Restaurant Feature: The Spotted Dog Restaurant & Bar

Welcome back to Viva La Vegan! This week's blog post will feature The Spotted Dog which is a popular vegan and vegetarian restaurant located in Carrborro, NC. The Spotted Dog was the first vegan restaurant that I came across when I first moved to Chapel Hill, NC. After my first experience there, I knew this restaurant was going to be one of my go-to spots. The staff are some of the most friendliest people I have met. My roommates and I have become regulars there and every time we dine in each of the servers make sure to stop by our table and say hello.

The Spotted Dog is the perfect spot for everyone. Their menu features vegan, vegetarian, and regular food. Many of their non-vegan options can easily be veganized as well. In this week's blog post we will be taking a dive into some of my favorites on The Spotted Dog Menu!

Kibbles & Bits (Appetizers)

Fido's Fries $10

(Vegetarian/Vegan Options)

Beer-battered fries topped with white cheddar cheese, bacon (soy or pork), scallions, and sour cream. Veganize it with vegan shredded cheese and vegan sour cream.

The Fido Fries are the go-to appetizer when my roommates and I visit Spotted Dog. The portion is large enough for three people to share. Finding vegan loaded fries is quite difficult and finding vegan loaded fries that actually taste good is even harder. Spotted Dog understood the assignment with this appetizer.

Rating: 9/10

Frickles $8

When I first went vegan the one thing I knew I would miss the most were fried pickles. Frickles are Spotted Dog's take on vegan Fried Pickles. I would order Frickles for myself every time we visited Spotted Dog. The portion is large enough for two people because I would always bring about half of the Frickles home. Sadly, Spotted Dog changed their batter for their Frickles. The Frickles look more like potato chips rather than fried pickles. They still taste great but they just are not the same as they used to be.

Rating: 7.5/10

Burgers, Buns, & Handhelds

TLT (Vegan) $13

Smoky, tempeh bacon, mesclun greens, tomato & vegan herb mayo.

If I were honest about the amount of times I have ordered this sandwich I would be incredibly embarrassed. It is just that good. The TLT can be ordered on three different types of bread: rye, multigrain wheat, or sourdough which is what I highly recommend. The TLT's simplicity makes it a meal that every vegan can enjoy. It can be paired with any of their sides; I recommend either the potato salad, sweet potato fries, or French fries.

Rating 10/10

Spot's Bean Burger (Vegan) $14

House-made black-eyed pea or quinoa black bean burger, house-made vegan chipotle mayo, mesclun greens, tomato & cilantro.

A lot of vegan burgers are filled with chemicals and sometimes don't taste good at all. The black bean burger at Spotted Dog is the exact opposite. Their house-made patties are vegan friendly, taste great, and are not filled with tons of chemicals. Whenever I am craving a good burger Spotted Dog is my go-to choice. You can't have a burger with out some delicious fries.

Rating 8.5/10

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Their menu features plenty of more delicious food that I personally haven't tried yet. I highly recommend giving this local small business a visit! You will not be disappointed! As always like and comment and stay tuned for next Wednesday's blog!