Who doesn't love neon?
I feel like I go to a lot of birthday dinners. It seems like all my friends have their birthdays in rapid succession, and they all want to have dinner. My own is quickly approaching, in October. For this latest birthday dinner I visited Rosepepper Cantina in East Nashville. This place was adorable. The decor was absolutely gorgeous, and I wish I could have taken more photos of the restaurant interior but because of the lighting they didn’t come out well. You’ll have to be satisfied with this gorgeous neon sign, which is over the door from the dining room to the patio. And what a patio it is! We dined inside due to the size of our party, but the next time I visit Rosepepper I’ll definitely be eating al fresco. The patio is enormous, and now that the weather had turned I bet it will be a really awesome experience to sit out there.
We had to wait a while for a table since there were a lot of us and we didn’t have a reservation and it was a Saturday, so we hung around the bar. I decided to order a pina colada, for funsies. If you decide to order a pina colada, you should know that it comes topped with a dollop of whipped cream. My bartender was kind enough to spoon it out for me. It is otherwise vegan, and you would be surprised how many wines and beers may not meet your personal definition of veganism (most hard liquor is fine). There’s a link in my sidebar to a site called Barnivore and they have a fantastic, well-researched guide to all kinds of beer, liquor, and wine. Information is power, people.
Chips and Salsa
I eat a lot of chips and salsa in my journeys. Seems like every restaurant I go to serves chips and salsa. So far, my favorite salsa in town is from Cafe Coco, followed very closely by Moe’s, but I’ve loved the Moe’s salsa for years and it’s not unique to Nashville. Other excellent salsas are available at Lime and Past Perfect. That being said, this salsa was great. It does not rival my top two, but it was still awesome. There was a mild one, a spicier one, and a green one. The green one was my favorite, followed by the spicier one. The mild one was so-so. I ate a lot of the green one.
Fajita Fresca Salad and Rice
Rosepepper is decidedly vegan-friendly. There is a vegan burrito on the menu–named simply “Vegan”–and if you want a simple meal, I would recommend that. But I didn’t feel like eating a burrito, I wanted a salad. I talked with my waitress about being vegan and how to veganize the Fajita Fresca salad. The waitress seemed knowledgeable about a vegan diet and helped me figure out how to change the salad. We left out the meat (obviously), the cheese, and the sour cream, subbed steamed veggies for the grilled, and added fresh avocado slices. It was pretty fantastic, except for the fact that it wasn’t really blended/tossed in any way and it was hard to get multiple things in one bite. I really had to dig for the beans and at first I thought they weren’t in there. I also had a rice, which my server assured me was vegan, but looking at the website further I’m not sure if that’s right. The “Veggie” burrito has rice but the “Vegan” burrito does not, which is what rouses my suspicion. If you are thinking about getting rice, be sure to ask if it contains any dairy or egg.
I will definitely go back to Rosepepper Cantina. I hear their margaritas are amazing, but I wasn’t in the mood that particular evening. Everything was fresh and tasty and there were lots of vegetables. And I definitely want to eat on that patio!
Rosepepper Cantina
1907 Eastland Avenue
Nashville, TN 37206
615.227.4777
Website – menu, photos, drinks, and more
Nashvegan 
the green salsa is my favorite too! my partner loves rosepepper…i like the fact that they are aware of veganism, i like not having to ask for ‘instead of…and can you leave off, and no…” etc etc etc. so i like that about it… the food *is* really good, just not that exciting.
i have been going to rosepepper since they first opened, i have always been told that the rice is not vegan, but – like most rice pilafs in restaurants, and boxes – contains chicken fat. i usually get the veggie fajitas and specify that i am vegan. the servers most always know that that means no cheese, no sour cream, no refried beans and no rice. i usually get extra guac and additional black beans on the side. unless something has changed very recently, i wouldn’t trust the rice.
Yeah I definitely think the rice is questionable. I was actually thinking it had butter, since it’s in the veggie burrito. I personally find it disturbing that they would include it in the veggie burrito if it contains chicken fat or broth. Gross.
it is ridiculous. i work in a restaurant that serves multiple entrees as “vegetarian” that do in fact contain chicken fat. i don’t get it at all.
Whoa–what restaurant is that, so I don’t accidentally eat a chicken fat entree?