Mellow Mushroom might be a restaurant chain, but the items on the menu are far from the average fare you would find at most recognizable American eateries. My first experience with this wacky pizzeria was back in college at Fayetteville, where I relied on it as the only place in town I could get a pizza with vegan cheese. Since then, Mellow Mushroom has been a safe haven for me when I’m traveling or just want some great, filling food. Their menu is bursting with vegan options, from amazing salads to hearty pizzas to huge sandwiches. They also have a great many beers and cocktails on the menu, making this a perfect spot to relax on the patio.

When Mellow Mushroom came to town, I knew I needed to head out to West Little Rock for some good grub. After a long hike up Pinnacle Mountain, my partner and I settled on the patio to have some drinks and enjoy the afternoon. Hummus is always something I like to try out on any menu, so we ordered that to start. It was light and not oily, with just the perfect amount of spice. It almost feels whipped, it’s so airy. The paprika, basil and olive oil garnish just add to the already delicious hummus.

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On this trip, I had to save room for my enormous sandwich. Thankfully, you can get these in half sizes, but I went for the full (and took some home). I settled on the tempeh hoagie sandwich, with vegan cheese instead of the regular cheese, and no mayo. I didn’t stop there, though. With a menu this jam packed with veggie offerings, I expanded on the sandwich. I added avocado and marinated portobello mushrooms. My huge sandwich became a monster, and I loved every delicious bite.

Don’t limit yourself to just sandwiches, though. There are tons of veggie offerings here, and you can substitute the vegan menu items for just about anything on the regular menu. The staff are helpful and laid back, and they’re usually great about swapping ingredients. Take the Thai Dye Pizza. It comes loaded with an olive oil garlic base, then it’s topped with cheese, chicken and Thai chili sauce. That’s an easy one to make vegan! Sub out the regular cheese for the vegan cheese, then top with tofu instead of chicken. Now you have yourself a delicious, vegan pizza.

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Dining out is all about being creative and flexible. With some restaurants offering limited menu items for vegans and vegetarians, often times you have to piece something together or go for the salad. That’s not always a bad thing, and a lot of restaurants around town will surprise you. Still, it’s nice to sit down and have so many options that it’s difficult to choose. That’s what it’s like at Mellow Mushroom, so go and create a monster sandwich or fantastic pizza of your own.

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