To celebrate Earth Day on April 22nd, why not try some of the tasty and climate-friendly eats available on campus? You might be surprised at the variety of vegan and plant-based options on offer that are both satisfying and delicious: from hearty grain and veggie bowls to plant-based "meat" burgers, we've rounded up a few of our faves that are sure to please even the the most devout carnivores.
Vegan Pizza
The fiery-hot stone oven at Mercante cooks up some of the best pizzas on campus, including a rotating vegan feature that changes every month. Stop in and try the Smoked Salmon - a vegan twist on a salmon lox and cream cheese bagel made with plant-based salmon from Save Da Sea!
Veggie Poké
Feast on the complex flavours of Pacific Poké's Veggie Bowl: marinated tofu and oyster mushrooms, ginger soaked jicama and red beets with basil, avocado nori - all served on your choice of rice or salad and topped off with a sesame miso dressing! Very filling, so bring your appetite. Available at Pacific Poké Life and Computer Science.
TMRW Mushroom Crunch Burger
The dining hall at Gather is home to many tasty plant-based options, but one of our faves is the TMRW Mushroom Crunch Burger. Featuring the innovative plant protein burger from TMRW Foods, along with pickled cucumber, jalapeño cilantro slaw, and potato chip-battered oyster mushrooms, trust us when we say you will not miss the beef.
The Southwest Bowl
An OG vegan favourite since Open Kitchen opened its doors in 2016, the Southwest Bowl is a satisfying blend of grains, veggies and spice topped off with half an avocado. Served daily at the dining hall's Vegetarian Kitchen station - open until 9pm, 7 days a week at Orchard Commons.
Build Your Own Wraps
Porch in The Nest offers a range of house-made vegan specialties like mock Chicken Manchurian and BBQ Pulled Pork. Use them as bases to build your own bowl or wrap - plant-based comfort food at its best! Open 10:30am-3:30pm, M-F.
Veggie Sushi
Great sushi abounds on campus, with outlets like Bento, Honour Roll and Pacific Poké all offering a selection of inventive vegetarian options. Top picks included the Veggie California Roll from Bento or Honour Roll's Spicy Crunch Roll. More info on locations and hours at food.ubc.ca.
