A stop at Gladys’s for lunch turned into one of the best meals I have had in 2026.

I had the chance to make a road trip to Denver this week and was elated to be able to visit one of my favorite restaurants there, Gladys. It’s in the Edgewater Public Market just west of Sloan’s Lake. I’m thrilled that they have been able to move from one of the food stalls to their own restaurant space!

I went for lunch. The person who took my order at the counter was a breath of fresh air when it comes to customer service. I told him I had been before and wanted to try something different. The root vegetable Reuben is delish, but it was going to be a lot for me for lunch. He took the time to go over everything with me, and we landed on the Tofu Cacciatore. I would soon learn that that was the best decision.

Goodness. This Tofu Cacciatore was everything I love in a meal: deliciously prepared tofu, an assortment of scrumptious vegetables, and too many flavors to count. I love food and have had hundreds of vegan meals in places all over, and this one immediately made it to the list of my top meals for the year. I’m still thinking about it two days later.

I loved just being in the space. The same person who took my order checked on me a couple of times, and I always had water. After I finished and considered licking my plate, it was time for dessert. I had already ordered the lemon tart, and once again, my taste buds were in for a treat.

Gladys checks all of the boxes for me. It was a great experience, one I hope to repeat before I head home. If you know my restaurant reviews, you know they are based on delish vegan food and awesome service. All of that and more is what I experienced, and I was so happy to be able to support a vegan restaurant whose presence alone brings much to the community.

Our vegan restaurants need us. If you’re in the Denver area, swing by and have a great meal while taking a break from everything going on in the world.

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Go vegan. Vote. Be kind.