Vegan Survival Guide to Northwest Arkansas: PENGUIN ED'S BBQ

Penguin Ed’s is a very popular local BBQ spot (actually three spots) in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

No, they don’t serve penguins slathered in hot ‘n sweet sauce. They offer the usual BBQ fare of chicken, ribs, and pulled pork, but a diner can also enjoy the several virtually vegan options: garden burger, black bean burger, portabello sandwich and veggie sub. (Ask them to substitute mustard for mayo and leave off the cheese.)

I say “virtually vegan” because I was not able to get a definitive answer on the ingredients of the Kaiser roll which comes with the sandwiches. Whole wheat bread can be substituted, but even there, I was not able to determine if honey or any whey products were used in the bread.

And here’s where I get “right sized” about my vegan crusade. Others can be firm in their resolve to get the full verification of ingredients of any restaurant meal, and I commend them for their efforts. I’ve found it works better for me to ask the question and get the conversation started. I engaged with co-owner Diane Knight on vegan choices and complimented her efforts to revamp their menu in recent years to introduce many gluten-free and vegetarian options. These are steps in the right direction. Nit picking over a roll’s content wasn’t as important to me as making this connection with my server and the owner.

I can personally recommend their flavorful garden burger or their juicy portabello sandwich complimented by home fries. Dig in!