I hope this isn't too late for the person headed to Columbia, MO. I
would have responded earlier, but I've just got back from spending a week
there. Believe it or not, Columbia is a veggie heaven! The university
culture is very diverse and it is extremely easy to get veg*n food
there. As another poster noted, downtown is definitely the easiest place
to get good veg*n food. There are a lot of ethnic restaurants that offer
veg*n selections. Bangcock Gardens is a great Thai restaurant and most
of their dishes can be made vegetarian. There are two Indian
restaurants, but one of them is much better than the other. Avoid the
one that is in the Ramada Inn, but do try the one just a couple of doors
down (the name escapes me). Most of the Chinese restaurants have a good
number of selections as well. St. Louis Bread Company has two locations
there (one in the mall, one downtown) and they always have a couple of
veg*n soups on the menu. Boone Tavern has a few veg*n dishes. For more
"mainstream" dining, Ruby Tuesdays has an extensive salad bar and a baked
potato stuffed with steamed veggies and marinara sauce (they will leave
off the Parmesan, I know because they've done it for me before. Olive
Garden also has at least two pasta dishes that are vegan and several more
that are vegetarian.
The best thing, for me, about eating in
Columbia is that the waitstaff does not stare blankly at you if you ask
if a dish is veg*n. I absolutely love visiting there, it is a wonderful
place. I hope you enjoy your trip!
Kristin
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