Vegan Options at Rubio’s Coastal Grill (Updated 2024)

Rubio’s Coastal Grill is a Tex-Mex chain located on the west coast that has some great vegan options. In fact, they have a dedicated vegan menu right on their website outlining their vegan options.

They have added Impossible Meat to their menu, so there really is a lot to love here.

You can also tell just by looking through their information that they take a lot of thought and care into how they prepare their food. This always makes us feel a little better when dining out at a not-fully-vegan chain restaurant.

Full Vegan Options at Rubio’s Coastal Grill

For most of your options, you choose your “protein.” One of them is veggies.* These are a blend of grilled cauliflower, poblanos, red bell peppers, fire-roasted corn, and red onion marinated in garlic, lemon and sea salt.

Burritos

California Impossible Burrito*. Order with NO cheese or creamy chipotle sauce … comes with Impossible meat, guacamole, seasoned french fries and salsa fresca wrapped in a flour tortilla. Served with tortilla chips*.
Bean & Cheese Burrito*. Order with NO cheese … comes with “no-fried” pinto beans and mild salsa wrapped in a flour tortilla. Served with tortilla chips.
Burrito Especial with Grilled Veggies*. Order with NO creamy chipotle sauce … comes with a blend of cauliflower, poblanos, red bell peppers, fire roasted corn, red onion, guacamole, citrus rice, black beans, roasted chipotle salsa, and salsa fresca wrapped in a flour tortilla. Served with tortilla chips.
Especial Impossible Burrito*. Order with NO creamy chipotle sauce … comes with Impossible meat, citrus rice, guacamole, black beans, salsa fresca and salsa fresca wrapped in a flour tortilla. Served with tortilla chips*.

Bowls

Cilantro Lime Quinoa Bowl*. Choose your protein: Impossible meat, veggies or none … comes with brown rice & quinoa, romaine lettuce, sliced avocado, black beans, cilantro mojo sauce and toasted almonds.
California Bowl*. Order with NO cheese or creamy chipotle sauce. Choose your protein: Impossible meat, veggies or none and either chipotle salsa or salsa verde … comes with fresh guacamole, citrus rice, black beans, romaine and salsa fresca.
Mexican Street Corn Bowl*. Order with NO cheese or creamy chipotle sauce. Choose your protein: Impossible meat, veggies or none … comes with citrus rice, romaine, Mexican street corn, chili lime tajin, guacamole, cilantro, onion, black beans and a cilantro lime mojo sauce.

Nachos

Impossible Meat Loaded Nachos*. Order with NO cheese or sour cream … comes with Impossible meat, guacamole, salsa fresca and “no-fried” pinto beans on tortilla chips.

Salads

Avocado Corn Taco Salad*. Order with NO pickled jalapeno ranch. SUB with lemon agave white balsamic vinaigrette. Choose your protein: Impossible meat, veggies or none … comes with romaine, black beans, roasted corn, salsa fresca, tortilla strips and sliced avocado.
Chopped Salad*. Order with NO cheese or chipotle ranch. SUB with lemon agave white balsamic vinaigrette. Choose your protein: Impossible meat, veggies or none … comes with romaine, cabbage, tortilla strips and salsa fresca.
Mango Avocado Salad*. Choose your protein: Impossible meat, veggies or none … comes with mango salsa, brown rice & quinoa, sliced avocado, tortilla strips, mixed greens and lemon agave white balsamic vinaigrette.

Vegan Dressing

Lemon Agave Balsamic Vinaigrette

Taco Plates

Verde Veggie Two Taco Plate*. Order with NO cheese or white sauce … comes with grilled cauliflower, poblanos, red bell peppers, fire-roasted corn and red onions served on corn tortillas with crisp romaine lettuce, avocado slices, verde salsa, and cilantro/onion mix. Served with black beans and citrus rice.
Grilled Gourmet Impossible Two Taco Plate*. Order with NO cheese or creamy chipotle sauce … comes with Impossible meat, avocado, roasted chipotle salsa and cilantro/onion mix on corn taco shells. Served with “no-fried” pinto beans and tortilla chips.
Two Taco Tasting Plate*. Pick each of your tacos from the two above, Verde Veggie or Grilled Gourmet Impossible. Then choose a side. The list of vegan sides is below.

Tacos A La Carte

Grilled Gourmet Veggie Taco. Order with NO cheese or creamy chipotle sauce … comes with grilled cauliflower, poblanos, red bell peppers, fire-roasted corn and red onions served on a corn tortilla with avocado slices, roasted chipotle salsa and a cilantro/onion mix.
Grilled Gourmet Impossible*. Order with NO cheese or creamy chipotle sauce … comes with Impossible meat, avocado, roasted chipotle salsa and cilantro/onion mix on a corn taco shell.
Impossible Taco*. Order with NO cheese or creamy chipotle sauce … comes with guacamole, salsa fresca and romaine lettuce on a corn taco.
Impossible Street Taco* … comes with fresh guacamole and cilantro/onion mix on a snack-sized taco.

Vegan Sides

Chips*
“No-fried” Pinto Beans™. Order with NO cheese
Black Beans. Order with NO cheese
Citrus rice*
Mexican rice*
Cauliflower Rice
Mexican Street Corn. Order with NO cheese or white sauce.
Fresh Greens with Lemon Agave Balsamic Vinaigrette

Additional Vegan Sides

Grilled Veggies* … a blend of cauliflower, poblanos, red bell peppers, fire-roasted corn, and red onion marinated in garlic, lemon and sea salt
Quinoa and Brown Rice
Tortilla Chips*
Fresh Guacamole
Fresh Guacamole & Chips*

Kid’s Menu Options

Build Your Own Tacos Kids Meal*. Order with NO cheese. Choose Impossible meat … comes with lettuce, 2 flour tortillas, 2 sides and a drink.
Bean & Cheese Burrito*. Order with NO cheese … comes with no-fried” pinto beans in a flour tortilla with 2 sides and a drink.

Sauces & Extras

Roasted Chipotle Salsa
Mild Salsa
Tomatillo Salsa
Salsa Picante
Jalapeno Citrus Hot Sauce
Diablo Hot Sauce
Salsa Fresca
Cilantro/Onion Mix
Lime Slices
Lemon Slices
Jalapeno & Carrots

-> While most restaurants have a cross-contamination statement, Rubio’s has one of the most specific cross-contamination statements we’ve ever seen:

*Due to potential cross-contact when preparing menu items, it is not possible to guarantee meals completely free of any particular allergen or ingredient.

The following products are cooked in canola oil in a shared fryer: Beer-Battered Wild Alaska Pollock, Tortilla Chips, Tortilla Strips, Churros, Mexican Rice, Citrus Rice, Chicken Bites and Chicken Taquitos.

Impossible™ meat, fish, tortillas, veggies, toasted cheese and shellfish are cooked on the same grill.

Rubio’s Coastal Grill Vegan FAQ

Are Rubio’s Beans Vegan?

Yes. Rubio’s Pinto Beans and Black Beans are both vegan and not made with lard. If ordering as a side make sure to specify no cheese with your order as both beans are served with cheese on top by default.

Is the Mexican Rice at Rubios Vegan?

Yes! They actually offer 3 different kinds of vegan rice… Mexican, Citrus, and Cauliflower. Be aware, there may be a cross-contamination issue with the Mexican and Citrus rice though. This is there disclaimer:

“The following products are cooked in canola oil in a shared fryer: Beer-Battered Wild Alaska Pollock, Tortilla Chips, Tortilla Strips, Churros, Mexican Rice, Citrus Rice, Chicken Bites and Chicken Taquitos.”

Is Rubio’s Impossible Burrito Vegan?

Rubios offers two different Impossible Burritos, the California Impossible Burrito and the Especial Impossible Burrito. Both need to be ordered with NO cheese or creamy chipotle sauce to make them vegan.

Is Rubio’s Impossible Taco Salad Vegan?

The Taco Salad with Impossible Meat available at Rubio’s is their Avocado Corn Taco Salad. You can make it vegan by ordering with NO pickled jalapeno ranch. SUB the dressing with their only vegan option, lemon agave balsamic vinaigrette if you choose.

The VeggL App

Download the ultimate on-the-go vegan resource. Quickly access over 300 vegan guides for restaurants, airports and stadiums. Get unlimited access to all our sheets with the free version. Upgrade to Pro to go ad-free!

Never get frustrated by not knowing what you can get to eat ever again!

Our Picks

Jen & Ryan’s Pick: We’ve only made a couple of trips out west and do not remember coming across any Rubio’s when we did. We will definitely be on the lookout for one the next time we’re out there though!