While strictly vegetarian, what ultimately defines the menu at — and ensures the popularity of — Edible Beats’ fast-casual haunt in Berkeley is its free-ranging creativity. Think blue corn and purple sweet potato pancakes with pepitas, popcorn, and burnt maple whip; bánh mì-inspired tacos with lemongrass tofu and edamame pâté; and beet brownies with cashew frosting.

This Denver Central Market greengrocer whips up salads, soups, smoothies, and bowls that are anything but, well, garden-variety. Options range from the Loosey Goosey salad with arugula, lentils, pickled enokis, candied pecans, gooseberries, and goat cheese mousse to the K-Leo bowl featuring quinoa kale, almonds, broccoli, and more in apple-balsamic vinaigrette; vibrant as is, they can all be customized with a surprising array of add-ins. 

This fast-casual cafe in Central Park (along with its downtown Denver satellite) specializes in açai and pitaya bowls filled with sustainably sourced, nutritious ingredients such as gogi berries, pumpkin seeds, and bee-pollen granules. Smoothies, toasts, and grain bowls round out the menu.

In addition to its thriving Boulder flagship, this cold-pressed juice and coffee bar now has a bright and shiny new sibling on Platte Street, whose menu covers all the basic food groups for today’s on-the-go lifestylists. That means not only a selection of 13 juice blends and a full slate of espresso drinks but also five nut-milk concoctions; six different booster shots; and myriad lattes, broths, smoothies, and cups of cacao laced with adaptogenic herbs and superfoods. Of course, there are toasts and other light bites such as oatmeal and soups to boot. 

Paleo- and Keto-friendly, vegetarian/vegan, Whole 30–approved, and all, this LoHi café ably accommodates a wide range of diets. Supplemented by a few seasonal dishes, its staple items include agave-sweetened grainless granola; gluten-, dairy-, egg-, and nut-free chicken and dumplings; and veggie curry over cauliflower rice.  

With a native Swede who also operates a New York roastery for a partner, this LoDo coffee shop exudes clean Scandinavian chic right down to the wholesome, eats. Regulars might kick off their mornings with organic, gluten-free potato-lingonberry pancakes or a vegan almond-vanilla granola bar, then return in the afternoon for smoked-trout salad with beets, potatoes, and fennel or a veggie sandwich layered with sweet potatoes, mozzarella, kale, avocado, pumpkin-seed pesto, aquafaba mayo.

With two downtown locations, Troy Guard’s bowl concept puts the fast in fast-casual, churning out orders in three minutes or less. Emphasizing ingredients and influences from the Pacific Rim and Latin America, the signature combos and build-your-own options alike combine a base of rice, rice noodles, or salad with a choice of proteins, vegetables, dressings, and garnishes galore — everything from sushi-grade tuna and organic tofu to jicama slaw, hearts of palm, and crispy wonton strips.

With a native Swede who also operates a New York roastery for a partner, this LoDo coffee shop exudes clean Scandinavian chic right down to the wholesome, eats. Regulars might kick off their mornings with organic, gluten-free potato-lingonberry pancakes or a vegan almond-vanilla granola bar, then return in the afternoon for smoked-trout salad with beets, potatoes, and fennel or a veggie sandwich layered with sweet potatoes, mozzarella, kale, avocado, pumpkin-seed pesto, and aquafaba mayo.

A late-night favorite in normal times, Watercourse Foods’ funky Cap Hill sibling is still going strong under the current restrictions on business hours and capacity. Chalk its loyal following up to such plant-based pleasures as kimchi stew with tempura tofu; tempeh bacon–veggie hash; and an excellent sunflower seed–walnut burger — not to mention smart seasonal cocktails like the orange-cinnamon margarita.

Serving everything from fresh juices and smoothies to vegetarian-friendly sandwiches, salads, and soups, this Golden Triangle charmer is a longtime magnet for locals on lunch break. An emphasis is placed on sustainable and organic sourcing as well as other green measures such as on-site composting, rooftop gardening, and recycling.

The menu at this Cap Hill takeout counter veers wildly from sushi “burritos” to Spam musubi to birria ramen, but at its heart are elaborate poke bowls — some 16 in all. The signature Red & Orange is a colorful case in point, containing both salmon and tuna along with corn, cucumber, scallion, daikon, seaweed salad, and sesame seeds.

Organic and sustainable sourcing, combined with a gourmet approach to casual fare, have long set this Wash Park fixture apart from the lunchtime pack. Sichuan peppercorns and peanuts give vegan lentil bisque a kicky twist, while a seasonal tartine might feature butternut and delicata squash, beet spread, avocado, and arugula-kale salad in tahini dressing — and the signature tortilla española is reimagined as a sandwich, served on French bread.

Denver’s most stylish plant-based eatery has shifted its business model a few times during the pandemic, so right now its Instagram feed and online ordering platform are the best sources for daily updates on its offerings. But whether it’s a recipe kit for wild rice pilaf with mushrooms or a five-course Sunday supper featuring dishes such as delicata squash with maple ricotta, fried sage, and pine nuts, the fare is consistently elegant as well as healthful and eco-friendly.