Black Bean Burger — Urban Bar & Kitchen serves up a mean black bean burger. Photo via Urban Bar & Kitchen

When I first moved to Tuscaloosa, I struggled to find restaurants with tasty vegetarian options. It’s pretty hard to go meatless in a town known for BBQ. Over time, though, I discovered delicious vegetarian meals at some of the best spots in town. Here are some of my favorite meatless orders in Tuscaloosa.

1. Sizzling tofu at Mr. Chen’s

Chen’s sizzling tofu is easily my favorite vegetarian meal in town. Mr. Chen’s never fails to serve up delicious meals at an affordable price, and the sizzling tofu is no exception. It always comes out crispy, juicy and piping hot. Even better: the sizzling tofu at Chen’s comes with sautéed vegetables for some extra nutrients. Once you’re finished with your meal, check out Mr. Chen’s market for authentic Asian snacks and food.

Address: 514 14th St, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
Contact: 205.343.6889 | Facebook

2. Falafel plate at Hooligans

Hooligan'S Falafel — The falafel at Hooligan’s is a delicious meatless meal. Photo via Hooligan’s

Hooligans is truly a Tuscaloosa treasure. Though the mediterranean joint is known for its burgers, their falafel plate is one of the tastiest vegetarian meals in town. Hooligans falafel plate comes with rice, a greek salad and their signature hummus. If you’re looking for a more portable meatless meal, the falafel wrap with seasoned fries never fails.

Address: 515 15th St, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
Contact: 205.759.2424 | Facebook | Instagram

3. Vegetarian combo at Sitar of India

Sitar Vegetarian — There are endless vegetarian options at Sitar Tuscaloosa. Photo via Sitar

Tuscaloosa’s Sitar of India has a whole menu dedicated to vegetarian cuisine. On it, you can find delicacies like palak paneer (cheese in a Spinach sauce), channa masala (chickpeas simmered in tomato sauce), dal makhani (simmered black lentils, red kidney beans, tomato ginger and cumin) and more. The vegetarian combo brings the best of Sitar’s vegetarian menu onto one plate. It comes with paneer tikka masala, palak paneer, veggie kornma, rice and naan. If you’re feeling extra hungry, stop by Sitar’s lunch buffet to sample all of their delicious vegetarian options.

Address: 220 15th St E, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
Contact: 205.345.1419 | Facebook

4. Black bean burger at Urban Bar & Kitchen

Urban Bar & Kitchen doesn’t forget vegetarians in its showcase of unique cuisine. The quaint restaurant in the heart of downtown Tuscaloosa has a mean black bean burger that makes my mouth water every time. In addition, they serve cauliflower buffalo wings and buffalo cauliflower tacos.

Pro tip: Urban Bar & Kitchen has a happy hour Monday-Thursday, 5-7 PM.

Address: 2321 University Blvd, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
Contact: 205.248.7162 | Facebook | Instagram

5. Vegetable Roll at Ichiban

Although Ichiban changed locations this year, their tasty sushi hasn’t changed a bit. Ichiban’s vegetable roll is delicious, and it has cucumber, pickled radish, avocado and green onion all rolled into one. If you’re looking for a more simple veggie sushi, Ichiban also has cucumber rolls, avocado rolls and sweet potato tempura rolls.