Old Abe Coffee Co.
832 7th St NW, Rochester MN, 55901 // (651) 410-4137
For way more than coffee, check out Old Abe’s! Starting out selling coffee from Abe’s signature Dutch-style tricycle that he built himself, Abe now has expanded his business to add a family-friendly neighborhood cafe featuring a selection of coffee drinks and other beverages, local beers, and Rochester’s most delicious vegetarian food. Regulars at the Cooke Park shop swear by Abe’s infamous Vegan Banh Mi! Old Abe concocts many of his beautiful vegan and vegetarian dining options using meat-free, plant-based offerings from Herbivorous Butcher in Minneapolis.
Forager Brewing Company
1005 6th St NW, Rochester MN, 55901 // (507) 258-7490
Forager embraces a casual dining approach and invites you to enjoy a relaxed family-friendly restaurant experience in Rochester, MN! They offer a full menu of vibrant dishes made from the freshest seasonally available ingredients inspired by our bountiful region. Try their house special Cast Iron Mac and Cheese or the Pad Thai. Discover a new favorite each time you visit as the menu changes to integrate the most recent harvest from their numerous local farming partners. in 2020, Forager Brewery acquired all of the fresh juicing equipment from Tonic Juice Bar. Tonic was owned by Rochester vegetarian dining OG, Nicci Sylvester. Nicci passed away in November 2018 and the restaurant closed in early 2020. We are so glad to see Nicci’s legacy carried on by Forager. Stop in to get some of Nicci’s original fresh-pressed juice recipes. Our favorite is Coastal Sunshine.
Twigs Tavern and Grille
401 6th St SW, Rochester MN, 55901 // (507) 288-0206
Twigs Tavern and Grille offers a large array of unique entrées in the small plates tradition and is well known for its Hot Rock Grilling. For those with dietary sensitivities and food allergies, Twigs’ dedicated gluten-free kitchen lets patrons rest easy with prep, grill, and fryers. Twigs has received numerous awards from Rochester Magazine including Best Outdoor Dining and Best Vegetarian Meal.
Bleu Duck Kitchen
14 4th St SW, Rochester MN, 55902 // (507) 258-4663
Housed in a rehabilitated downtown Rochester MN building, Bleu Duck Kitchen made a splash on the Rochester dining scene with its focus on an ever-changing menu of innovative American cuisine. Menu items emphasize locally grown produce, in-season fare, and exciting vegetarian options such as innovative risottos with exciting flavor combinations, house-made ramen, and more.
Terza Ristorante
30 3rd St SE, Rochester MN, 55904 // (507) 216-9590
Centrally located in downtown Rochester on Broadway, Terza is an Italian Restaurant dedicated to celebrating the bountiful flavors of Italy with friends & family. Popular vegetarian options include the handmade Gnocchi and the Tagliatelle Wild Mushroom. All of their recipes, from fresh pasta to mouth-watering desserts, are hand-crafted in-house with love.
People’s Food Co-op
519 1st Ave SW, Rochester MN, 55902 // (507) 289-9061
PFC is well known as a consumer-owned natural foods store promoting healthy, sustainable, and cooperative living. But did you know PFC’s deli offers taste sensations from around the culinary world? Stop in for familiar favorites like Greek feta salad, garlic lover’s pasta, blackened tofu steaks, and grain salads like barley almond. There’s something for everyone. See something that interests you, but you aren’t sure you’ll like it? Don’t hesitate to ask for a sample…they are happy to give you a taste!
Hot Chip Burger Bar
1190 16th St SW, Rochester MN, 55902 // (507) 322-6552
Hot Chip Burger Bar is well known for its inventive burgers, and they have 5 specialty Vegan burgers on their everyday menu! Hot Chip serves up the tastiest and most creative vegan burgers. All burgers are plant-based on a toasted sprouted wheat bun and served with umami spiced fries and Tony Packo pickles. Gluten-free? Ask for no fry spice and a gluten-free bun.
Victoria’s Ristorante & Wine Bar
7 1st Ave SW, Rochester MN, 55902 // (507) 280-6232
With large portions from a huge menu, Victoria’s is another Rochester, MN dining destination focused on scratch-made dishes from fresh ingredients. Offering many different appetizers, salads, entrées, and decadent desserts, all items are accompanied by an extensive wine selection and a broad selection of beer and mixed drinks. Regulars swear by the Eggplant Parmigiana and the Mushroom Passion for an excellent vegetarian dining experience.
Nupa Mediterranean Cuisine
North:1035 Civic Center Drive NW, Rochester MN, 55901 // (507) 206-5044
South: 412 Crossroads Drive, Rochester MN, 55902 // (507) 218-3130
With two Rochester MN locations, Nupa serves a variety of healthy Mediterranean foods featuring bold flavors, fresh ingredients, and homemade recipes. From tasty falafel, hummus and pita, or horiatiki salad, the vegetarian options at Nupa are numerous!
Saladworks
101 1st Ave Marriot Subway Level, Rochester MN 55902 // (507) 361-3333
Saladworks, located in the Marriot Subway Level, is your place to go for freshly made salads, wraps, sandwiches, and warm grain bowls. You can build your own creation, or choose from their signature menu. If you can’t decide on your favorite, Saladworks offers a “you pick 2” option where you can choose between a half sandwich, cup of soup, salad, or panini.
Boxcar Hippie
Boxcar Hippie is the cool cousin of Hot Chip Burger Bar and, conveniently, located directly next door. Owned by the same locally-owned restaurant group, Boxcar Hippie offers super fresh burritos and burrito bowls. They use local, organic ingredients whenever possible (including some killer hot sauce from Sam Sa’House) and always make their food from scratch. Their burritos and bowls are completely customized and can be completely vegetarian with just veggies or veggies and beans.
1190 16th St SW, Rochester, MN 55902 // (507) 258-4463
Beyond Food Truck
1700 2nd Ave NW, Stewartville, MN 55976 // (612) 999-4767
Beyond Food Truck is located in Stewartville, MN, just 10 minutes south of Rochester. There are several vegan options to try, but a local favorite would be the loaded falafel bowl and the mango smoothie. You cannot go wrong with anything on this delicious menu, however.
Nautical Bowls
Nautical Bowls specializes in smoothie bowls made with 9 signature bases: açai, pitaya, mango, cacao, blue majik, coconut and chia pudding, blood orange, and ube along with over 15 superfood toppings such as cacao nibs, goji berries, bee pollen, and fresh from the nut grinder, peanut, and almond butter. These bowls are organic, gluten-free, dairy-free, and plant-based.
Five West Kitchen & Bar
1991 Commerce Drive Northwest, Rochester, MN 55901 // 507-361-5555
Five West offers a large variety of menu options, from salads and sandwiches to pizza. They have something for everyone!
CRAVE Food & Drink
220 Broadway Ave S, Rochester, MN 55904 // 507-512-3800
CRAVE in Downtown Rochester has an extensive menu that features both lunch and dinner options with plant-based and gluten-free options. You’ll be sure to find something delicious on the menu here!
This post was last updated in June 2023
