A bacon cheeseburger is sure to repel vegans and vegetarians, right? Not so at Native Foods, a stone’s throw from the DU campus, at 2023 South Colorado Blvd., on the corner of Colorado Boulevard and Evans Avenue, it is accessible by light rail, walking, biking and by car. As diners meander through the menu and its offerings, like chili, “fish” tacos, a reuben and “ham”burgers, they will soon discover the draw of Native Foods, with one location in Boulder and two in Denver: It delivers a 100 percent plant-based, vegan menu.
The menu might throw a monkey wrench into meateaters’ meal choices, but never fear: Native Food’s fare appeals to a wide variety of tastes. Since these vegans avoid meat, their mastery over meat substitutes is impressive. While some establishments botch proteins like tofu by over- or under-cooking it, Native Foods delivers. Try the Oklahoma bacon cheeseburger for a hearty sampling that will impress any palate. This burger comes on a whole wheat bun loaded with fresh carrots and cornmeal-crusted pickles, lending a light and fresh note to this relatively heavy dish.
Another dish to nosh on is the Kung Pao Earth Bowl, which features tofu over a liberal bed of rice, greens, sweet potatoes, carrots and refreshingly different daikon, a relative of the radish. This bowl could easily serve two, so save it for leftovers.
As a side, try the sweet potato fries; the generous serving comes lightly dressed in zesty spices. Native Foods also features a daily soup—ours was a vegan split pea soup with croutons.
The only odd thing about the menu is the vegan cheese; it just doesn’t compare in taste or texture to nature’s perfect food—cheese. Even for a vegetarian, the cheese substitute, which Native Foods makes by combining sunflower seeds and cashews, just doesn’t compare.
Wash a meal down with a selection of beer, vegan wine (yes, apparently this is distinct from normal wine) and refreshing lavender lemonade.
The space avails itself to natural lighting through large windows on three sides of the building. Additional lighting is provided by wicker light fixtures. Signs on tables inform patrons about animal intelligence and make a case for veganism and fair treatment of animals.
Despite Native Foods being a national chain with establishments in several states, the walls are adorned with cutesy paintings and drawings that make the restaurant uniquely Denver. From a happy lemon driving an RTD train to a watermelon and his date boating in Wash Park, the paintings evoke a whimsical, earthy, almost Seussian worldview that draws in locals.
The restaurant has a more low-key, fast-food vibe than its more upscale cousins Watercourse Foods and City O’ City, both favorites of this Grinder. While City O’ City and Watercourse are ideal locations for a date or more formal meal, Native Foods offers similar fare, served faster and for less money. Instead of tattooed waiters looking down their studded noses at patrons, Native Foods operates more like Noodles & Co., where customers place their order at a counter then sit down and are served.
Like any other locale where vegans are likely to congregate, Native Foods does not disappoint when it comes to people-watching. Folks who dine here are as diverse as the creative meat substitutes they come to enjoy; from hipsters in flannel and boat shorts to bonafide hippies who have the memory loss and tie-dye to prove they were at Woodstock, the customers here come to enjoy the calm, clean vibe and the meat-free vittles.
Visit Native Foods for a sampling of what the other side eats. Carnivores may be skeptical, and rightly so, but this restaurant has carved out a niche and excels in it.
