Disclaimer: Buffalo Wild Wings is NOT a vegan-friendly restaurant, or even a vegetarian-friendly restaurant. Then again, they don’t advertise themselves as a vegan restaurant. They’re known for their chicken wings, not their salads. Even though Buffalo Wild Wings doesn’t really cater to vegans, there are still a few things vegans can modify and order off the menu.
Unfortunately, all of the fried foods at this sports bar restaurant are fried in beef shortening. You read that right: beef shortening. That phrase is the opposite of vegan. So, their fried foods could be vegan, but they’re not because they’re fried in animal fat. These fried foods, like buffalo chips and French fries, are also “cross contaminated” as they’re fried in the same fryer as other meaty items. This makes not even the chips and salsa truly vegan because the chips are cooked alongside meat and coated in beef fat.
On the bright side, there are a few vegan Buffalo Wild Wings menu items you can enjoy with a few modifications. Tell your server ahead of time that you’re vegan to avoid issues.
1. The Side Salad (Without Cheese or Croutons)
Most restaurants serve salads and Buffalo Wild Wings is no exception. Another salad… hooray (sarcasm alert). Hey, at least vegans won’t starve! Order the garden salad WITHOUT cheese or croutons. Choose from the vegan dressings on the menu: Light French, Light Balsamic, Light Asian Sesame, or the Lemon Vinaigrette.
2. Big Twist Soft Pretzel
This is probably the most hearty vegan item on the menu. It’s oven-baked, so no worries about frying or cross-contamination. Just ask for the pretzel without the side queso dip. See if you can swap the queso for a vegan dip such as sweet BBQ sauce, teriyaki sauce, wild sauce, or blazin’ sauce.
3. White Rice
Order a side of white rice to fulfill your vegan needs. Ask for a side of any of the vegan sauces listed above if you want to jazz up your rice.
4. Grilled Chicken Wrap (Without Chicken or Cheese)
The wraps are vegan, so just ask for a wrap without chicken or dairy in it. This wrap without chicken or cheese will now just include lettuce, tomatoes, and sauce. See if you can substitute the side of chips and salsa it comes with for a soft pretzel or fresh veggies.
5. Grilled Chicken Buffalitos (Without Chicken, Cheese, or Sour Cream)
Vegan tortilla wraps = vegan buffalitos. That is, buffalitos without chicken, cheese, or sour cream. The veganized version will be two soft flour tortillas with lettuce, house-made pico de gallo, and BWW sauce or dry seasoning (most are vegan, check with your server). See if you can add more vegetables into the wraps instead of the chicken. Don’t try to substitute a black bean burger for the chicken, as those veggie burgers are not vegan.
6. Carrot & Celery Boat
This is exactly what it sounds like, and it’s as vegan as one can get. Literally just carrots and celery in a container. Enjoy!
7. Kid’s Mandarin Oranges
Some of the kid’s meals come with a side of mandarin oranges. You can ask for a container of those if you’re feeling fruity.
8. Salsa and Pico de Gallo
Obviously the salsa and pico de gallo dips are vegan—they’re made with tomatoes, onion, peppers, and spices. Order these dips along with the veggie boat (#6 on this list), then dip your veggies into these spicy spreads. It’s actually a decent snack!
9. Mixed Drinks
Buffalo Wild Wings is well-known as a sports bar, so they have a giant selection of beers, liquors, and other alcohols. You can order almost any alcohol as a 21+ year old vegan. The bartender here can make you whatever drink you want—just tell them that you need it to be vegan.
10. Beer
As mentioned previously, vegans can order almost any alcoholic drink. Some beers are vegan, while others are made with fish bladder. Vegan brews include: Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR), Guinness, Blue Moon, Bud Light, Budweiser, Heineken, Keystone Light, and Corona.
Vegan Buffalo Wild Wings is a bit of an oxymoron. BWW is not a place vegans seek out, but there are items on the menu they can order. As a fellow vegan, my suggestion is to go here for a few drinks and watch the big game. Then convince your friends to go elsewhere for a meal after the game.