I have written emails to many restaurants and wineries because I want to know which places accommodate to vegans. It has been difficult at times to go out and enjoy dinner with family and friends because most places do not have vegan menu items.
This is not the full list and I plan to make a master list once I have all the information put together.
So far these are what responses I have received.
California Pizza Kitchen let me know that all I have to do is ask for the manager and let me know my situation and they will accommodate me.
Dierdorf and Hart's said that they do offer a vegan salad option as well as sauteed, grilled, or steamed marinated vegetables for an entree option as well as non-vegan but vegetarian entrees.
Wild Horse Grill let me know that they can accommodate the vegan diet in the sense they they do cook everything from scratch. They also let me know that they can omit all animal products however it would be limited. They said that they are always open to suggestions.
Incredible Pizza Co. told me that their buffet consists of pizzas, pastas, dessert items and a huge salad bar. They would be happy to make me a vegetarian pizza with no cheese and I can choose a number of items from their salad bar. If I have any further questions just call and talk to their food service director.
I have had responses from a few wineries, most have needed further understanding on what "vegan" meant. I want to know which wineries use fining agents in their wine making process. If they are fined then they probably use gelatin or intestines to process their wine, otherwise if they do not what are they using?
West Winery & West Orchards told me that there is no known animal derived products in their wine, they do not use gelatin or intestines and their wine is filtered with plate and cartridge filters. So that is great news.
Oovvda Winery let me know that they only use the actual fruit in their wines like grapes, raspberries or cherries. They use products like sugar, water, citric acid, yeast or potassium sorbate. They only use bentonite clay in their wine for fining. So I am pleased to say I can enjoy their wine.
I received an email back from Grey Bear Vineyards, they loved my question and thought that it was very interesting. They let me know that they do not use any leather to store their wine into. They do not use isinglass either. They do not use gelatin, bull blood, or any milk products for clarification. Though their wines are not organic because they do use pesticides to help keep away bacteria, fungus, molds and pathogens. I was told that it is close to impossible to make organic wine in Missouri. However their wine is vegan. So that is great news, though I am learning more of what vegan really means.
Westphalia Vineyards let me know after looking up vegan standards that in their red wines they do add egg whites for fining because it adds clarification. The egg whites are charged and fall to the bottom of the barrel, they drag down oppositely charged material that could cloud the wine. The egg whites do not remain in the wine. So it sounds like I can not drink their red wine but can enjoy their white wine.
Bommarito Estate Almond Tree Winery let me know that their fermentation of their wine does not include any items that are animal. They told me that some wineries use egg whites however their winery does not. They said that the fining processes used are sodium bentonite and then racking off the lees and gravity fining several times to get clarification. They do not use gelatin, casein or isinglass, and never have used them before.
Jowler Creek Vineyard & Winery told me that there are no animal derived products in their wine and that it is fully vegan. However I do not know how their wine is fined.
Rolling Meadows Vineyards told me that on rare occasions they use egg whites to clarify but have not done that in several seasons. Otherwise they do not use fining in their wine.
Cousins Subs told me that I could eat their veggie or hot veggie sub. However I would have to omit the sauce in their hot veggie sub because it also holds the meatballs for their meatball sub.
Chili's Grill & Bar gave me several ideas for what I could eat. Normally Chili's is not a vegan friendly place however they can try to modify a dish or I would be welcome to eat other items on their menu that are vegan friendly. Examples would be their tortillas, salad without all of their ingredients, salsa picante, rice, guacamole, kettle black beans, and a variety of veggies requested to be made without butter, oil or parmasan.
Red Robin let me know that their garden and boca burger and not vegan. Though the last time I was there their surver said the boca burger was and I ate one. I was told via email that I could enjoy their rice bowl minus fried linguini and chicken. And they can customize other dishes as well.
Brinker International Restaurants, which owns Chilis, Maggiano's Little Italy, On The Border and Romano's Macaroni Grill let me know that their company dietitian put together a list of suggested menu items suitable for vegetarian diets. Some of their ideas include tomato bruschetta without cheese or house salad without cheese. However if I do dine at their restaurant I will probably speak to the manager to see what items I can enjoy.
Grappa Grill let me know that they can accommodate my needs and to let them know when I am coming and they will be able to prepare a dish that I can enjoy. Some of the ideas that he gave me that I could enjoy are onion straws, spinach artichoke dip or salad. However I believe he was confused by what I meant when I said, 'vegan'.
Cooper's Oak Winery told me that they do not use any animal products in their wine making but to call them for further questions about their wine. So I don't know if I can enjoy their wine for sure or not because they did not let me know how it is fined. That is alright.
Culpeppers asked me to call their district manager because the person who received my email is unfamiliar with what a vegan diet consists of.
The Pasta House Co. let me know that they probably can not accommodate me. I wrote the catering email because in the future I may like to use them for an event. However it looks like they can not meet the needs of vegans, though they can for vegetarians. I should call their district office for more information.
Imo's Pizza asked me to call the location closest to me for information on their ingredients.
Fox and Hound let me know that they have no items that can accommodate a vegan diet. However if I would like I can call directly and discuss a few items that may be modified to meet the needs of a vegan diet.
Riverwood Winery let me know that they use no animal products in their wine making and to call if I had any further questions. I did not find how their wine is fined.
Hemman Winery let me know that they use chemicals but don't think they come from animal, they do not use animal products in their wine making. I was not told how their wine is fined.
St. James Winery told me that they do use some products that are derived from fish because it is a product vintage dependant. They do not use it in all of their wine making and some of their products contain nothing.
Syberg's Restaurant told that that they have several options available. All of their items can be made to order so I can ask for most anything and they will modify it to my liking. I actually ate some shark their years back and it wasn't bad. However I told think they can take the shark out of shark bites.
Sainte Genevieve Winery let me know that after a little research they believe that their wine is vegan. They use fresh grapes from their vineyard, real fruit and pure cane sugar. I believe most wineries do use these products for their sweet wines. They also let me know that they use bentonite, which is clay. So they are confident in saying that their wine is vegan. It is not organic though. Later this year they have a Concord 08 coming out which they will be fining with egg whites, so that will be the only wine that I can not drink.
Ruby Tuesday let me know that I can enjoy their Fresh Garden Bar, but it is used at the guests discretion. Their veggie burger is not vegan because it contains mayo and can not be omitted because it is in the veggie mix.
Ferrigno Winery let me know that they do not use gelatin or intestines for fining or anything else. And as far as they know they do not use any animal derived products in the production of their wine.
Subway gave me a generic answer and referred me to visit their website for nutritional information. And that all of their locations list the nutritional information. So I suppose I have to do my own work to find out if I can eat anything there or not. Probably all of their vegetables are safe for people on a vegan diet and possibly their white bread. Though that may be about it.
Papa John's Pizza decided not to write back an email and instead called another store location for my phone number so that they could personally reply back to me and answer all of my questions. The manager of a store close to me told me that as far as he knew the dough and sauce used is completely vegan. He then told me all of the ingredients that are used in both and yes they are vegan. He then told me that unfortunately they only carry cheese that is dairy at this time but I can order a pizza without cheese and put vegetables on it. He told me that he has actually had a cheese-less pizza before with vegetables on it and you can really taste all of the ingredients and it was great. I thanked him for contacting me and getting the information to me. So it sounds like yes, I can order a cheese-less pizza through Papa John's loaded with veggies.
Kobe Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi let me know that I can not eat their fried rice but can enjoy their white rice with some vegetables.
Crown Valley Winery replied with a simple, yes it is vegan. So I have no idea how their wine is fined so I may call to get further answers.
Serra's Pizzeria let me know that they can make a cheese-less pizza for me and referred me to their menu on their website. They said that they have many vegan and vegetarian customers who enjoy their offerings.
Uno Chicago Grill replied with a link to their website and that they can make a deep dish pizza without cheese, just let them know when I come to their restaurant what I need.
IHOP Restaurant let me know that their restaurant does not support a vegan diet. They have items that vegetarians can eat but nothing that is suitable for vegans. So unfortunately I can not dine their.
River Ridge Winery replied with a yes, their wine is vegan. They let me know that their wine is clarified through settling and are basically fermented grapes. They said that yeast is added to their wine and to try their new releases they have coming out.
Meramec Vineyards let me know that they do not use any animal derived products in their wine. They did not let me know how their wine is fined so I may call to ask a few further questions.
Domino's Pizza is referring my email to an appropriate department, that way they can answer all of my questions and give me better answers to what I can enjoy. I hope I get a positive reply from them.
Cracker Barrel replied to me and let me know that all of their fried products are fried in the same oil. So vegetarian and meat are fried in the same fryer. However I can still eat their salad, oatmeal or a baked potato. It kind of sickens me to be told now that all of the food fried is done in the same fry oil, because I have still gone to their restaurant a few times since I first became a vegetarian back January 2008. So even though I was eating vegetables, they were still coming into contact with meat fried foods. Gross. At least I know this information now.
LongHorn Steakhouse let me know that they respect the personal lifestyle choices I have made however none of their menu items fully meet those requirements. Which is alright with me. The sight of a bloody steak really makes me ill anyway. Haven't dined at a steakhouse in over a year and several months anyway.
Oberweis Dairy wrote me back and let me know that though I can not enjoy most of their ice cream products I can enjoy their coffee, smoothies and their sorbet. Being that they meet the criteria of vegan standards.
The Emperor's Palace replied and let me know that I can still enjoy some of what they offer. They have a vegetarian section on their menu as well as their buffet offers some variety for vegetarians.
Applebee's wrote back and let me know that the server or kitchen manager on duty can let me know what is available when I am dining at their restaurant. They also said that they can not claim to be vegan and their products may have trace amounts of animal products in them due to how they are prepared and cooked. That is why I have to ask when I go in, however I believe salad is a safe bet for me at this restaurant.
Summit Lake Winery replied and said that as far as anyone knows, their wine is vegan. So no information on how their wine is fined and if I want to enjoy their wine I will have to call to get more information.
Heinrichshaus Vineyards and Winery wrote back to me with a very entertaining reply. They told me that their wine is totally vegan and that the only animal derived products used in their wine making are the kind that help prune, pick and help bottle. Which are rewarded with a glass of their good product periodically. IE-people are the only animals used in their wine making. I may call them to ask further questions and see how their wine is fined.
Cici's Pizza Buffet let me know that they are happy to help anyone who has food allergies or has specific requests. I was given a list of items that they knew for sure were safe for me to enjoy. A few examples are their pizza dough, pizza sauce and french dressing. So it sounds like the next time I am out with friends or family and we go to Cici's I can request a vegan pizza to be made. Maybe I can get the whole pizza and cut it myself, that way no chance of contamination by pizza slicer.
Seven Springs Winery wrote me back with a follow up reply letting me know that their wines are aged in oak or stainless steal tanks and not fined with things like gelatin or intestines. So it does sound that their wine may be a safe bet for me to enjoy.
The Cheesecake Factory replied and let me know that they do not have a vegan or vegetarian section on their menu, however their dishes can be modified to accommodate. They listed several menu items for me so I could get an idea on what dishes I can still enjoy. However I may just stick with the salad if I visit with friends or family. I was told to ask the server or manager to help me with menu items when I next visited. That way I can enjoy their food and modify it to my liking.
I received an email from a chief for Ponderosa Steakhouse and Bonanza Restaurants. I was told that none of their menu items are available for vegans however their salad bar does. Which is good to know. Salad is usually a safe bet no matter where you are dining.
Panera Bread wrote me back and referred me to the nutritional information because it should list what I can and can not eat. I was told the reason why they do not list any of their products under a vegan category is because many people have different versions on what they consider to be a vegan diet. I can request to see a list when I am at their restaurant or by going to their website I should be able to read a list everything they provide.
Bob Evans replied with a generic 'we have received your email' message. I hope to hear back from them soon and look forward to their response.
T.G.I. Fridays wrote back and referred me to their website restaurant locater. I was told that I need to talk to the manager of the restaurant and they will be able to answer any questions that I may have. Suppose all locations are not the same. Though I don't believe I can eat much on their menu at this time anyway. I am sure some things can be modified and there is always salad.
Einstein Bagels replied with attached pages of nutritional information for me to view. Like Panera Bread, I suppose I have to do the research for myself. Which is fine. I will view what I can and can not consume in my own time.
Hermannhof Vineyards replied tonight and let me know that all of their white wines use no product in it. However a few of their red wines like their Norton, Chambourcin and Stagswood are sometimes treated with casein powder. This would also be the only product that they use. Which is good news because I have had their wine before and it is very tasty. This winery is located in Hermann, Missouri.
Another winery in Hermann, MO is a winery called Stone Hill Winery. Stone Hill was the first winery I wrote to find out if I could continue to enjoy drinking their wine. I received a fast reply from them and it was the most lengthy and detailed response I have received from any one yet.
I was told that Stone Hill does use some protein fining agents when the particular wine they are working on will benefit from it. Their most common they said is bentonite clay, which is used to clarify and stabilize their wine. Then went on to say that their protein fining agents are used to react with tannins or phenolic compounds in their wine, which I understand is used more in their red wines but also used in some of their white wines and juice.
I learned that in Stone Hill's history they have used on rare occasions isinglass or egg whites. However these things are used in more expensive wines due to the cost of using them. Casein is rarely used because it can have a stripping effect on the flavor of the wine. That is why gelatin is more gentle and has been used more regularly, though silica gel is the preferred treatment that they use more often. Apparently the frequency of use depends on the year of the grape variety.
It sounds like Stone Hill uses the bentonite clay as their standard fining. I was recommended to look for wines listed as 'unfined' or 'unfiltered' that way I would know they were not made using fining agents. They closed their reply to me by letting me know that none of their wines satisfy the criteria for vegan. I also understand that there seem to be very few on the market and was reminded of that.
Even though I can not enjoy wine made by Stone Hill Winery I have enjoyed their wine in the past. It has amazingly wonderful flavor, texture and clarity. I understand the reason for why fining agents are used in wine and do not fault them for using these 'listed' methods to fine their wine, however being on my vegan diet wish not to consume any animal ingredients.
This is the list of restaurants and wineries that I wrote.
Chevys
Fridays
Applebees
Taco Bell
Subway
Penn Station
Quiznos
Pizza Hut
Little Caesars
Cici's Pizza
Olive Garden
Original Pancake House
Tony's on main street
Little Hills Winery
Bellacinos Grinders
Concetta's St. Charles
Gingham's Homestyle Restaurant
Tequila Mexican Restaurant
Grappa Grill
Papa Johns
Cracker Barrel
Domino's
Golden Corral
Imo's Pizza
McAlister's deli
Panera Bread
Mr. Goodcents subs and pastas
Cecil Whittaker's Pizza
Jack in the box
Brickhouse Bistro
Starbucks Coffee
Java G's
Wendy's
Ihop
Bob Evans
Stake n Shake
Denny's
Red Lobster
Longhorn Steakhouse
Hometown Buffet (country buffet, old country buffet)
Serra's Pizzeria
Culpeppers
Pasta House
Ponderosa Steakhouse
Bandana's bbq
Pizza Street
Lone Star Steakhouse
Dierdorf & Hart's Steakhouse
Romano's Macaroni Grill
Syberg's on Dorsett
Syberg's on Gravois
Raj's Rasoi authentic indian cuisine
Fuddruckers
Incredible Pizza Company
Max & Erma's
Red Robin
Kobe Steakhouse
Ruby Tuesday
Chili's grill & bar
Palenque Grill
Off the Grill
Talayna's Italian Restaurant
Sbarro
The Melting Pot
Uno Chicago Grill
California Pizza Kitchen
Wild Horse Grill
Mimis Cafe
Fox and Hound Restaurant
The Old Spaghetti Factory
Ben & Jerry's
Bacana Brasil
Emperor's Palace
Cousins Subs
Crazy Bowls and Wraps
East Coast Pizza
Einstein Bros Bagels
Hunan Empress
San Sai Japanese Grill
The Cheesecake Factory
Oberweis
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