Coffee is one of the most popular beverages out there. According to an estimate, more than 150 million Americans drink coffee regularly. While some coffee chains offer animal-based coffees, others also provide vegan beverages and food.
Caribou Coffee is one of the few coffee chains that offer vegan coffee and other beverages.
Numerous vegan options are available at Caribou Coffee. This coffeehouse chain offers both food and drinks that are suitable for vegans. The vegan drink options at Caribou include black coffee, almond latte, soy latte, and more. On the other hand, Caribou also offer vegan bagels, fruit cups, and oatmeal for their non-meat-eating customers.
This article will teach you everything you need to know about Caribou Coffee and its vegan status.
Table of Contents
History Of Caribou Coffee
Let’s start with a bit of the history of Caribou Coffee. This American-based coffeehouse chain was founded in Minnesota in 1992, and today, it is considered one of the biggest coffeehouse chains, with more than 600 locations worldwide.
At first, Caribou Coffee just offered coffee for office workers and was only open Monday-Friday. However, nowadays, most locations of this coffeehouse chain also offer other foods and beverages, including high-quality bakery goods, teas, coffees, and related merchandise.
Vegan Options At Caribou Coffee
Finding a vegan-friendly beverage in a restaurant is not an easy task. Most coffee chains use cow milk to make delicious coffees; they are off-limit for vegans. However, you don’t have to give up.
Instead of animal milk, some restaurants use plant-based milk, such as almond milk, soya milk, coconut milk, oat milk, and more.
Drinks
Caribou Coffee was originally a coffee shop, and therefore, it is famous for its beverages, including coffees, teas, and more. According to their website, all drinks at Caribou can be made entirely vegan, except for some products that contain caramel or chocolate.
You can get the following beverages that can be made vegan at Caribou Coffee:
- Black Coffee
- Almond Latte
- Soy Latte
- Juices
- Teas, Beside Chai
- Smoothies
Remember that you might have to alter some beverages to make them 100% vegan – especially coffees. Order them with coconut, almond, or soy milk for coffees, and avoid whipped cream.
Food
As Caribou Coffee is a coffeehouse chain, you cannot expect an impressive list of vegan food options.
The vegan food menu at Caribou Coffee includes:
- Breakfast Sandwich
- Sesame Bagel
- Everything Bagel
- Plain Bagel
- Fruit Cups
- Crunch Oatmeal
- Classic Oatmeal
You will also need to modify these dishes to make them entirely vegan. For instance, order the breakfast sandwich without cheese or eggs, and get the oatmeal with soy, almond, or water instead of dairy products.
How To Get Vegan Food At Caribou Coffee
As vegan has become a symbol, it’s getting simpler to get vegan food these days. Many restaurants, including Caribou Coffee, are trying to offer more and more vegan-friendly items. However, the menu of a restaurant differs from location to location.
Therefore, you must know how to find vegan options at a specific restaurant. To help you out, we have mentioned some of the most effective methods to get vegan food at a restaurant.
Check The Menu
First of all, check the menu at Caribou Coffee. While some restaurants feature a “V” sign to indicate the vegan items, others write all the ingredients, and you can read the ingredients to see if there are eggs or dairy products.
In a coffee shop, you will need to worry about dairy products. As most drinks contain animal milk, you should ensure your product contains plant-based milk, such as soy, coconut, or oat.
Request For Modification
So, all products on the menu contain dairy items, such as whipped cream, milk, and more – what should you do?
The best thing about coffee shops is that they allow you to make modifications. As Caribou Coffee shops offer soy and coconut milk products, you can ask for a change. Keep in mind that all beverages at a coffee shop require some modifications to become 100% vegan.
Ask your server to skip eggs, animal-based milk, chocolate, caramel, and other products that are not suitable for vegans.
Look At The Nutritional Values
All locations of Caribou Coffee usually contain the nutritional value of their products, and they will show you this information at your request.
You can also get the nutritional values/information about a product on Caribou’s official website. So, you don’t even have to waste your time to determine whether a product is vegan or not.
Ask The Server
If none of the above methods are practical for you, ask the server. Most workers at Caribou Coffee know ingredients and the working process. So, if you ask for the server’s opinion, they will help you place a vegan order.
Best Cafes For Vegans
Other than Caribou Coffee, more and more coffeehouse chains are now offering vegan-friendly products. These coffee shops use plant-based ingredients and cruelty-free products.
Today, hundreds of coffee shops in America offer vegan bagels, donuts, and beverages. We have compiled a list of cafes that offer vegan drinks and foods to give you a little perspective.
Stumptown Coffee Roasters
When it comes to the best plant-based milk, no other brand can beat Stumptown Coffee Roasters with no extra cost. Other than Stumptown, this coffee chain is also available in Oregon and Portland, and it offers soy milk and almond milk with numerous other options.
The vegan pastry flavor of Stumptown Coffee Roasters varies from location to location. In general, it offers both savory and sweet vegan pastries, including Chai Blondies, Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, Rainbow Rice Bowl, Marion Berry hand Pie, and PB&J Cookies.
Revelator Coffee Company
Now, Revelator Coffee Company does charge some extra costs for almond and oat milk, but it is worth every penny. Besides vegan milk, this coffee shop also offers a variety of other food options, which differ from location to location.
In general, most Revelator Coffee shops offer vegan cookies, muffins, TLT sandwiches, Caesar Salad, Charred Vegetables, House-Smoked Tofu, and Smoked-Tofu Hash.
Pret A Manger
The Pret A Manger offers non-dairy milk, including oat and almond milk, without additional charges. This coffee chain is not limited to America either; it is an international company with plenty of delicious eats.
Pret A Manger contains an online menu and various filters. You can filter the menu to find vegan dishes such as hummus wrap and falafel. This coffee shop also offers seasonal vegan products, including pumpkin spice latte and coconut bites.
Peet’s Coffee
Next, we have Peet’s Coffee. Peet’s has been offering various vegan-friendly milk options, including coconut, soy, almond, and oat, for a long time. For vegans, this coffee shop has also created a plant-based Everyday Sandwich.
The breakfast sandwich at Peet’s Coffee contains an Everyday Bagel, Vio-Life Cheddar Cheese, Beyond Meat Sausage, and Plant-Based Eggs. Peet’s also sells vegan pastries with different flavors.
Jack’s Stir Brew Coffee
Jack’s Stir Brew Coffee is another coffee chain that deserves a spot on our list. This New York-based café offers vegan milk options, including macadamia, oat, and almond. It is 100% organic and offers beverages, pastries, bagels, and more.
The most popular vegan options at Jack’s Stir Brew Coffee include Apple Cider Donut, Banana Crumble Muffin, Seasonal Scones, and Homemade Biscuits.
Dunkin’
Dunkin’ is one of the most popular coffeehouse chains available out there. There are dozens of vegan options at this coffee shop. It offers oat and almond milk – while some shops have additional charges for these kinds of milk, others don’t add a surcharge.
Besides plant-based milk, other vegan options at Dunkin’ include oatmeal, English muffin, hash browns, sesame bagels, plain bagels, everything bagels, and cinnamon raisin bagels.
Blue State Coffee
Last but not least, we have Blue State Coffee. This coffee chain offers multiple vegan products and milk options, and it does not charge any extra cost for plant-based milk, including coconut milk, oat milk, and more.
The most popular vegan options at Blue State Coffee include Chickpea Sandwich and Balsamic-Roasted Tofu.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are numerous vegan options at the Caribou Coffee chain. You can get both drinks and food at this coffeehouse chain. The vegan beverage options at Caribou include black coffee, plant-based lattes, juices, and teas.
However, keep in mind that you might need to modify some items at Caribou Coffee to make them 100% vegan. So, make sure to check the menu and avoid dairy products.