BJ's Restaurants

BJ's Restaurants

BJ's Restaurants are popping up everywhere, including at Arden Fair Mall in the space previously occupied by the California Cafe.  With the holidays coming up, I'm sure that we'll all be spending more time at the mall, so I thought I'd find out if there is anything vegan on the BJ's menu.

I sent an e-mail to the restaurant's headquarters and received a response from their director of operations for the Bay Area and the Central Valley.  Mostly, it appears that if you're a vegan eating at BJ's, you'll need to order non-vegan menu items and ask them to leave off the things you don't eat.  Here is your list of options:

·         Chips and Salsa

·         Vegetarian Pizza, if ordered without cheese

·         Garden Medley Salad, if ordered without feta cheese

·         House Salad, with either balsamic vinaigrette or oil and vinegar, if ordered without croutons, which contain Parmesan

·         Garden Vegetable Potato, if ordered without cheese or Alfredo sauce

·         Mediterranean Vegetable Pasta, if ordered without Parmesan topping

There were a few things on the menu that I thought might be vegan, but they are not, so I want to point those out so you won't order them by mistake:

·         The Hearty Minestrone Soup is made with beef broth

·         The Veggie Burger has cheese in the patty itself

·         The Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce has Parmesan cooked into the sauce

In addition to the BJ's at Arden Fair Mall, there are BJ's Restaurants in Natomas, Elk Grove, Folsom, and Roseville.  More information about their restaurants and their menu is available at http://www.bjsbrewhouse.com/.