Teatro Paloma

2010-01-03T14:20:00.000-08:00

Tucson Vegan Restaurants

Fast Food/Chain

Chipotle 905 East University Boulevard, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 628-7967‎
- Vegetarian Burrito or Bol
- There are many other locations in town. This one is sort of central.

Taco Shop Co. Open 24 Hours 1350 East Broadway Boulevard, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 622-1899‎
- Bean tostada no cheese, veggie burrito no cheese no sour cream, bean burrito no cheese

Eegees 1400 North Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 622-2000‎
- Veggie grinder no cheese, French fries, Eegees frozen fruit drinks
- There are over 25 locations in Tucson

Papa Johns Pizza 2545 East Speedway Boulevard, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 325-7272‎
-W/ out cheese
-special garlic sauce is vegan

Mama’s Famous Pizza and Heroes 4500 East Speedway Boulevard, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 319-8856‎
- There is no sugar in the sauce or the crust
- Order with no cheese

Rubios Fresh Mexican Grill 2906 North Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 319-9881‎
- They will work with you
- They have quite a few locations in Tucson

La Salsa Frech Mexican Grill 3007 East Speedway Boulevard, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 326-4040‎
- veggie tacos and burritos
- they do not use lard
- Many locations

Casual/Sit-down

Lovin’ Spoonfuls Ste 120, 2990 North Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 325-7766
‎ -Everything on the menu is vegan!
-Comfort foods like bacon cheeseburgers and chili dogs for lunch and chicken fried steak and ravioli for dinner. Yum!

Govinda’s Natural Foods Buffet 711 East Blacklidge Drive, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 792-0630‎
– blessed Hare Krishna (mostly vegan)
– Animal Sanctuary and gift shop
– Lots of organic food

Ali Baba 2545 East Speedway Boulevard, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 319-2559
‎- Middle Eastern vegetarian options like pita sandwiches and salads

Bangkok Café 2511 East Speedway Boulevard, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 323-6555‎
- any dish can be made vegan
- Thai Food

Cup Café @ Hotel Congress 311 East Congress Street, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 829-3746
– Hummus Plate no feta, Queer Steer
– Hotel Congress has a club, a lobby bar, and Tap Room Bar in addition to the bar in the Cup Cafe

Bentleys House of Coffee & Tea 1730 East Speedway Boulevard, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 795-0338‎
- Breakfast until 2
- Ultimate Vegan Sandwich, vegan tamales, vegan pastries, tofu scrambles,
- Daily specials sometimes include vegan soups/salads/pastas

New Delhi Palace Cuisine of India 6751 East Broadway Boulevard, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 296-8585‎
- lots of vegan options!

La Indita Mexican and Tarascan Food 622 North 4th Avenue, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 792-0523‎
- Anything can be made to order and the staff is very vegan friendly (but very greasy)

The Surly Wench Pub 424 North 4th Avenue, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 882-0009‎
- This is a bar
- They have potato tacos, garden burgers, and other late night snacks
- Great drink specials on Wednesday nights

Maya Quetzal Guatemalan Food 429 North 4th Avenue, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 622-8207
‎- Some dishes are vegan and some can be made to order.

Zivaz Mexican Bistro 4590 East Broadway Boulevard, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 325-1234
-Great Eggplant Milanesa

Mongolian BBQ 4540 East Broadway Boulevard, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 881-4798‎
- The only thing I do not like about this place is that they use the same grill for meat and vegetarian bowls

On A Roll Sushi 63 East Congress Street, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 622-7655‎
- Fun for late night and happy hour
- Veggie Roll & Edamame Beans

The Grill 100 East Congress Street, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 623-7621
‎-Portobello Burger & Tots w/ a side of marinara

Café Poca Cosa 110 East Pennington Street, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 622-6400‎
- Be sure to call ahead for reservations and request a vegan dish
- This is gourmet Sonoran food and it is the best

Pei Wei Asian Diner 845 East University Boulevard, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 884-7413‎
-They have a tofu option
-There are a few other locations

Sweet Tomatoes 6202 East Broadway Boulevard, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 747-3864‎
- This one is somewhat self explanatory. You can build your own salad
- Sweet Tomatoes is popular with my kids

The Blue Willow 2616 North Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 327-7577‎
- Tofu Scrambles and stuff
- Most vegetarians love this place
- Indoor/Outdoor seating and gift shop

Garland Bistro 119 East Speedway Boulevard, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 882-3999‎
- Nice little restaurant
- Some decent vegan options

Seri Melaka 6133 East Broadway Boulevard, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 747-7811‎
-Try the Lemak tofu or just Lemak Vegetable

Zemam’s 2731 East Broadway Boulevard, Tucson, AZ‎ - (520) 323-9928‎
- Ethiopian Food

In general most Asian cuisine will have options for vegetarians and vegans. Watch out for Mexican food establishments in Tucson. Many of them use lard in everything! On the other hand, lots of Mexican places here make a Topopo, which is a huge salad with lettuce, avocados, tomatoes, and jalapenos. It’s built on top of a bean tostada. Just ask for it with no cheese.

Late Night Vegetarian

2009-10-26T14:43:00.000-07:00

Recently my friend, Katrina, was asking about late night munchies for vegetarians. It's hard to find a good restaurant late at night even for meat eaters. I have some experience with this problem in Tucson. It usually leads to french fries and veggie grinders at Eegees. So here is a list I have thrown together. Sorry, I am no good with the eastside anymore, but that's another blog.

Eegees I just mentioned has a few veggie options. If you aren't vegan, ranch fries are awesome (veggie bacon bits). I love the veggie grinder on whole wheat, hold the cheese. And they have the best fries in the world.

The Cup Cafe at Hotel Congress has a hummus platter that is delicious. Another option is "The Queer Steer" their house veggie burger.

The Grill on Congress and Scott has a portobello burger. It's delicious. I get it w/ out cheese and no butter. It's not a vegan friendly place so just say you can't have dairy. Unless your waitress is Carly. She used to date a straight edge guy so she knows all about vegan. Just for a snack I recommend tots with marinara. Open 24 hours!

The Taco Shop is open 24 hours. It's between Campbell and Euclid on Broadway. Veggie burrito no cheese or sour cream. The bean tostada is what my kids usually like.

Thursday-Saturday On A Roll is open late. They have veggie rolls, edamame, and spring rolls on the happy hour menu. Watch out, the miso soup has fish oil.

The Surly Wench Pub has a few decent veg options and they are open pretty late. They have veggie burgers and for the not-so-vegan deep fried zucchini, mushrooms, and mozzarella sticks. I think they have nachos too, if you like cheese.

This is not an exhaustive list, of course, I welcome other suggestions. For example I have heard that Taco Bell has stuff you can get w/out meat and some other fast food places have options. So please comment if you know. Thanks!

Reading The Onion & Eating an Onion

2008-10-28T12:53:00.000-07:00

So I had to take drastic action because I was approaching obesity. I became vegan and I have lost 20 lbs. But that's the boring part. I am still out on the town! And guess what? They opened a Sushi Bar downtown in the OP! That's right. On Congress. On a Roll-sushi.bar.restaurant. Midnight to close is Happy Hour and specials are killer. So get there. Can you imagine a place downtown that's open after 5 pm?

Cabaret Boheme is having their next show on November 8th! It's going to be a really fun show. This time not so many boys. More female performers. More of the old CB we all know and love.

I am probably going to start updating readers on what is going on with my festival Le Petit Carnaval. So have a great night life. Go to the theatre, the festivals, the bars, the restaurants, the clubs, and the local shops, museums, and galleries.

An older, less sophisticated crowd

2008-06-28T22:16:00.000-07:00

Let's say you want to have fun and you're not out to see and be seen. Meet me at the Boondocks! It's on 1st and Ft Lowell. It's the place with the giant wine bottle out front.From the bouncer checking IDs to the guy taking the cover charge to the bar tenders, everyone is friendly and unpretentious. The dance floor is hopping with people ranging in age from early 20s to late 60s. Really dancing! Swing dancing last weekend!

I also had the pleasure of taking in Ottmar Liebert at the Fox Theatre. Pretty good, mellow show. I love the bar tenders at the Fox. Go there often and tip well.

I will soon be busy in rehearsals for my own show. That will be a good time for you to catch up on my blogs, comment them, perhaps write a guest opinion, and of course remember to click on the ads from our generous sponsors.

Bumsted's

2008-06-17T00:41:00.000-07:00

Are you so hungry you could eat a lot of food? We weren't, but we ended up at Bumsted's on North 4th ave anyway. It's a large bar and grill. You can take your kids and eat until you burst. I had the first Bloody Mary I have ever liked in my life there. I don't know what they do to it. Probably voodoo magic. But it was Eric's fathers day special so he got a bloody mary and a huge sandwich called "the mega-bite" for $8. All sandwiches come with chips or you can upgrade to fruit or real french fries for a buck and some change. I had a burger called "the mullatino" which had peppered bacon, avocado, jalapeños, and some hot, buffalo type sauce. It comes on a kaiser roll and it's spicy and delicious.

Is the word "mullatino" an ethnic slur? I don't know.

Eric had some trouble deciding which was the appropriate bathroom to use. One door was blue, the other pink. He isn't color blind, he was just politicizing the issue. THE BOYS ROOM IS THE ONE WITH THE BLUE DOOR.

The service was great and Sunday afternoons on 4th ave are a good time to avoid the college fuckos. You know who you are.

Sunday on Congress Street

2008-06-11T10:00:00.000-07:00

The Grill: just because they raised their prices, doesn't mean they raised their standards. So continue to patronize this establishment for the tots, the cute waitresses, and above all the atmosphere.

Tooley's: A place that's open late! And on Sundays! Right downtown! It's a cafe with comfy furniture and local artists art work.

Central Art Gallery: I wouldn't buy anything there, but I liked 2 or 3 of the pieces. It's on Congress right next to Tooleys. Go check it out.

Bohemia: Do not let the outside windows fool you. Bohemia is not just an artsy/craftsy place. They have paintings and fashions and furniture. Good stuff. Edgy stuff. And some crap. But I found out my friend Ashley Spatula will be selling her goods there and by goods I mean jewelry and other artistic merchandise. Right now the artists of Flam Chen are exhibiting their paintings etc. There were definitely a few things I coveted.

The Cup Cafe

2008-06-07T10:03:00.000-07:00

The Cup Cafe is the restaurant inside of the Hotel Congress. It's an upscale place with lots of ambiance and a middle aged gent who sits at a table alone smiling to himself. I imagine he is dreaming up a killing spree. Why else would he be so smiley?

I had the "locals only" from the "little affair" menu. It's a burger with green chile and cheddar and a lime crema sauce. I think it was $8.

They have a specialty cocktail and wine menu. $$$$$ It's pricey!

Our waiter was awesome.

The District Tavern

2008-06-01T21:44:00.000-07:00

So I did not make it to Molehill Orchestra, but we did go to the District Tavern on 260 East Congress Street. The District Tavern is very nice. They have hardwood floors and lots of seating and 3 or 4 pool tables. The decor is interesting: old burlesque and art deco posters ,and the bar counter top is a collage of ads from 1960-70's magazines. Interesting and diverse clientèle make this a fun place to gather. We were only stopping in, but here are my grades:

The bar tender A+
The Manhattans A
Jukebox Music B

Guest Opinion

2008-05-31T19:32:00.000-07:00

Believe me when I say, The Humble Boy review will be provided by a very competent writer. I couldn't make it to the show because of auditions and a photo shoot I was helping Eric with, but I sent someone even better to the show. She is attempting to score an interview with the director Howard Allen after the show. Stay tuned...

Upcoming Reviews: The Summer, The Nightlife

2008-05-30T10:14:00.001-07:00

The idea for this blog is to motivate myself and others to get out there and support the arts. Writing a review is less about criticism and more about regard. If I didn't care about the artists or the art, I would not be giving honest opinions or critiques at all. So I go to the shows, restaurants, concerts, etc. and afterward I take a few quiet moments to share my impressions with others. My hope is that you will enjoy the insights and the occasional photos and interviews. I will try to keep these entries short. Nobody likes wordiness. Below is a tentative list of planned outings. Everyone should get out and do things. It's a beautiful city full of art and culture.

Tonight, May 30th, I will see the play Humble Boy directed by Howard Allen and featuring Roxanne Harley at Beowulf Alley Theatre. Afterward I might visit a new bar or club. Then I will tell you if any of it was any good.

Saturday, May 31st, I plan on going to Plush to listen to Molehill Orchestra live!

The Deludes and Radio Moscow will be at Plush on June 21st.

I want to check out the Boondocks Lounge and Neon Prophet sometime in June.

Cirque du Sin: 7

2008-05-27T11:31:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday night at Club Congress, Eric and I went to see the new performance troupe, Cirque du Sin. It seemed promising because there would be fire poi, burlesque, gender stuff, flesh hooking, and tribal belly dance. I feel like my only qualifications to write these reviews are that I am a girl wanting to have fun and support the arts in Tucson. So I will tell what I liked and what I didn't and just keep in mind it is my opinion.

1. The Fire
The fire spinning was outside of Hotel Congress in a fenced in area. That part of the show was free and obviously there is something mesmerizing about fire. However, I have seen a lot of fire spinning on the street and well, it only stays entertaining for a few short minutes if there isn't a story, complex choreography, dazzling costumes, etc.

2. Inside the Club
I got to have my photo taken with a girl wearing the LiLu 5th element type of costume and wig. It was difficult for Eric and I to carry on a conversation if she was anywhere in the room. I think she was supposed to be providing ambiance?
Pre-show, which was like an hour, consisted of a girl behind a scrim drinking a cosmopolitan and posing this way and that. The red scrim idea=brilliant. But the show was to have started at 8 and I don't think it officially began until after 9. Which I don't like because I get bored easily.

3. Seating
Another thing I hate about shows like this at a club is having to stand through out the whole show. I like to watch the whole show. I like shows, but damn it if my feet don't start to hurt halfway through! There were a few tables with VIP seating which was only available through online ticket purchase.

4. The Gender Stuff
Madame D, who I believe is aka Drea, did a number in androgynous man costume. It was really cool, but the music was a little slow. I am not crazy about lip syncing, but it seems common in these drag shows.
The Drag Queen of the show had some crazy costumes! I won't say anything else because I don't really care for drag queens which automatically makes my opinion of them irrelevant.

5. Tips and Transitions
People throwing money on the stage is nice, but tacky, but hey it's money. Standing around while stage hands pick up bills one by one. Not entertaining. Push broom. Push broom.
There were also several long pauses between numbers where nothing was happening or someone was trying to talk off the cuff and things got a bit awkward, but nowhere near as bad as some other shows I've seen.

6. Flesh Hooking and Tribal Belly Dance
This was actually ok. They had sort of a story behind it and it wasn't way too grotesque.
I am unfit to say anything about tribal belly dance because it's fun and sexy, but the town is over saturated with it, in my opinion.

7. The Burlesque Strip Tease
Desire D'amor is one of the most beautiful women in the world and she is very talented. Her strip teases were spot on. Cute and sexy and very fun.

Overall I would say this was a fun evening and if I had a seat, I would definitely want to see a longer show. I would go see them again.