The majority of my work trips are pretty quick with the typical itinerary being an early Friday morning flight out of Denver with a return Sunday sometime in the late afternoon or evening. Every so often on one of my weekend jaunts I’ll have some free time to explore the sights and the vegan eats. During a recent trip to St. Louis, I was fortunate to visit some happening spots with amazing food and welcoming people.
Lulu’s Local Eatery
I will always take a 6:00 AM flight if it means a few extra hours in my destination. During this trip the timing was ideal as I landed in St. Louis around 11:00 AM. After getting my rental car I immediately revisited Happy Cow and found Lulu’s Local Eatery was only about 15 minutes away. Upon arrival, I reviewed the menu faced with the typical traveler’s dilemma; my visit is brief and who knows when I will be back. Therefore narrowing down a menu is a challenge. As is my tradition, I ask an employee what his or her three favorite items are. As I was pretty hungry and was planning a lengthy swim later in the afternoon, the cauliflower buffalo ‘wings’ were a must. Beyond that, I might as well have thrown a dart at the menu. I narrowed my focus to the jackfruit items, ultimately going with the Jackfruit banh mi with tater tots. Being a jackfruit junkie I was immediately satisfied with this choice after a single bite. Garnished with sliced onion, greens, cucumbers, cilantro and carrots the sandwich was loaded with diverse flavors with the French baguette providing a nice crunch.
The cauliflower wings were fantastic as well; a worthy rival to those at the always-amazing Watercourse Foods in Denver. A hearty portion features the perfect combination of heat from the buffalo sauce that is tempered by the vegan ranch sauce.
Seedz Café
With a Sunday evening flight, I was fortunate to visit Seedz Café on my way to the airport from the western suburbs. I made it with a half-hour to spare as they close at 4:00 PM on Sundays. It did not disappoint! With a menu featuring sprouted pizzas, smoothies and pad thai I went with one of the specials, a tempeh taco salad. A towering bed of greens with seasoned tempeh, corn chips, guacamole, and cherry tomatoes was a perfect choice for a warm summer day, filling but not heavy while packed with flavor and nutrients. While ordering I discovered that Seedz is also the only 100% organic brewery in St. Louis. It didn’t take much convincing for me to indulge in some flavor. After sampling a saison, I had a small glass of their Belgian Cream Ale. A light and refreshing brew, I could have easily enjoyed a few more.
With local art, a bright and welcoming atmosphere and friendly staff, another visit (or visits) to Seedz will be part of any St. Louis itinerary!
Rise Coffee Shop
After my amazing meal at Seedz I made a pit stop at Rise Coffee Shop located in heart of The Grove neighborhood of St. Louis. I had visited a nearby tapas restaurant the evening before and was drawn to the setting and look of the coffee shop. Situated in an older home, the space has funky local art, varied furniture and a comfortable space to hang out with friends, read a book or peck away at the laptop. In addition to my iced coffee I indulged in some of their vegan treats; an oatmeal raspberry cookie and a banana, chocolate chip muffin. Rise seemed like one of the ideal anchors of the The Grove district; a bohemian meeting spot in a diverse and area with restaurants, bars and a vibrant atmosphere.
In a city known for barbeque and Budweiser, it was a treat to visit these bustling spots and share what I found. With any road trip, the vegan community is only a few clicks away. Happy traveling and eating during these summer months!