As a life long vegetarian and lover of all things veggie, I know firsthand how even the best dining hall vegetarian options can become boring after a while.
Luckily for Skidmore students, Saratoga Springs has an abundance of veggie-friendly foods that go beyond the bland frozen veggie burger. From breakfast to dinner, this town's options do not disappoint. Here's where to go and what to get.
Breakfast
Saratoga Juice Bar
With a menu containing everything from from fresh cold pressed juices and killer superfood smoothies to healthy sandwiches and salads, the Saratoga Juice Bar is seriously the best place to grab some healthy (but delicious) breakfast food.
The massive smoothie/açaí bowls (like the "Fantasia" smoothie bowl pictured above) are also huge hits, serving up an impressive amount of fruit and organic gluten free granola for no more than $7.50.
Uncommon Grounds
Ask any Saratogian where to find some of the best coffee and bagels in town and chances are they'll point you to Uncommon Grounds. But coffee and bagels aren't the only specialities; the breakfast sandwiches (like the "Mediterranean" above with tomatoes, pesto, spinach, and an egg on a pesto bagel) are perfect for an on-the-go breakfast.
Lunch
Falafel Den
Let me say this: a good falafel is hard to find. But the quality of food on the menu at Falafel Den does not disappoint. If you're looking for a lunch lighter than a whole falafel wrap, try the falafel salad (pictured above). It's flavorful, vegan, and you get more falafel balls than you would get in the traditional wrap.
2. Four Seasons Cafe
Four Seasons is the ultimate health food store/cafe in Saratoga Springs. At the cafe, creative daily specials are served up every day.
Picture above is one of the daily specials, a plate of quinoa and sweet potato patties, roasted mixed veggies, lentil dal, tabouleh, baked tofu, and a lemongrass curry sauce. While the specials may change, the food stays vegetarian friendly every day.
Dinner
Comfort Kitchen
Even vegetarians love good American comfort food, and at Comfort Kitchen, the menu accommodates for individuals with all different kinds of dietary restrictions. The restaurant also sources a significant amount of their ingredients from local farms.
Try the veggie burger, pictured above, for a satisfying black bean patty topped off with house pickled onions and sweet potato chips.
Chianti
While Italian food may not be the first to come to mind for vegetarians, the menu at Chianti has some fantastic veggie-friendly options. Out of the variety of vegetarian pastas, salads, appetizers, and risottos, the Capellini Alla Checca pictured above (angel hair pasta with garlic, roasted cherry tomatoes, basil, and olive oil) is my favorite.
These restaurants are far from the only vegetarian options in Saratoga Springs, but they are sure to delight any veggie-lover who finds themselves in this foodie-friendly town.