Find Your Fresh
Summer 2022
Delicious plant-based cuisine in Nevada has never been easier to find.
Nevada’s desert landscape is well known, so it may surprise some to learn that the state is also home to organic farming operations and a robust farm-to-fresh dining scene. Restaurants all over the state—and increasingly in rural areas—are offering locally grown foods with a focus on vegetarian and/or vegan-oriented menus. Here are a few tasty offerings you’ll find.
FALLON
It’s no surprise the Oasis of Nevada is known for its farm-to-fork cuisine. Farms occupy tens of thousands of acres in the verdant valley, providing an agricultural bounty that is easily found in many restaurants.
Lattin Farms
For five generations,
Rick Lattin and his family have maintained one of Nevada’s largest organic farming operations. The farm is known for its tomatoes, berries, peppers, and squash, but their signature crop is the Hearts of Gold cantaloupe—an award-winning melon that is the namesake of Fallon’s greatest event. Lattin Farms is passionate about bringing farm-fresh produce to the community, and visitors are encouraged to stop by their incredible café, bakery, and produce stand.
Maine Street Café
For almost 15 years, this homegrown restaurant has adapted to the ever-changing landscape of food trends. Maine Street’s Chef Wenceslao Sandoval has more than 26 years of experience at four- and five-star restaurants, and he incorporates the café’s garden produce into a delicious and eclectic menu.
Slanted Porch
The Slanted Porch seems as if it were plucked out of a trendy urban neighborhood and dropped into rural Nevada. The loving detail that went into remodeling the 1908 residence into a trendy restaurant is also in the locally sourced food. Produce makes the less-than-4-mile trip from Lattin Farms, and beef is hand-selected from Fallon’s H5 Ranch. Even the delectable homemade potato chips come from potatoes grown at Fallon’s Workman Farms.
LAS VEGAS
The opportunities to eat whatever your heart desires are rife in Las Vegas. Finding farm-fresh, plant-based foods is easy, but a couple standout choices include:
VegeNation
Locations in Downtown Las Vegas and Henderson serve flavorful fare that just happens to be meatless—not the other way around. Try the “chicken” pot pie gnocchi garnished with pie crust; classic Vietnamese pho loaded with seasonal vegetables; or pizza topped with vegan sausage, jalapeños, and pineapple.
NoButcher
Those looking to add more plants to their diet should head to NoButcher’s bustling community table. Some great items to try: “Pulled NoPork” sandwich, “NoEgg” sandwich, and the
“NoTuna” sandwich.
RENO
The Biggest Little City’s Midtown District is home to a growing dining scene, and tasty, plant-based eating is at the forefront. Look for vegetarian options on most menus, but make sure to splurge on these fine choices:
Great Full Gardens
Since 2013, this eatery has offered vegan, gluten-free, and paleo choices along with healthy dishes for the meat lover in the family. The three locations feature many options from local vendors and farmers. Start with the sinful cheesy bruschetta, then indulge in the wasabi vegetable bowl. Wrap up your meal with their delicious signature Liège waffles.
Laughing Planet
With locations in Midtown and at the University of Nevada, Reno campus, this eatery focuses on delicious vegetarian and meat dishes served fast and fresh. Awesome salads and soups start things off, but save room for the Bollywood bowl, which will make your taste buds dance with the southern Indian flavors.
NEXT EVOLUTION COFFEE SHOP
A risky venture leads to delicious results.
On a quiet stretch of U.S. Route 95 on the Walker River Indian Reservation, an unassuming coffee shop beckons. Before entering, visitors may think they are in for a normal cup of joe, but one step inside this small sanctuary and you know you’re in for something special.
Andrea Martinez opened Next Evolution in October 2020, and while the pandemic proved a challenge, it was nothing compared to the monumental task she’d already set for herself. In a location that had been multiple burger joints, Andrea sought to provide her community with healthy organic food and drink options. Her menu is largely focused on vegetarian and vegan cuisine, and the idea of such an offering in Schurz was so unusual that Andrea could not get a business loan. After some help from her family, she decided to keep the plan under wraps until people could try her extensive and impressive menu for themselves.
While there were skeptics at first, most are now regular customers who come in daily for fresh fruit smoothies, beet juice shots, acai bowls, sandwiches, and coffee sourced from Star Village Coffee, an American Indian family-owned business based in Verdi. For Andrea, helping her community thrive is her greatest dream.
“I wanted to give my community healthy eating options that were readily prepared and inexpensive. I started this business to put people over profit,” she says. “This was never about making a ton of money.”
A steady stream of patrons—some regulars and others passing by on their way from Reno to Las Vegas—keep the eatery hopping. A drive-through window that was added to comply with pandemic regulations has proven popular, and now colorful smoothies, wickedly delicious coffee drinks, and flavorful organic sandwiches regularly pass through this convenient portal to hungry patrons.
Andrea’s dream of serving lovingly prepared, healthy, organic foods has proven a hit.
Inside, the shop is intimate with counter seating and a couple of small tables offering a relaxed setting. Fresh produce from farms on the reservation are included in her tempting creations, such as her sourdough sandwich: a simple affair of spinach, tomato, vegan mayo, cheese, and mushroom, with flavors and freshness that are both surprising and incredible. The attention to detail in the menu is obvious, and the myriad smoothie combinations offer out-of-this world concoctions.
With her first year under her belt, Andrea is already planning to start a full garden to source her food from. She also hopes to add outdoor seating and a pet-friendly area for travelers. Her location near the junction of U.S. 95 and A-95 has attracted visitors from around the globe, and each time it’s a chance to share a bit of her community with them.
“Some people admit they’d never seen a Native American before,” she says with a smile.
While her business may surprise some, its novelty is why she started it in the first place. Tending to her people and community and sharing her lifelong journey toward health in the most flavorful fashion is why Next Evolution is so special.