Five Great Places to Eat Vegan in Missoula

With the opening of Missoula’s first all vegan establishment, it’s easy to see how much the vegan community is growing in this city. More and more restaurants are offering delicious plant-based fare, making it easier for anyone to find cruelty-free food without sacrificing pleasure or convenience. Are you looking for vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants in Missoula? Here are our top picks.

Veera Donuts

Located in the Hip Strip of Missoula, Veera Donuts is the city’s first — and currently only — all-vegan establishment. It also happens to be the best place in town to satisfy any sweet tooth (yes, even omnis). Veera offers indulgence without the guilt and everything is made with organic, whole ingredients and free from preservatives or artificial ingredients. They have countless selections available each day as well as a coffee bar serving Black Coffee Roasting Co. with a choice of soy, coconut, or almond creamer. Veera’s offers some seriously dreamy donuts like the OG Vanilla with vanilla and sprinkles; the tried-and-true glazed donut, the Old Fashioned; the Maple Twist with Biscoff crumbs; Purple Haze topped with a seasonal fruit glaze and fresh berries; and the Motherload, a donut covered in chocolate ganache and cookie dough and stuffed with cookie butter. Want to trick your omni friend? Order the War Pig which has bacon flavored coconut flakes sprinkled on top. We love this spot not only for their vegan donuts, but also for their gourmet pop tarts and breakfast sandwiches that come complete with a hash brown patty and stuffed with Beyond sausage, cheese and tofu on an English muffin. You can buy their treats individually, by the half-dozen, by the dozen, or call in for a larger order. 617 S Higgins Ave.

Rumour Restaurant & Tap House

Perfect for an elegant date night or a casual brunch, Rumour is a vegan-friendly restaurant in Missoula that certainly impresses. The most popular dishes at Rumour are eats like the falafel and pad thai — just ask for them to hold the tahini and peanut sauce, respectively. Vegan-friendly eats for lunch or dinner at Rumour are countless and the kitchen staff is happy to accommodate. For small plates, order the Vietnamese Fries which come with sweet chili sauce, hoisin, carrots, bean sprouts, an oil-based green curry aioli, and peanuts, all covered in an Asian herb blend. Or, try the mushrooms, served with chile de arbol and warm foccacia (request them sauteed in oil versus butter). If you are craving a fresh, crisp salad try the house salad with local greens, seasonal fruit, candied pistachios, and white balsamic (hold the cheese), or the farm salad with dried apricots, strawberries, pickled red onion, and tamari pepitas (hold the cheese, swap the dressing for balsamic). Here for brunch? Start off your weekend on the patio with their veggie browns with seasonal veggies and home fries — nix the cheese and egg and replace it with extra veggies. There’s also the vegetarian tofu chilaquiles minus the cheese, sour cream and poached egg. If you’re in need of caffeine, you’re covered; you can have almond milk with your coffee or cereal. There is even a kids menu with marinara pasta and veggies (hold the parmesan). Don’t forget to take advantage of the tap house (thanks to their Digital Pour app, you can see everything they’ve got!) —  complete with kombucha on tap! The menu at Rumour changes seasonally and they have specials every Friday through Sunday, so be sure to check them out. 1855 Stephens Ave.

Green Source

Missoula’s Green Source is incredibly vegan-friendly. Perfectly located in the Hip Strip, this restaurant offers a colorful array of juices and smoothies that need no alteration. If you decide on a smoothie bowl, just ask for the nuts and seed mix instead of the granola to avoid honey. Need something more filling? Try an energy bowl, with options that include fresh vegetables, legumes, and grains like quinoa and rice, just avoid the bone broth and substitute the salmon, sausage, or cheese for tempeh. Aside from the sesame miso, all the other dressings offered are vegan. Indulge in the Chocolate Avocado Mousse or try their newest menu additions — gluten-free and plant-based waffles that are sweet or savory depending on what you’re in the mood for. 617 S Higgins Ave.

Tia’s Big Sky

If you’re in the mood for wholesome vegan Mexican food in Missoula, look no further than Tia’s Big Sky. Here, they create a lot of their recipes with locally-grown produce which is often organic. The best way to start off your dining experience at Tia’s Big Sky is with homemade chips and salsa fresca or pineapple salsa. It doesn’t need to be autumn to try their pumpkin tamale, just make sure to ask for everything without cheese and cream sauce. Other vegan options include the smoked pepper taco with potato and black beans, black beans in tomatillo sauce, and the veggie bowl which comes loaded with black beans, a mix of veggies and spices, salsa fresca, lime-cumin slaw, pickled onions, tomatillo sauce, cilantro, and a tortilla. Surprisingly, the cumin lime slaw is dairy-free, but do avoid the refried beans. The perfect thing to wash all this down? A refreshing Agua Fresca or Horchata (yes, they’ve got that!). 1016 W Broadway St.

Masala

Located in Downtown Missoula, Masala is a great healthy option when you’re pressed for time. The dining experience here starts before you even walk inside thanks to the gorgeous aromas that greet you at the door. The vegan-friendly Indian restaurant makes it easy to eat vegan — they label everything. You can choose from curries such as lentil daal, chana masala (simmered chickpeas) or korma (simmered veggies with creamy coconut milk), all of which come on top of a bed of rice or kale. To add even more intense flavor, you get your pick of chutney from their chutney bar. Don’t forget about the falafels, and for a real treat, try the aloo chops, a delicious potato and veggie ball doused in chickpea batter and fried. Save room for dessert, the almond fig laddoo is what vegan Indian dessert dreams are made of. 206 W Main St.