Iowa City Chef David Burt's top vegetarian picks for the IC area

Treat your body and the planet right with Chef David Burt’s top vegetarian picks for the Iowa City area.

Meet Chef David Burt

David Burt is an area chef who co-founded the much-beloved vegan restaurant The Red Avocado, which closed in 2012. After the restaurant’s closing, Burt returned to the board of Field to Family, a non-profit, local foods advocacy group that serves vegetarians and omnivores alike, and he also started Four Square Meals, a weekly meal subscription service that focuses on local, vegetarian, whole-foods meals.

Breakfast at the Iowa City Farmers Market

415 E. Washington St., Iowa City
May-October, Saturdays from 7 a.m. – 12 p.m.

The Farmers Market, which takes place Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings, May through October, is a gathering of many of the best area farmers. Food vendors join in the outdoor market, and many, including Local Burrito, highlight the season’s local produce.

“At the Iowa City Farmers Market, I regularly visit Local Burrito,” says Burt. “They offer vegan, vegetarian and omnivore options, and the burritos are all perfect Saturday morning market food.”

Lunch at New
Pioneer Co-op

22 S. Van Buren St., Iowa City

“For a sandwich, I turn to the vegan cajun tofuwich from New Pioneer Food Co-op, which features warm, blackened tofu, with tomato, avocado and pepperoncini,” says Burt.

Though Burt prefers the classic, quick New Pi sandwich, another good lunch option for vegans and vegetarians is Bread Garden Market, where they use local vegetables all summer long for their salad and hot food bars, providing a great variety for downtown diners. They offer a gigantic selection of soups, salad items and prepared dishes, like sesame kale, vegetable stir fry and curried cauliflower soup.

Appetizers at
Motley Cow Cafe

160 N. Linn St., Iowa City

“The Motley Cow has recently had some vegetable sides which are just remarkable,” Burt says. “In the fall, I ate a small plate of slow-roasted, Iowa-grown carrots with sesame puree, and I always look forward to what David Wieseneck, the chef and owner, does with vegetables in warmer months. I also really like their fries.”

Dinner at Trumpet Blossom

310 E. Prentiss St., Iowa City

Trumpet Blossom’s vegan menu focuses on local and organic produce in creative preparations; chefs pickle and preserve when vegetables are at their peak, and the restaurant maintains a seasonal menu.“I go with the feature and/or fries at the Trumpet Blossom,” Burt says. “One summer, I enjoyed a simple, but delicious mixed grilled vegetable plate, where the vegetables were allowed to take center stage.”