Being a vegetarian isn’t easy. Not every restaurant has great options for non-meat eaters and salads can get a bit boring after a while, but there’s plenty of places in Springfield that embrace herbivores too! Most of the restaurants in this list also have vegan options and some of them have gluten-free choices as well! No matter what your diet is, you need to know where you can find some tasty foods! So, we’re counting down 15 restaurants in Springfield that vegetarians will love!
Bambu Vietnamese Cuisine
1338 E Battlefield St
(417) 881-9881
Bambu has been slinging delicious Vietnamese cuisine for many years. They’re the reigning champ of best Pho in the midwest according to Feast Magazine. There’s lots of different choices, too. You can get a hot noodle soup (pho) sans meat for a soul warming meal or you can dine on the Vermicelli, a long, slender noodle with loads veggies on the side.
Cafe Cusco
234 E Commercial St
(417) 868-8088
Cafe Cusco dishes out Peruvian deliciousness from it’s spot on Historic C Street. They regularly host a Mealtess Monday for vegetarians and health-conscious people alike. They have tons of stuff for vegetarians, including the above pictured sweet potato noodle stir fry and the black bean burger. Check them out on Facebook and take a look for yourself!
Tea Bar & Bites Bakery and Café
621 S Pickwick Ave
(417) 866-7500
Tea Bar and Bites is a staple of the Rountree area. It’s a perfect spot to grab lunch or brunch on the weekend and it has some great veggie choices. Take the Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadilla pictured above. They look amazing! There’s also a robust breakfast menu and the hummus is to die for! If you’re in the mood for a sandwich, we recommend the veggie pita. It’s a  traditional Greek pita filled with hummus, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese, greens and tzatziki sauce!
That Lebanese Place
338 E Commercial St
(417) 536-6677
Keep an eye out for the little green and orange leaves on the menu at That Lebanese Place. They indicate vegan and vegetarian options respectively, and there are plenty of leaves on the menu! Give the Baba Ghanouj a try. It’s a roasted eggplant with tahini, lemon juice and garlic. Or, try the fattoush, pictured above. It’s a fresh blend of vegetables with a house dressing, served with pita chips. Plus, there’s great falafels, hummus and plenty more!
MJ’s Market & Deli
900 E Battlefield Rd #140
(417) 881-0004
Of course, the folks at MaMa Jean’s would have a delicious natural menu at their new-ish restaurant on Battlefield. They have so many great options for vegetarians and vegans! Shown above is the Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower Vegan Bowl, of which they have several varieties. They also have tons of yummy sandwiches like the Ava Gardener. It has Grilled portabella mushroom, roasted beets, roasted tomato, massaged kale, pickled red onion and goat cheese spread. MAkes you wanna kiss your fingers like a chef!
Farmer’s Gastropub
2620 S Glenstone Ave
(417) 864-6994
If there’s one thing Farmer’s Gastropub is known for, other than just being a great restaurant, it’s locally sourced all-natural ingredients. So, whether you’re on a paleo kick or you are a straight up vegetarian, you can count on fresh stuff in your meals. Take the meal in the photo above for example. It’s roasted vegetables and Terrell Creek Farm chèvre frittata with a farmers house salad and grilledNeighbor’s Mill Springfield country white bread. They also have favorites like the charred brussel sprout naan flatbread or the sweet potato and black bean burger. You can’t go wrong at Farmers Gastropub!
The Grotto West Coast Grill
301 East Battlefield Road
(417) 886-9600
Photo courtesy of Springfield Grazers
Vegetarian tacos! That’s right. Vegetarian tacos, folks. They’ve got black bean corn salsa smashed avocado, fried tofu, chipotle aioli, fresh greens and queso fresco on flour tortillas. If you’re not in a taco mood, there’s the hippy burger, which has a black bean patty with aioli and smashed avocado. Plus, there’s tons of pastas, salads and more to choose from for veggie lovers.
Bambino’s
2810 E Battlefield Rd Suite D
(417) 881-4442
Pretty much everything on the menu can be vegetarian at Bambino’s. If you’ve lived in Springfield for more than a few months, you’ve probably already been there. It’s a very popular joint because of it’s delicious pastas, salads, pizzas and apps. There are only a few items that aren’t friendly to vegetarians. We know the picture above has a meatball in it, but it just looked so good, we had to include it. You can always order without the protein!
Koriya
4121 S Fremont Ave Ste 128
(417) 882-0077
Koriya delivers a high quality, fresh Korean flavors for people looking to make healthy choices. They can accomodate gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian diets with ease! We recommend the yaki soba noodles with veggies. They also have bibimap, which translates to “mixed rice,” which can be ordered without protein. It’s a great choice for a lunch that won’t leave you feeling overly full, but you won’t be hungry either!
Grad School
434 S Jefferson Ave
Photo courtesy of 417 Magazine
Everything at Grad School is good and that includes the veg options! Check out the Codi Brah veggie burger above! That thing could rival any meat burger for sure! There’s also the mushroom “steak,” which is sautéed portabello mushrooms with bell peppers, onions, sprouts and provolone. They’ve also got some really good salads and a few apps that pass the grade too!
Pappo’s
900 E. Battlefield Rd. Ste. 176
221 East Walnut St
(417) 306-9091
Delicious pizza isn’t hard to find in Springfield, but sometimes it can be a hurdle to find a gluten-free crust. Pappo’s, with it’s two locations (now on the south side!), is a great choice! They’ve got fresh toppings that put the national franchises to shame and of course, you can get a veggie friendly pizza any time! For the vegans out there, order without cheese and you’ve got a sweet meal with no animal products!
The Wheelhouse
1670 E Saint Louis St
Yum Yum Bowl
706 E Battlefield St
(417) 882-3644
Yum Yum Bowl not only has an absolutely awesome name, it has awesome food too! It offers so many varieties for vegetarians in the mold of the Springfield Cashew Chicken style restaurant. You can get veggie options with lo mein, fried rice, stir fry, and of course, the namesake of the restaurant, the Yum Yum bowl itself, which is served with tofu!
Rama Thai Cafe
1129 East WalnutÂ
(417) 865-3204
Rama Thai is a powerhouse of flavor. It prides itself on having the best fresh herbs and spices available and uses them with deft hand. The vegetarian and vegan options on the menu are plenty. They have several tasty spring rolls with veggies, noodles and peanut sauce wrapped in rice paper. They’ve also got a great selection of curry dishes and pad thai noodle plates!
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