Ruby Tuesday: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

Ruby Tuesday is a sit-down chain with table service and a real salad bar, which makes it friendlier to vegetarians than a lot of drive-thru menus. The Garden Bar is the reason why. Sandy Beall opened the first location in Knoxville in 1972 and built the whole concept around that salad bar, and it’s carried the chain through bankruptcy and new ownership since.

What to order at Ruby Tuesday

Build a plate from the Garden Bar’s romaine, field greens, baby spinach, and iceberg, then add broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes, mushrooms, and onions. For protein, load up on garbanzo beans, edamame, peas, and sunflower or pumpkin seeds. Dress it with balsamic vinaigrette, golden Italian dressing, or plain olive oil to keep it vegan. Beyond the bar, the Pasta Marinara ordered without cheese and the plant-based Impossible burger patty round out the meal. A baked potato ordered plain, without butter or sour cream, and steamed broccoli, grilled zucchini, or roasted vegetables cooked in plant-based margarine are all vegan too.

What to watch out for

Skip the diced egg, shredded cheese, bacon bits, and creamy ranch or blue cheese dressings on the Garden Bar if you’re strict about dairy and egg. The Impossible burger patty shares a grill with meat, and availability varies by location, so confirm before you count on it. French fries, tater tots, the roasted vegetable soup, and croutons are all marked Check, since the fryer is shared and the soup’s broth isn’t confirmed vegan.