Caribou Coffee: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

Caribou Coffee works well for vegetarians, since almost nothing on the regular menu has meat in it. The real job is sorting vegetarian from vegan, because Caribou builds a lot of its food case, from oatmeal to parfaits to premade sandwiches, on dairy.

What to order at Caribou Coffee

Start with the Plain or Everything bagel, the Asiago bagel, or the Just Egg, Roasted Tomato and Pesto Flatbread, which is plant-based as built. The drink menu is the strongest part of the visit. Caribou pours oat, almond, and coconut milk into lattes, cappuccinos, and chai at no extra charge, and black coffee, espresso, Americano, and cold press are vegetarian and vegan as poured. Community Snacks kettle chips, fresh fruit, and honey BBQ kettle chips round out a light order, though the honey BBQ chips aren’t vegan.

What to watch out for

Dairy shows up in more places than you’d expect. The oatmeal, yogurt parfaits, and premade sandwiches are all made with milk, and the cookies, muffins, and other baked goods lean on butter, eggs, and milk too. Whipped cream topping and the mocha, white mocha, and caramel drinks carry dairy as well. Caribou doesn’t stock a vegan cream cheese, so a dairy-free bagel usually means going plain or asking if your location carries peanut butter and jam. If you’re strict about dairy baked into the bagel dough itself, ask your barista to check that day’s batch before you order.