After driving a thousand miles from the East Coast, my dad and I stopped in Davenport, Iowa. Despite our misconception about the rural Midwest, this city is the largest along the Mississippi River in the state!

About ten minutes down the road from our motel, we discovered Olive Tree Café, a low-key Mediterranean café in a generic shopping center. Predictably, I ordered the falafel sandwich. In the midst of my first bite, my eyes widened, enticed. I never use this phrase, but it was literally the best falafel sandwich I’ve ever tasted. It was grilled with a ton of vegetables and hummus. There’s clearly no exotic taste here, just the best falafel sandwich literally ever. If you happen to find yourself passing through Iowa on Route 80, be sure to stop here for a life-changing falafel sandwich.

The following day, we passed through Des Moines for lunch. Located only a few miles off Route 80, Gusto Pizza Co. offers several types of pizza dishes, in addition to a variety of sandwiches and salads. They serve vegan mozzarella and can substitute breaded eggplant for meat; thus, any pie can be made vegetarian or vegan. We enjoyed the pizza so much that we made it priority to stop again. During my visits, I ordered the Thai Kwan Dough and Francesco pies. My server mentioned the Tai Kwan Dough was spicy, but as someone that studied in India for four months, I couldn’t even notice the difference. If you order the Francesco, be sure to skip on the Alfredo sauce since it contains dairy, but enjoy the tomatoes, artichokes, mushrooms, spinach, and garlic.

Also, as a craft beer fan, I was pleased. They have an admirable local beer selection especially. I tried the Slingshot by Backpocket Brewing and the Pasttime Pale Ale by Madhouse Brewing Company. Both breweries are Iowa-based.

Located in walking distance from the historic Old Market district, Blatt Beer & Table captures the heart of Omaha through beer and food. I ordered the Root Burger, made from red quinoa and roasted beets, and immediately fell in love. (For the omnivores reading, there are several types of veggie burgers out there.) Other vegan-friendly options include the falafel sliders, vegan currywurst, and of course, the alcohol.

I can always appreciate a nice tearoom. Covered in intricate tiles and detailed paintings, the Boulder Dushanbe Tea Room is steps away from the Pearl Street Mall. I ordered the Honduran Beleda, a flour tortilla folded over with refried beans inside. For breakfast, the restaurant initially makes this dish with eggs, but were more than happy to substitute it out for tofu. Likewise, the breakfast menu doesn’t list vegan items, but eggs can be replaced with tofu in almost (if not every) dish. However, later in the afternoon, there’s a selection of dishes including noodles and curry. And, of course, the tea selection is mind-blogging alone. It was difficult to choose a single flavor with a huge variety.

Before we departed from Boulder, we stopped at the Walnut Café. I’ll admit, I was originally hesitant about a pit stop for breakfast at a non-vegan establishment. In a world full of bacon and scrambled eyes, it’s sometimes difficult to find an animal-free option. However, our sever warmly welcomed my diet and directed me to the vegan section of the menu, which included soy cheese.

This restaurant has an awesome DIY combo going on, where you can a ton of vegetables in a tofu scramble. I ordered my tofu scramble with spinach and cheese. Served with a fresh fruit salad and hash browns on the side, it was the morning comfort food I was looking for. Other options include a tempeh skillets and hot Mediterranean sandwiches.

Although we didn’t gamble or drink, we admired the array of vegan-friendly restaurants that Las Vegas had to offer. Particularly, VegeNation — not far from the Strip — offers a full-menu of plant-based, sustainable meals. I ordered the Mama Mia, quinoa spaghetti with meatballs and tomato sauce, while my dad ordered the Gotta Get Over The Hemp, a gluten-free pasta with hemp-seed-based pesto and local veggies. For desert, I slurped on a Chocolate Thunder shake.

Located inside the Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada (or “the Center”) in Las Vegas, the Bronze Café offers options for everyone. While I love the comfort of an exclusively vegan business, it’s refreshing to bring your friends to an inclusive place for once. I habitually run into the problem dining out with friends that groan over yet another vegan restaurant. (Of course, they support my decisions and beliefs, but it makes me feel better if they’re eating something they’re more comfortable eating.)

Here, I ordered the Gauc & Mole dish. My dad picked out a smoothie for himself. In addition to a tasty and filling meal, the severs were extraordinarily friendly and made us feel right at home. There was also a gigantic gender neutral bathroom.

A friend (and Buzzfeed) said place is famous in the Bay Area vegan community. It’s an entirely vegan and organic restaurant that specializes in Mexican cuisine. For breakfast, I indulged in french toast made from plantains, topped with walnuts. JUST LOOK AT IT.

Served with fresh fruit

Later in the afternoon, they serve empanadas, quesadillas, and more. Also, there’s an extensive variety of beers and organic wine. The last thing? THEY DELIVER.

I was overwhelmed at brunch here. I ordered the Pumpkin Cheesecake Waffles. Every bite set off fireworks from my tastebuds. I can’t remember the last time I had pumpkin flavored anything, especially since the Pumpskin Spice Latte at Starbucks isn’t vegan. Vegan waffles are also a rare find. Some other savory treats include Super Vegano Burrito, Meatloaf Benedict, and Waffle Florentine.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Waffle with vegan chocolate chips

I also caught the Kombucha bug during my stay in Portland. It’s everywhere. I had three glasses in one day (which I later learned probably isn’t the best for my body’s natural acidity). Nonetheless, if you’ve never tried Kombucha before, or if you’re already a fan, this is the city to try it for the first time or downright indulge. This café, for instance, offers a rotating tap of locally brewed Kombucha.

Cheeseburger served with garlic roasted fingerling potatoes

A Portland local on Twitter recommended this place to me personally and I cannot thank them enough. Particularly, Blooming Lotus cashew cheese in several dishes. I absolutely love dairy-free cheese, so I felt at home right away. I ordered the Cheeseburger, a lentil and walnut burger with cashew brie, lettuce, heirloom tomato, and tomato jam on a toasted seasame-poppyseed bun.

It’d be a sin to leave Idaho without having potatoes (and in my book, specifically, french fries). That’s why this stop in the state capitol was necessary. Upon entering the restaurant, I was greeted with a menu of exclusively french fries. There were gold, sweet, purple, and other types I hadn’t even heard of. They even have blueberry ketchup. When I die, I want this buffet at my funeral. Although they serve other foods, they cook french fries separately, as if they were royalty (and they are).

While we were driving through Wyoming, we soon discovered it was difficult to find a meat-free, dairy-free, egg-free meal. My stomach growled when I found out the closest Chipotle was three hours away. In fact, that Chipotle was the only one in the entire state. I started to panic. I then found a place called Sweet Melissa, located in Laramie. Thankfully, Laramie was an hour closer to Cheyenne, where that Chipotle was.

This hidden vegetarian treasure in downtown district, that looks like someone’s house from the outside, serves dishes like Seitan Gyro and Vegetarian Stir Fry with Thai Peanut Sauce. The dairy-based cheese can be swapped for their yummy homemade cashew cheese. I ordered a black bean burger with avocado slices. Although it was simple, it was exactly what I needed.

Although this isn’t technically a restaurant, it still belongs on this list. Plus, Omaha was one of my favorite stops during the entire trip. Caffeine Dreams, a small batch coffee roasterie, offers several vegan-friendly snacks and pastries. I munched on a vegan curry muffin (yes, with kale) with a “Funky Munkey,” smoothie made from banana, chocolate, and peanut butter.

I wasn’t there for too long, but the atmosphere already felt relaxing. There were people chatting at a low whisper, in addition to some typing away on laptops by themselves. If I ever find myself there again for an afternoon, I could potentially get a ton of writing in there. There’s a ton of inspirational graffiti inside the women’s bathroom, too.