How to Order Vegan Food in a Steakhouse

A steak house is probably the last place a vegan wants to go for dinner but there will be times when a steakhouse is the number one choice among non-vegan family and friends. Thankfully you need not decline the invitation. Here’s how to order vegan food in a steakhouse.

Instructions

Inquire

1. Ask your server if the restaurant has any vegetarian dishes he could recommend. Few people know what make a dish “vegan,” even in the restaurant industry, but most understand “vegetarian.” Once you know what the vegetarian options are you can determine if there’s a way to make it vegan. For instance, many steakhouses have pasta dishes. Perhaps all it would take to make it vegan is to eliminate the cheese on top. The key is to make sure that there’s no cheese or cream cooked inside the sauce.

2. Start with the obvious – a salad, no cheese and no bacon bits. Oil and vinegar dressing is your safest bet, although some Italian dressings do not have cheese in them. Simply ask first.

3. Order soup only if it does not have a beef base. Unfortunately, most vegetable soups and French onions soups do, especially in a steakhouse. Again, ask your server about it. If it’s safe, be sure to say no cheese – just in case.

4. Get steamed veggies, no butter, for your entrée. Potatoes are almost always safe too – French fried or baked. The only thing to watch out for are battered fries, as the batter usually has egg in it. As for the baked potato, try chives and olives on top. It may seem a little dry without your vegan margarine, so you could top it with the steamed veggies.

5. Throw in some black beans or pinto beans with your entrée, if they have them. Just make sure they’re not made with a beef base.

6. Treat yourself to a nice big fruit plate for dessert.

Tips & Warnings

• Never be embarrassed to ask your server the necessary questions, regardless of her response or that of your dinner companions. Non-vegans love to joke about the way we eat and tease us for it. Laugh it off and move on.

• If your server doesn’t know the answers to your questions, politely ask her to check with the kitchen. If the kitchen doesn’t know, ask for a manager. It may seem embarrassing, but it’s not only an opportunity for you to get the best possible meal, but also for you to educate the restaurant staff in the process. The key is to be patient and polite about it.

• Since it can take some time and effort to figure out what you can eat, ask as many questions as you can when your server takes your drink orders. That way if she has to check with the kitchen or a manager, she can do so before coming back around to take orders for food.

• Many veggie burgers are made with egg or cheese. Ask your server before ordering.

• Beware of the bread – it could have eggs in it. Again, ask your server.

• Look for the steakhouse’s website on-line before you go to the restaurant. If the menu is online, you can get some idea of what to expect as vegan options go. You may even want to call ahead with your questions – a great opportunity to ask for a manager, if necessary.