Tijuana Flats is an American restaurant chain that serves Tex-Mex cuisine. It has more than 135 outlets nationwide and is headquartered in Maitland, Florida.
Unfortunately, Tijuana Flats is not a vegan restaurant.
Since Tijuana Flats is a non-vegan restaurant, vegans will find it tough to have a vegan-friendly meal at the eatery.
Let’s first discuss the story of Tijuana Flats.
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Tijuana Flats – The Story
Brian Wheeler, a college student, was the founder of Tijuana Flats. Brian enjoyed visiting restaurants and bars, and in 1995, he had an idea, he wanted to open his restaurant.
However, like most college students, Brian was broke. Fortunately, Brian’s father loaned him money to open the first Tijuana Flats restaurant in Winter Park, Florida.
Four years later, in 1999, Brian’s restaurant caught the attention of the restaurant industry’s hotshot -Brian Fitch. Fitch left his retirement and became chairman and partner of Tijuana Flats.
Chester Wheeler, Brian’s father, left his thirty-year career at a Fortune 500 firm and became the chief financial officer of Tijuana Flats. Since then, the restaurant has grown and has 124 outlets in four states.
While most college students would be pleased to have their own restaurant, Brian wanted to serve more than just burritos. He created a line of hot sauces called Smack My Ass And Call Me Sally. This line includes a variety of hot sauces, from sweet to full-blown burns.
Tijuana Flats Cares
You might think that Tijuana Flats doesn’t care due to the eclectic non-chain vibe of the restaurant, but that is not true. The restaurant cares deeply about the community.
The restaurant recruits the best people to add to its team, and these people engage with guests and ensure that they have a comfortable experience.
What’s Vegan At Tijuana Flats
Starters (No Meat And Dairy)
Tijuana Trio (Vegan)
- No Ingredients Listed
Chips And Guacamole (Vegan)
- No Ingredients Listed
Whole Wheat Tortillas
- Toppings: Shredded Jack Cheese, Cream Cheese, and Jalapenos
- Sauces and Dressings: Smack my Ass Chili Sauce
Entrees (No Meat And Dairy)
Crispy Shrimp And Corn Tacos
- Filling: Fried Shrimp
- Shells and Tortillas: Corn and Flour Blend Tortilla
- Toppings: Corn Salsa, Cilantro Straw, Avocado Salsa, Pickled Red Onions, Garlic Lime Sauce, and Queso Fresco
- Sides: Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips
Fajita Shrimp Quesadilla
- Filling: Sauteed Shrimp
- Shells and Tortillas: Flour Tortilla
- Toppings: Guacamole Topping, Pico Topping, Shredded Jack Cheese, Shredded Lettuce, Garlic Lime Sauce, Poblano Peppers and Onions, Sour Cream Topping and Queso Fresco
- Sides: Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips
Garlic Lime Shrimp Bowl
- Filling: Sauteed Shrimp
- Toppings: Guacamole Topping, Cilantro Slaw, Queso Fresco, Pickled Red Onions, Black Beans, Cilantro Lime Rice, and Poblano Pepper and Onions.
- Sauce: Garlic Lime Sauce
- Sides: Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips
Burrito
- Filling: Black Beans
- Shells and Tortilla: Flour Tortilla
- Toppings: Diced Tomatoes, Shredded Jack Cheese, Jalapenos, Sour Cream, Diced Onions, Cilantro Lime Rice, and Shredded Lettuce.
- Sides: Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips
Flautas
- Filling: Blackened Chicken
- Shells and Tortilla: Flour Tortilla
- Toppings: Shredded Jack Cheese, Sour Cream, Pico Topping, Small Guacamole, Jalapenos, Small Queso, and Shredded Lettuce.
Vegan Bowl
- Filling: Blackened Chicken, Cilantro Rice, and Black Beans
- Toppings: Sour Cream, Shredded Lettuce, Diced Onions, Diced Tomatoes, Jalapenos, Cilantro Lime Rice, and Guacamole.
- Sides: Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips
Fresh Salad
- Fillings: Classic Chicken
- Shells and Tortillas: Whole wheat Salad Shell and Salad Shell
- Toppings: Jalapenos, Diced Tomatoes, Diced Onions, Shredded Jack Cheese, Sour Cream, Guacamole, and Salad Mix
- Sauces and Dressing: Avocado Ranch Dressing
- Sides: Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips
Sides (No Meat And Dairy)
- Fresh Red Salsa
- Spicy Salsa
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Guacamole
- Refried Beans
- Black Beans
Should Tijuana Flats Add More Vegan Items To The Menu?
Tijuana Flats has plenty of vegan options on the menu.
However, should they add more? Yes, definitely, but all they need to ensure that these items are 100 % vegan right now.
Preparation
While Tijuana Flats does offer vegan-friendly items, do they prepare vegan food separate from non-vegan food? Only the restaurant can answer this question. However, clarity is essential, so it would be great if Tijuana Flats shared this information beforehand to ensure vegans are comfortable when ordering food.
Is Tortilla At Tijuana Flats Vegan?
The flour Tortilla is listed among several vegan-friendly items, so we assume it is vegan. However, never take anything for granted, inquire about the item, and ensure it is vegan before placing the order.
Does Tijuana Flats Have Vegan-Friendly Cheese?
While Tijuana Flats does have several types of cheeses on the menu, it doesn’t have vegan cheese. However, you can suggest vegan cheese to the restaurant; hopefully, they will add it to the menu in the future.
Should Vegans Visit Tijuana Flats?
This is a million-dollar question; however, it has a straightforward answer; since Tijuana Flats offers vegan-friendly food, vegans can visit it.
However, vegans need to keep in mind the suggestions given above, and they should always inquire about the item before they order it.
Conclusion
In this guide, we discussed the menu of Tijuana Flats. We discovered several vegan-friendly items on their menu. This is a restaurant that vegans can visit and have a good time.