The Cheesecake Factory is one of the most popular restaurant chains in the country. While it’s known for its selection of mouthwatering cheesecakes, it also serves other delicious dishes to prepare us for the ultimate dessert.
Because of how popular it is, a lot of people tend to wonder if this restaurant is vegan-friendly. And that’s what we’re here to find out.
In this article, we’ll introduce you to this restaurant chain and list down the vegan options at Cheesecake Factory. This way, you’ll know exactly what to order without spending too much time on their extensive menu.
An Introduction to the Cheesecake Factory
But before we start discussing the different vegan options at Cheesecake Factory, we’d like to introduce you to the company first.
With around 220 restaurants around the globe, there’s no denying that the Cheesecake Factory has become a household name – especially in the United States. Its origins can be traced back to 1972 when Evelyn and Oscar Overton opened a bakery that mainly sold cheesecakes and similar desserts. This wholesale bakery was called The Cheesecake Factory Bakery and was known to supply desserts to restaurants around the area.
Six years later in 1978, Evelyn and Oscar’s son, David, opened the first Cheesecake Factory restaurant in Beverly Hills. At the time, it has a one-page menu that mainly served salads and sandwiches, along with its assortment of cheesecakes.
This salad-and-sandwich restaurant saw much success, and the second branch in California was opened just five years later. The Cheesecake Factory saw financial success that it continued to expand – not only its seating capacity but also across the country. They have since also expanded their menu to include a variety of items such as steaks, burgers, and other short orders.
And it doesn’t end there. This restaurant chain expanded further, opening locations in foreign countries such as Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, UAE, Qatar, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, China, and Hong Kong. Without a doubt, The Cheesecake Factory is a promising fast-food chain that seems to continue to grow.
Cheesecake Factory Vegan Menu
Now that you know what the cheesecake factory is, let’s now discuss whether it’s vegan or not, and discuss whether it offers a Cheesecake Factory vegan menu.
Cheesecake Factory Vegan Salads and Sides
Let’s start this list with its wide selection of Cheesecake Factory vegan salads and sides.
- Sourdough Bread. While waiting for your order, you’ll be pleased to know that this free bread is vegan-friendly.
- Table Bread. Like the free sourdough bread, the brown table bread is also vegan-friendly.
- Seasoned Edamame. The Cheesecake Factory’s edamame is simply seasoned with salt and pepper, but the result is a delicious snack you can munch on while you wait for your main order. It’s also rich in protein and fiber, so you can’t go wrong with this order.
- French Fries. It’s food to know that our all-time favorite comfort food is vegan-friendly. But, make sure to inform the waiter that you’re vegan so that they can prepare it on a separate fryer and avoid cross-contamination.
- Fire-Roasted Artichoke Hearts with Balsamic Vinaigrette. The Fire-Roasted Artichoke Hearts from the Cheesecake Factory is also a vegan favorite. However, make sure that you swap its creamy garlic sauce with a vegan alternative like balsamic vinaigrette to be sure.
- Crispy Brussel Sprouts with No Bacon. The best part about ordering sides and meals from the Cheesecake Factory is that they allow order customization. While their Crispy Brussel Sprouts often come with bacon, you can specifically ask the waiter to prepare It without the bacon to make it suitable for the vegan diet.
- Korean Fried Cauliflower with No Ranch Dressing. Another customizable side dish is the Korean Fried Cauliflower. Instead of the ranch dressing, you can enjoy them as-is or swap it with other non-cream sauces.
- Chips and Guacamole with No Sour Cream. If you want to snack on chips, the Chips and Guac option never disappoints. Just make sure that it doesn’t have any sour cream, and instead ask for more salsa to make it vegan.
- Vegan Cobb Salad. This salad is packed with a variety of superfoods such as quinoa, roasted beets, avocado, chickpea, tomato, asparagus, green beans, and so much more. Not only is it vegan, but it’s also a nutritious salad.
- Fresh Vegetable Salad. Another healthy salad containing asparagus, tomatoes, apples, edamame, and other nutrient-rich vegetables. But, you have to ask the waiter to prepare it without the cheddar cheese and replace it with a vegan alternative instead.
- Kale and Quinoa Salad. If you’re looking for a high-protein salad, the Kale and Quinoa Salad is perfect for you. Aside from these main ingredients, it also has grapes, sunflower seeds, and red bell peppers that are topped with zesty lemon vinaigrette.
- Falafel Salad. Another protein-rich salad is the Falafel salad. This is the perfect vegan choice if you’re looking for something heavy to eat.
- California Guacamole Salad without the feta cheese. The California Guacamole Salad is another great option. Just make sure to ask the server to prepare it without the feta cheese. You can ask for vegan cheese alternatives instead.
- Super Antioxidant Salad. If you need that extra dose of antioxidants and vitamins to keep you healthy, this salad is perfect for you. Containing a mix of fruits and vegetables, you’re sure to enjoy the perfect balance of sweet and sour from this healthy salad.
Cheesecake Factory Vegan Meals
Aside from its salads and sides, his restaurant also offers a decent amount of Cheesecake Factory vegan meals.
- Evelyn’s Favorite Pasta. Named after the Overton family matriarch, this vegan salad is packed with vegetables and pesto over rigatoni noodles. It delivers an explosion of flavors, which is easy to see why it’s Evelyn’s favorite.
- Veggie Burger without mayo and cheese. The Veggie Burger is another all-time vegan favorite from the Cheesecake factory. It uses plant-based patties that mimic the flavor and texture of real meat, so you can’t go wrong with this order. Just make sure to ask for one without mayo and replace the cheese with a vegan one.
- Pasta Pomodoro. An alternative to Evelyn’s Favorite Pasta if you prefer long noodles with a deliciously tangy sauce.
- Impossible Pasta Bolognese. The Cheesecake Factory also offers a vegan alternative to pasta Bolognese using Impossible Meat alternatives.
- Impossible Burger. If you’re looking for the perfect alternative to a fast-food burger, simply order the Impossible Burger on a vegan brioche bun and vegan island dressing to satisfy your cravings.
- Mushroom and Spinach Flatbread Pizza with no parmesan cheese. Instead of the dairy-based parmesan cheese, ask for a vegan cheese alternative instead.
Cheesecake Factory Vegan Dessert
This breaks our heart, but it’s sad to say that there is no Cheesecake Factory vegan cheesecake. It seems that the restaurant’s desserts contain dairy or eggs or both, taking it out of the realm of our dietary standards. Nevertheless, they can be considered vegetarian since they do not contain any meat product.
However, we must mention that some Cheesecake Factory locations offer fresh fruit slices. This can be your dessert alternative if it’s available in your nearest Cheesecake Factory branch.
Overall, the Cheesecake Factory still has an impressive vegan menu that we can all enjoy. Nevertheless, we still hope that one day, they might add some vegan cheesecake flavors for our benefit.
