Sun Valley is a foodie haven, with unassuming restaurants serving up food by James Beard Award winners and every restaurant—big or small—doing their best to serve the most local, fresh, and sustainable food possible. But with the rise in demand for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and generally more healthy options, the Sun Valley market has responded abundantly, providing generous opportunity for the health-conscious eater to dine like royalty. Here is the definitive guide to dining out as a vegetarian or vegan for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Breakfast
The quintessential coffee shop of Ketchum, Java on Fourth, actually carries quite a few vegetarian and vegan options for those looking for a delicious breakfast (lunch too). If you’re a vegetarian, make sure to order up their famous Bowl of Soul—featured in magazines and reviews far and wide—a mocha made with their specialty Mexican hot chocolate mix. For vegans, all the coffee options at Java are great and can be made with soy, almond, or rice milk. For breakfast, vegetarian options abound from the Hippie Burrito (scrambled eggs, cheese, tomato, green onion, black beans, green chilies, verde crème fraiche, cilantro, house salsa) to a classic bagel with cream cheese and tomato to poached eggs. For vegans, you can’t go wrong with classic avocado toast, served here on local Big Wood Bread sourdough or wheat bread. If you’re looking for something sweeter than savory, there’s oatmeal, homemade granola, a fruit bowl, or good ol’ Cap’n Crunch. Java is also located in Hailey and several locations in Boise.
Java on Fourth
191 4thSt W | Ketchum
208.726.2882
M-F: 6am-6pm, Sa-Su: 7am-6pm
Java Hailey
111 N First Ave | Hailey
208.788.2399
javabowlofsoul.com
M-F: 6am-6pm, Sa-Su: 7am-4pm
Another Ketchum favorite, Bigwood Bread, has seen many incarnations since it opened in 1997. Now with a location in the industrial area and downtown, Bigwood Bread serves up delicious bread, breakfast, and lunch daily using local, homemade ingredients. Vegetarian options abound for breakfast from buttermilk pancakes (optional blueberries), granola, quiche, omelets, and more. The breakfast burrito and sandwich can both be ordered without meat and are served up with hand-cut, pan roasted, seasoned potatoes. While the oatmeal may seem to be the only vegan option on the menu, a little fine-tuning of some delicious menu options results in the perfect vegan breakfast. Try the Galena Bowl (2 eggs on roasted potatoes topped with sautéed shaved Brussels sprouts, kale, onion, red pepper mix, and farro) and order without the eggs and add avocado. It’s gluten-free as well and sure to keep you full all day. The Bigwood Tartine comes with avocado and tomato on sourdough bread with eggs but can easily become a fancy avocado toast if ordered without the eggs. A great vegetarian option is the Baldy Power Bowl with 2 eggs topped with mozzarella, fresh Tuscan kale, quinoa, fire roasted corn, green onion, roasted red peppers, and basil pesto. Feel free to get creative with the menu, everything here is delicious!
Big Wood Bread
380 N East Ave | Ketchum
208.928.7868
Daily: 8am-3pm
271 Northwood Way | Ketchum
208.726.2035
bigwoodbread.com
Daily: 8am-2:30pm
5B Fruit, located in the bottom of the 511 building serves up juices and shots but their real draw are their smoothies and pitaya or acai bowls. The Instagram-worthiness of these beauties is worth it on its own, but they all taste as good as look! The “Feelin’ Nutty” bowl is a particular favorite with choice of acai or pitaya and topped with granola, strawberries, peanut butter, coconut flakes, almonds, cacao nibs, and honey. Everything at 5B Fruit is vegetarian and most choices can easily be made vegan. Wood River Valley native Parker Morris runs 5B fruit, even supplying many of their organic and seasonal ingredients from his “5B Fruit Greenhouse” at his farm home in Bellevue.
5B Fruit
511 Leadville Ave N | Ketchum
208.721.7626
5bfruit.com
M-F: 9am-4:30pm, Sa: 10am-4:30pm
Lunch
For a truly health-conscious experience, look no further than GLOW for a completely raw, plant-based, organic café and health food store. The majority of food served is local as well, utilizing the great farmers in the area as a resource. In addition to a full menu of juices and smoothies, GLOW has delicious appetizers and entrees a GLOW Roll with sunflower seed hummus, mixed greens, cucumber, avocado, and carrot wrapped in nori; a Thai kale salad, pizza, or an “E.L.T.”, a twist on the classic using eggplant bacon, cashew mayo, lettuce, and tomato on toasted Bavarian bread. The deli case displays an assortment of delicious desserts and ready-to-go items while the store carries great vitamins and supplements as well as some dry good food items.
GLOW
380 Washington Ave #105 | Ketchum
208.725.0314
glowlivefood.com
M-Sa: 9am-5pm
KB’s (which stands for “Ketchum Burritos”) is a mainstay of California-style Mexican food in the Wood River Valley. Its popularity has grown so much that they now have locations in Hailey, Boise, Twin Falls, Pocatello, and McCall. In addition to a small breakfast menu, KB’s is a great lunch spot as well as dinner. The menu has two vegetarian sections, one for burritos and the other for tacos, as well as the “build-your-own” option for a burrito or salad using ingredients like tofu, beans, yams, guacamole, and more. The “Kitchen Sink” burrito is a classic with cabbage, mixed beans, onion, jalapeno, corn, carrot, tomato, cilantro, and salsa. Make sure to get a side of their delicious dressings like Cabo sauce or cilantro-lime vinaigrette!
KB’s
460 Sun Valley Rd | Ketchum
208.928.6955
Daily: 8am-9:30pm
121 N Main | Hailey
208.788.7217
kbsburrito.com
Daily: 10am-9pm
No visit to Ketchum is complete without a visit to famous lunch spot Wrapcity. Serving up a variety of breakfast and lunch wraps (which can all also come in a bowl for a gluten-free or less carb-heavy option), Wrapcity serves great food at a great price in a hurry. Wraps can be modified to be made vegetarian or vegan though many of the menu’s options are already one or the other. For vegetarians, try a classic Caesar or a breakfast wrap. Vegan options are the classic “Chinese Tofu Salad” wrap with tofu, Napa cabbage, peanuts, cilantro, green onions, crunchy rice sticks, jasmine rice and sesame dressing. Another daily veggie favorite is the “Just Veggies” with roasted red pepper hummus, spinach, quinoa, shredded carrots, Roma tomatoes, and cucumbers. Many of their specials like the Moroccan and the City Chicken can easily be made vegetarian or vegan by substituting tofu for the meat and the Saturday “Tofu Satay” wrap (broccoli, jasmine rice, tofu, and homemade peanut sauce) can actually be ordered any day of the week (insider’s tip!)
Wrapcity
180 Main St S | Ketchum
208.727.6766
wrapcitycafe.com
Daily: 8am-4pm
Dinner
Started in 1994, Sushi on Second is the Valley’s oldest sushi restaurant—and for good reason. The menu is superb and offers a bounty of vegetarian and vegan options in addition to great beer, wine, and sake. If you’re in the mood for sushi try the Futomaki vegetable roll, the Vegetarian roll, or a classic Kappa (cucumber roll). Inari (sweet tofu) nigiri rolls always hit the spot as well. If you’re looking for something not wrapped in seaweed, go for the vegetarian pot stickers (steamed or fried), vegetable tempura, cucumber salad, or vegetable yaki soba.
Sushi on Second
260 Second St | Ketchum
208.726.5181
sushionsecond.com
Daily: 5:30-9pm
Zou 75 serves up Asian fusion sushi, entrees, and more in an upscale setting in Hailey, complete with martini and wine bar. Great vegetarian and vegan choices include rice paper veggie tofu spring rolls, edamame, vegetable tempura, miso soup, cucumber salad, or the tofu bowl with teriyaki sautéed vegetables served over rice with tofu. Two sushi rolls are vegetarian and vegan but they are definitely all you need! The Hogan comes with seared tofu, wasabi mashed potatoes, cucumber, crispy garlic chips, and scallions. Or try The Zou with sweet potato tempura, crispy onions, jicama, and avocado.
*Insider’s tip: try the Zou ordered with the avocado on the outside, it’s delicious!
Zou 75
416 N Main St | Hailey
208.788.3310
zou75.com
M-Sa: 5pm-10pm
With an ever-changing menu of delicious southeast Asian tapas, Rickshaw is a great spot to hit with friends, vegetarian, vegan, or not. The menu conscientious with items marked as vegan, gluten-free, and shellfish-free for those with dietary restrictions. Vegetarian and vegan options (as of the current menu) include Balinese cucumbers, sautéed Asian greens, and yellow curry tofu with broccoli, bok choy, carrots, shitake mushrooms, and rice noodles. Lookout for daily specials and menu changes!
Rickshaw
460 N Washington Ave | Ketchum
208.726.8481
eat-at-rickshaw.com
Tu-Sa: 4:30-10:30pm, Fri: 11:30am-2pm
For a good ol’ fashioned (veggie) burger, head to either Lefty’s or Grumpy’s, the go-to burger joints in town. Both serve up yummy burgers, fries, and beers and will give you a chance to rub elbows with the locals. If at Lefty’s, shoot some pool or enjoy the sun on the deck. At Grumpy’s, enjoy a Schooner of beer (32oz), play some tunes on the jukebox, and enjoy a local favorite.
Lefty’s
231 6th St E | Ketchum
208.726.2744
leftysbarandgrill.com
M-F: 11:30am-12am, Sa-Su: 11am-12am
Grumpy’s
860 Warm Springs Rd | Ketchum
No phone (yes, believe it!)
grumpyssunvalley.com
Daily: 11am-10pm
Everything Else
For those looking for wholesome ingredients to make veggie meals at home, there are several great grocery options in the Valley. Atkinsons’ Market (located in Ketchum, Hailey, and Bellevue). In addition to great local items like Big Wood Bread and Simple Kneads baked goods (many of which are vegan), all three of Atkinsons’ Markets have great vegetarian and vegan sections with options like tofu, Kite Hill Cream Cheese, Just Mayo, seitan, Amy’s frozen goods, and more. In Hailey, grocery chain Natural Grocers has recently moved in, providing a great bulk foods section as well as many specialty health items and vitamins not found at the other grocery stores in town. Nourish Me is a small local café, grocery, and vitamin shop in Ketchum serving up daily-made juices, salads, sauerkraut, hummus, soups, desserts, and more in addition to dry goods, a small bulk foods section, and vitamin shop.
Atkinsons’ Market
451 4thSt E | Ketchum
208.726.5668
93 E Croy | Hailey
208.788.2294
757 N Main St | Bellevue
208.788.7788
atkinsons.com
Daily: 7am-9pm
Natural Grocers
710 N Main St | Hailey
208.788.5094
naturalgrocers.com
M-Sa: 9am-9:05pm, Su: 8:30am-8:05pm
Nourish Me
151 Main St | Ketchum
208.928.7604
jjnourishme.com
M-F: 9:30am-6pm, Sa: 11am-5pm, Su: 11am-4pm