Editor’s note: This is part of The Know’s series, Staff Favorites. Each week, we give our opinions on the best that Colorado has to offer for dining, shopping, entertainment, outdoor activities and more. (We’ll also let you in on some hidden gems.)
When I was first diagnosed with celiac disease in 2022, I was dismayed: I am a long-time vegan and finding substitutes for all the delicious gluten-filled foods — like pasta — that I relied on for quick and healthy meals seemed daunting.
Luckily for me, the news gave me the push I needed to make my way to Denver’s Berkeley neighborhood to try out Vital Root, a fast-casual restaurant that promises mostly vegan and almost entirely gluten-free menu options.
I have since become a regular visitor because I simply cannot get enough of the Edible Beats eatery’s Breakfast Sandwich.
This perfect sandwich comes on one of the best gluten-free buns I have ever tasted, from Boulder-based Hävenly Baked Goods. It’s piled high with lemongrass-marinated grilled tofu (or scrambled eggs, if you prefer), vegan cheese (or cheddar), Umaro seaweed bacon, sprouts from Edible Beats’ Beat Box Farms and sriracha aioli. I also add avocado when I’m feeling fancy.
For me, the sandwich is truly an example of the complete dish making something greater than its ingredients would suggest. The punchy flavors of the lemongrass marinade shine through the richness of the bread and the cheese while the tofu is expertly prepared — no dry chewiness here! The light spiciness of the aioli keeps my palate excited while the seaweed bacon, which mimics the chewy crunch and smoky deliciousness of its porcine counterpart by some culinary magic, never lets me forget this is a breakfast sandwich.
The sandwich is so good that even though I’m tempted to try one of the many other delicious-sounding menu items during my monthly visits to Vital Root, I can’t bring myself to have anything other than breakfast for dinner.
Vital Root is at 3915 Tennyson St. in Denver. It’s open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays. ediblebeats.com/restaurants/vital-root/