for inclusivity and progressiveness, and that extends to its food scene. “I think there’s a willingness to enjoy a plant-based meal without feeling you have to become vegan to walk through the door,” continues DeRossi. “Most of the guests at our restaurants aren’t vegan. They’re coming because they want a great dinner. That broader audience is essential to building a business that lasts.” To better understand what is driving the city’s plant-based food culture, we spoke with five influential Denver restaurant teams and leaders, including DeRossi, about the local economy, changing customer expectations, and whether the Colorado capital deserves to be considered one of the country’s best vegan dining destinations. Mother Other opened its doors in summer 2026 after building a yearslong reputation of stellar supper clubs and pop-ups across Denver as The Easy Vegan. In 2023, co-owners chef Alexi Mandolini and beverage director Taylor Herbert took the crown and cash prize on Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race, which helped to raise their profile, fund some business moves, and make possible the duo’s eagerly anticipated debut as a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Denver’s vibrant Baker neighborhood. Now, diners are piling in to tuck into the restaurant’s upscale reimaginings How is Mother Other performing in the current economy? Herbert: We are so new and lack historical data, but we have almost doubled our initial sales projections in our first three months, so things have been going really well so far … We have also seen a lot of business from fans of The Great Food Truck Race. Most of them aren’t vegan but they’ve been so kind and curious about plant-based food. Why is Denver’s plant-based dining scene so strong right now? Mandolini: Denver has a really strong vegan scene, and those folks really care about showing up and supporting vegan businesses. But those are just a fraction of the folks we serve each week. I think Denver diners appreciate creative and delicious food, vegan or not. It’s a city where an omnivore will just as easily enjoy a plant-based meal one weekend and a meal at a steakhouse the next. Mandolini: It matters to our diners that their dollar supports the local economy, especially knowing we source produce, fresh pasta, etc. from local…

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