45 Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Iowa City

“I am a celiac and was pleasantly surprised that they have a whole gluten-free menu with lots of options! One of the servers said that she is a celiac, too. That was cool.
The only thing that made me nervous was the wooden cutting boards they served my gluten free food on. Not sure how they clean them, or if they keep them separate from gluten serving boards, but I know we should mistrust all wooden utensils due to their absorbency. These had obvious cut marks on them and everything.
Happily though, I didn't feel and signs of being glutened. With major gluten ingestions I definitely feel symptoms, and I had none to report here. Hopefully that bodes well.

Dietary restrictions: Celiacs may want to be wary but I think that, pending confirmation about their serving boards, this should be safe. I did not experience symptoms of having gotten glutened, at least. The food was delicious.“

“Basta Pizzeria Ristorante never disappoints! Every visit feels like a little getaway to Italy—from the cozy, inviting atmosphere to the consistently excellent food. The wood-fired pizza is a must (crispy crust, perfect balance of flavors), and the pastas are just as memorable—fresh, rich, and clearly made with care. Service is warm and attentive without being overbearing, and I always leave feeling full and happy. Whether it’s a casual dinner or a night out with friends, Basta hits the spot every time.“

“I'm very picky when it comes to Crepes. I'm so happy to say that this place NEVER lets me down. When I have friends visiting from out of town, I always tell them to stop by here. The food is delicious, the owners are very friendly and happy, and it's in close walking distance to downtown shops. If you are looking for quality food and excellent price point, try this place for breakfast or dinner!“

“I've got to say, I had the best time here. we sat at the bar and watching them cook was amazing! the French onion soup was one of the best I've had. the mushroom risotto was out of this world. my husband got the fried chicken, and it was so moist and delicious! definitely recommend pullman!!“

“Great Service, Food, atmosphere. Will visit again when in town.“

“The tunes are fresh and wild.“

“Very clean and organized. Friendly waitresses . Prompt food service and delicious pizza ! 8 ovens that can hold up to 9 pizzas each ! It is a very popular restaurant. They have frozen pizza for take out too.“

“Oh my gosh we are here for my 25th birthday and the food was *chef kiss* delicious!! From our entrees to my birthday dessert was phenomenal and I can’t wait to eat here again!! Everything was very well seasoned and so fresh!“

“Ava was incredibly helpful and informative. Also super sweet. They offer free water which is incredibly important during these summer months. The culture is inclusive, and Ava was extremely compassionate with a little girl when picking out a lolly pop. It’s the small things when interacting with customers and she was exemplary.“

“Good food, bright and clean atmosphere and friendly people“

“Beautiful presentation and flavors!“

“SO happy to see that Saigon’s Corner is now on Chomp! (Maybe this isn’t new, but I don’t remember seeing them there before). We got a ton of food for a very reasonable price, it was very well packaged (pho broth separate from noodles, veg, protein, etc), arrived in a very reasonable time (even on a Saturday night) and it was all fresh and really delicious. We easily have enough for lunch for both of us tomorrow as well. We will definitely be ordering again, and can’t wait!!“

“I finally got time to stop for lunch today. Amazing. Service was quick. The sweet tea was good, and the tenderloin and fries were smoking hot and came out fast. I'm not a cole slaw guy, but it was good. Totally awesome. But if you're not really hungry, get the smaller sandwich. I finished the large, but I shouldn't have. ;)“

“this is my favorite restaurant in iowa city. the hamburgers here are just so amazing. the atmosphere is fantastic. and i would die for a pie shake. it cannot be overstated how good this place is.“

“I went and picked up a pizza from these folks for the first time last night. OMG! One of the best commercially produced pizzas I have ever had the pleasure to eat ! Full disclosure I usually make my own and they rock too. I had the The Wedgetable Garden with Jerk Chicken added. Honestly I felt I should have left it without the JC, because the pizza was already LOADED. Every darned thing about that pie was perfect. One of the few IC pizzas that is not too greasy (look'n at you Pags). I highly - HIGHLY recommend their pizza !“

“Food is delicious and the staff is the best. Only the second time there and they remembered us. Their was also a power outage that knocked out the entire street. They did great under pressure!!!! If you haven’t tried it you must. Even the 10 year old tries something new and loved it“

“Had a wonderful experience at china star,while visiting from out of town! Arrived on a Saturday evening around 6pm . Food was delicious and service was great. Restaurant was clean and staff were very friendly. Wish we could have tried every dish on the menu, will definitely have to return!“

“Is one of the best places I hacer ever been!!“

“I'm not sure why this page is full of tech and finance reviews. Hopefully mine will actually help people who are curious about this Iowa City gem. Molly's catered a small cake and a large number of cupcakes for my mid-sized wedding. Sour stuff first: Complaints (none large enough to warrant less than a five-star review): 1) They didn’t keep a record of our deposit. This seemed unprofessional and disorganized. Luckily, I was able to provide proof of the transaction, and then they “found” it (and didn’t make us pay again). 2) The cake appeared hastily decorated and put together. It did not have the details of the design we had discussed, and the food coloring in the frosting was streaky and not completely mixed. It was still delicious, but disappointing because the main purpose of the cake was for the cutting photos! 3) We had a miscommunication about when we needed the cake delivered. Molly’s was able to get it to us in time, but it sure gave us a scare. Ultimately, delicious cake and cupcakes. Our wedding guests were happy, and, to our knowledge, no one with allergies or sensitivities had any negative impacts. Their ability to accommodate dietary restrictions was one of the reasons we chose Molly’s. Their gluten-free cupcakes are genuinely some of the best. Due to a planning/ordering error on our part, we overlooked our need for a singular egg-free cupcake. Molly’s kindly hand-delivered said solitary cupcake when we frantically called to ask for a remedy. This sort of kindness is some of the best customer service around and more than makes up for the hiccups we had with the process.“

“1st time there. Excellent food and service! jumped to top of my list!“

“The Carmel apple cider is fanominal!!! Thanks for creating another great one to drink !“

“Ate here on November 7 in the early afternoon. I ordered the baked white fish dinner, which included a large roll, French fries and a side salad. The fish was a large portion and baked to perfection. Our waitress was friendly and took good care of us. All employees were friendly. The place appeared clean and there is ample parking. Prices are reasonable. Would definitely come back again when in Iowa City.“

“The service and the food was great!“

“Food was made fresh when ordered and was really good. Definitely going back next time I'm in Iowa City.“

“Ate here for the first time before attending an Iowa basketball game nearby. There were good choices on the menu. I had the spicey Italian meatball grinder with fries. It was good and very filling. Prices seemed reasonable. The place was noisy so it was hard to socialize with my friends. Otherwise, a good place to eat and would go there again if in town.“

“We had the best burgers!! Definitely try the Dundee!!! SO yum!!“

“pedí una mojarra termino medio i mela dieron súper dura que ni se podía comer pero grasias de todos modos no creo bolber a este lugar y una mala atención Delos meseros que tarde como 1 hora esperando dos tacos i era el lugar preferido para mí imi familia pero así creo que no volveremos“

“We were passing through town and found this wonderful spot just 20 minutes before it closed. We each got a burger and fries and they were absolutely delicious. Even better than the food was the extraordinary staff. Each one was exceptionally kind and accommodating. If we lived closer we'd be regulars. Thank you for the great food and fun lunch.“

“The Slammin’ Salmon omelette was awesome!“

“Very unique, creative and very delicious food!When we were there, we tried the west coast wrap and it was full of greens and grilled chicken, goat cheese and pistachios.Fresh food, made to order.One goes up to the register to order and then you wait while they fix your food and then you take it and go sit down. They are multi-level, it's narrow and not excessively deep, but there is quite of bit of seating for two people or four people and even if you're just by yourself. There are larger tables up stairs, (they have two floors) The restrooms are on the second floor, as well. Stairs are used to access the second level.They also have very tasty drinks.We had the blueberry lemonade.

Vegetarian options: I do believe that you could get any wrap adjusted to your dietary needs. One could turn a wrap vegetarian. One could add cheese or leave off cheese. I think that they would accommodate that.

Kid-friendliness: I would say it was kid friendly. There is a big front window and it seems like a very fun place that children would like to be.

Parking: Street parking at metered spots, or one could park in the car park(ramps) and walk.“

“After a long day in the sun, went for a drink and had the best waitress around. The sun makes me grumpy but Ms. Hannah's bubbly spirit and kindness was just what I needed to not finish the day in disaster ❤️ Big Grove, you are lucky to have this little peanut and will be a big reason I return 🍻“

“Tuve la oportunidad de tratar este lugar de Nails por primera vez.Y quede muy satisfecha por el trabajo realizado por Lili,tod@s dan buen trato,y sobre todo muy amables. Recomiendo el lugar 100% Hermosa experiencia!“

“Decent Chinese food that does the job for a reasonable price! Just FYI if you’re from the west coast, please note that if you order chow mein it will come with meat, cooked cabbage, and onions—no noodles ? I’ve made this mistake twice now ?“

“I dined with Gumby's for years until I left Iowa City and you can't beat them- we miss them a lot!“

“Had a great burger and a great time! Efficient and attentive staff, top-notch burgers.

Edit: Came back another time over a year later, WOW! Still the same perfect burger and PHENOMENAL service. The staff is awesome! Seriously one of my favorite burger joints anywhere in America, and I've tried a lot!“

“their chicken bacon ranch pizza is fantastic!“

“Them Tacos Boiy🔥soo good!“

“First time ordering from here and I will continue to do so. The chicken schwarma was amazing and the falafel was too.“

“Great food, but staff could use some more personality like the expertise of the Wendy's Drive Thru Guy exemplifies. That Man could make this delicious food even better!“

“10000% recommend picking up the food. Always have problems when delivered. Unfortunately they are now blacklisted by me. But i enjoy the food but cant go pick it up. I’ve been a customer for about 10+ years and highly recommend the Ben’s Other pizza. Very good! Very balanced for price, quality, and value. Just Do not get delivery. In my opinion, obviously.“

“Last time i was here was when it was over at old location on s riverside drive. I craved some lasagna and bread tonight. And it DID NOT DISAPPOINT. ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS. BEST I have ever had there. Thank you to the cooks !! And the fabulous front end gal for her fantastic customer service“

“Iowa is the last place I’d expect to find good Indian food tbh. Place was recommended by The Iowa Gallivant, and did not disappoint. Got the lamb vindaloo and garlic naan and was very satisfied. Some of the best vindaloo and naan I’ve ever had, hands down. 10/10 recommend!“

“Great staff. Friendly and very helpful.“

“we ate here for the first time on Tuesday and the service was phenomenal! your server, Kate, needs a raise or promotion because she was outstanding! very friendly and engaged. we will definitely be back!“

“Haven't been here in a few years. Don't recommend the calamari. It was overcooked and there was too much crunchy breading. The tuna and salmon sashimi were fresh and delicious. Godzilla roll was great. Our waitress was nice and attentive. Good experience overall.“