Romano's Macaroni Grill is a restaurant chain that specializes in Italian food which also has some tasty vegan options. They are known for their delicious rosemary bread as well as the white butcher paper on top of the tables that kids (and adults) can draw on.
While it does not have a specified vegan menu, it does have options that can fit in with a vegan diet. So what are the vegan options at Macaroni Grill? Let's check out the vegan menu items.
All allergen and nutritional information can be found on the Romano's Macaroni Grill website.
Macaroni Grill's Vegan Items
Antipasti
- Crispy Brussels Sprouts (with a balsamic glaze)
Soups
Luckily, there is one vegan soup on the menu.
- Tomato Basil
Salads
- Fresh Greens
All other salads have milk, chicken or seafood, and most also contain eggs. Unfortunately, most dressings are either Caesar or buttermilk ranch.
Sandwiches
- NONE
Land + Sea
- NONE
All of the Land + Sea menu items contain animal protein.
Sides
The best part of Macaroni Grill is their amazing rosemary bread which does not contain any animal products. There are also a few other vegan sides.
- Broccolini
- Crispy Brussel Sprouts
- Grilled Asparagus
- Rosemary Peasant Bread
Off the Grill
- NONE
Pasta
- NONE
All of their regular pasta dishes contain dairy.
Create your own pasta:
While their regular pasta dishes all contain dairy products, you can make your own pasta dish with vegan options.
For the pasta:
- Spaghetti
- Capellini
- Penne
- Fettuccine
- Rigatoni
Note: Their Gluten-free Tagliatelle contains milk and eggs.
Sauces:
- Imported Pomodorina
- Garlic Olive Oil
Additions:
- Roasted Peppers
- Fresh Spinach
- Roasted Tomatoes
- Sun-dried Tomatoes
- Roasted Garlic
- Broccolini
- Roasted Mushrooms
- Fresh Mushrooms
- Asparagus
- Caramelized Onions
Kids:
- NONE
All of the kids meals contain dairy and the majority also contain meat.
Desserts
- NONE
Unfortunately, all of their desserts contain milk and eggs.
Meal Options
So there are a fair amount of options that do not contain animal products. Unfortunately, dessert is out but here are a few meal ideas.
- Tomato basil soup, crispy Brussel sprouts, and a fresh green salad.
- Make your own pasta: Spaghetti, imported pomodorina (this is basically a marinara sauce), roasted mushrooms, and caramelized onions, and a side of grilled asparagus.
- Make your own pasta: Fettuccini, garlic olive oil, roasted peppers and asparagus.
Make sure you also have plenty of rosemary bread to go along with these meals.
History of Romano's Macaroni Grill
According to The Untold Truth of Romano's Macaroni Grill, the restaurant chain was founded by Philip J. Romano in 1988 who also founded Ruddruckers. The first restaurant opened in Leon Springs, TX (now part of San Antonio). It was very successful for years and eventually opened up over 230 locations in the United States.
But that success didn't last and they eventually filed bankruptcy in 2017. Luckily and with the help of a new CEO, they were able to turn things around and did not close down.
FAQ
Are there any vegan desserts at Macaroni Grill?
Unfortunately, no. They definitely need to improve their dessert offerings. It's very easy to have a few sorbet options for those looking for a dairy-free dessert.
Is Macaroni Grill's rosemary bread vegan?
Yes! Luckily their rosemary bread is vegan. It is served with olive oil and salt and pepper. They can also add Parmesan cheese to the olive oil so make sure you leave that out.
Summary
While it is not a vegan restaurant, I would consider Macaroni Grill to be a vegan-friendly restaurant. There are actually a number of vegan menu items that would make a delicious dinner. The Make Your Own Pasta option is a great choice. There are several vegan pasta options, two vegan sauces, and a good amount of vegetable toppings.
They could use some more vegan salads and definitely desserts made without dairy or eggs! But overall, if you want to go to an Italian restaurant with your non-vegan friends, Macaroni Grill can be a solid choice.
Wondering about what's vegan at other chain restaurants? Check out:
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