Looking for vegan and vegetarian options? Check out these 12 Rockford area restaurants
ROCKFORD — Bombay burritos, vegan black bean burgers or maybe some mango and black bean tacos as an entree, and vegan coconut yogurt cheesecake for dessert.
Eating meatless dishes doesn't necessarily mean eating less-filling, bland-tasting foods, and it doesn't mean having to eat at home.
Many restaurants recognize there is a growing number of health-conscious individuals who want to steer away, if not completely eliminate, meats from their diets and instead are seeking more savory plant-based food options.
Here are 12 popular Rockford-area restaurants that have incorporated vegetarian and vegan foods into their food offerings.
More:What is the vegetarian, vegan and raw food diet?
Abreo Restaurant
Meals on the menu with one star next to the name of the dish are vegetarian or can be made vegetarian; and dishes with two stars are vegan or can be made vegan upon request.
Address: 515 E. State St., Rockford
Open: 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday
Phone: 815-968-9463
Alchemy at Aldeen
A bar and restaurant at the Aldeen Golf Course, Alchemy offers meatless pizzas and salads.
Address: 1902 Reid Farm Road, Rockford, located inside of Aldeen Golf Club
Open: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Phone: 815-987-1662
Ali Baba Mediterranean Cuisine
Offers a veggie combo platter, which includes a mashed eggplant, hummus and vegetables.
Address: 139 Sundae Drive, Rockford
Open: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week
Phone: 815-484-9200
Franchesco's Restorante
Offers salads, pasta and made to order meatless pizzas as well as a "veggie lover" pizza that includes mushrooms, onions, green and black olives, green peppers and tomatoes.
Address: 7128 Spring Creek Road, Rockford
Open: 3 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 3 to 9 p.m. Friday, 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday
Phone: 815-229-0800
Fresco at the Gardens
Meatless salads are available and made to order.
Address: 318 Spring Creek Road, Rockford
Open: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Phone: 815-316-2256
GreenFire Restaurant Bar & Bakery
Italian and wood-fired pizza restaurant that offers vegan cheese pizzas among other vegetarian options sprinkled throughout the menu.
Address: 6795 East Riverside Blvd., Rockford
Open: 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday
Phone: 815-316-3473
Pho Square Vietnamese Restaurant Boba Tea
The restaurant's menu includes low-carb, gluten free options for all dishes as carbs will be replaced with vegetables.
Address: 6338 E. Riverside Blvd., Loves Park
Open: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday
Phone: 815-654-7463
Pig Minds Brewing
Perhaps the Rockford area's premiere bar and restaurant for vegan and vegetarians as it offers a wide variety of plant-based foods and alcohol beverages.
Address: 4080 Steele Drive, Machesney Park
Open: 3 to 9 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 3 to 10 p.m. Thursday, noon to 10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday
Phone: 779-423-2147
Prairie Street Brewing Co.
Vegan options include a Philly cheese steak flatbread (gluten-free), tofu poke bowl (gluten-free), super salad (gluten-free), Impossible burger, hummus appetizer and more.
Address: 200 Prairie St., Rockford
Open: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Phone: 815-277-9427
Rock-Pho'd
Rock-Pho'd offers a variety of vegan and vegetarian dishes made from fresh vegetables like baby corn, broccoli, carrots, onions, green and red peppers that can be served stir-fried with or without rice.
Address: 6551 E. Riverside Blvd., Loves Park
Open: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday
Phone: 779-774-4146
Sahara Palace Restaurant
Cafe serving Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine with vegan options, such as baba ganouj, falafel, foul (fava bean spread), and hummus.
Address: 5890 E. State St., Rockford
Open: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday
Phone: 815-227-0270
Taqueria El Molcajete
Offers meatless burritos, tostadas, salads and other vegetarian and vegan options.
Address: 409 S. State St., Belvidere
Open: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday
Phone: 815-544-8974
Did we miss any restaurants? Email us at news@rrstar.com and we can add it to our list.
Chris Green: 815-987-1241; cgreen@rrstar.com; @chrisfgreen
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Rockford restaurants: Vegan, vegetarian shops to try in Rockford area
