Mendocino Farms: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

Mendocino Farms is known for steak sandwiches and bacon, but its own nutrition and allergen sheet marks every item V for vegan, VG for vegetarian, or nothing at all, so you don’t have to guess at the counter. It’s a rare level of transparency for a sandwich chain built around rotisserie meats.

What to order at Mendocino Farms

The Vegan Banh Mi sandwich is the standout, fully vegan as served. The Vegetarian Pesto Caprese and The Happy Hippie are both solid vegetarian sandwiches, and the Field Greens Salad is vegan on its own. For sides, Curried Couscous and Southern Potato Salad are both vegan, and you can swap in Beyond Chorizo, Impossible Chorizo, or Marinated Tofu as a protein add-on to nearly anything on the menu, which stretches the vegetarian lineup further than a typical sandwich shop.

What to watch out for

Several salads that sound vegetarian aren’t. The Modern Caesar, Golden State Cobb, Thai Mango Salad, and Baja Green Goddess Salad all carry fish or shellfish in the dressing, according to Mendocino Farms’s own allergen sheet. The Chen’s Crispy Rice Salad with tofu isn’t flagged V or VG at all, so ask before ordering it. The Avocado & Quinoa Superfood Ensalada is vegetarian but not vegan because of the feta, and the Basil Pesto Shells and Creamy Tomato Soup both lean on dairy.