Uno Pizzeria & Grill, known by some simply as Uno or Uno's is a national chain inspired by Chicago, a city known as the birth place of deep dish pizza.  This chain, whose salads for years even included meat and cheese now offers vegan (yes, fully plant-based or pure vegetarian - no animal product) options!

Last week (as of October 2019) the chain announced the new vegan options on their menu as a part of their 'Love All Feed All' initiative. ​"At Uno's everyone is special" the new menu publicity reads.  While the new menu isn't fully vegan (It also features other new dishes for those with allergies as well as for those who eat meat just as before), we are excited to see the new vegan options.

Vegan labels are now right on the menu. Furthermore, the chain even defines vegan on their menu and explains what it means! - "Does not include animal meat or dairy, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs or honey." The new menu changes are not only available locally but have also been rolled out throughout each of Uno's locations nationwide. Uno locations in Bucks County include Doylestown (Warrington) and Neshaminy (Bensalem).  In nearby Philadelphia you can find a location in Conshohocken and Bucks County residents can choose to visit Uno in nearby Hamilton, NJ as well.

Uno's new vegan options include 2 salads, 3 entrees and 14 veggie pizza toppings (all in this case coincidentally healthy veggies.. no plant based pepperoni just yet...) The entrees available are vegan veggie pizza (also called vegan garden pizza), vegan cheese pizza (with Daiya cheese), and the Beyond Burger. Given that the new vegan veggie pizza includes more healthy veggies (and less fat) we think many non-vegans will spring for this dine-out option too in an effort to stay healthier and get in more nutrients.  Hey, maybe the new menu labels will even inspire visitors to Google more about why people choose vegan.  

[Note that the vegan veggie (garden) pizza is not deep dish and we do hear that if you want deep dish you'll have to call your local restaurant ahead and request using your own discretion.  Also, missing from the vegan options notably is dessert, which we really hope is soon to follow.  A vegan brownie or chocolate cake if you're listening UNO.. all so easily made vegan!  Let's do this!  Many of us do not mind paying a slight additional cost while we wait for supply to heighten with demand and decrease cost.]

Even those not following a vegan diet seem excited by the new vegan inclusive menu changes. The changes make the restaurant more viable for families who have vegan family members they'd like to be able to dine with at the restaurant. The new vegan items are also viable for those participating in meatless Mondays and as we know, the Beyond Burger is well loved by vegans and non-vegans alike.

Local Bucks County vegan organizations like Vegans of Yardley are now planning special outings to try the new pizza!  We can certainly see why. Some local pizzerias in Bucks will add vegan cheese if you bring it in or you can bring your own to use cold to top your sauce-only pizza (In keeping it vegan just be sure the restaurant's pizza crust and sauce do not have dairy or butter added). Still, vegan options when it comes to pizza in Bucks are still scant. While many vegans prefer cheeses other than Daiya, the new updates to vegan menu are a welcome are a very welcome surprise and we support it!  Who will be next? Pizza Hut has added vegan cheese options in UK and Australia but not the US.

A spokesperson for Uno reached out to us and said "We are excited about this new menu we hope you'll try it!"  Last week, animal rights group PETA messaged all of their national text subscribers regarding the new menu additions as well asking that animal lovers support these positive changes.  

Did you know?

Not satisfied with the options at Uno or want to make your own Chicago style pizza economically at home? ...perhaps a Deep dish pizza with homemade cashew cheese, Yum!  We can see it now.  Guess what.. you may have to travel a little while or make a special trip but you can actually take cooking classes from Uno on how to make your own Uno-style deep dish pizza. Unfortunately these classes are not available vegan as of yet, but you could theoretically call ahead to request special class accommodations or apply the style to your very own ingredients at home. The closest class location to Bucks County is Washington DC.

See you in the comments?

Will you be trying and supporting the new options at Uno?  Let us know in the comments below.  Comments help us increase our search result status and reach!

Why order Vegan? Learn more here.

Peddler's Village is a well-known shopping village in Lahaska, Bucks County adjacent to the New Hope and Buckingham areas. Often sought after by visitors throughout the Philadelphia region and a very popular must-see with tourists to our region, this shopping village is notable for it's beautiful atmosphere and special spot in Bucks County history.

Built in 1962, the village was inspired by historic and colonial villages. Today the 42 acre village still features many shops and restaurants all situated about a beautifully landscaped walking path. The village even includes a replica of a historic watermill.

Peddler’s Village is anchored by the famous Cock n' Bull restaurant (traditional menu) which has operated within the village since it's opening, and is now home to more than 60 shops in distinct categories. These include 'gallery and artisans,' 'beer, wine and spirits,' 'collectibles and gifts,' 'fashion and accessories,' 'international, lifestyle and home,' 'lodging,' 'services,' 'specialty foods' and 'gifts and toys, books, sports and hobbies.'

Recently we decided to see if we could find any vegan and plant-based options within the specialty food section of the village where shoppers can find specialty prepackaged foods and gifts. We were pretty pleased with what we found and we believe the options will even grow in the future. We present our findings by shop below. To learn more about what makes and item vegan and / or plant-based click here.

Extra Virgin
- This shop sells specialty pastas and high quality oils and dressings. Not all pastas or oils are marked as vegan or are vegan but many contain simple and clean ingredients that many shoppers might find suitable. Just check the packaging. Staff is helpful, knowledgeable and friendly.

​The Lucky Cupcake Company
- This bakery in the village sells cupcakes, cookies and other traditional baked goods. Clearly marked vegan options are available each day. Some at room temperature are ready-to-eat and some refrigerated are ready to take home or to your small party. Larger orders can be made ahead of time. We'd love to see a vegan cookie but can report that the cupcakes are delicious. Some items can be made vegan if ordered in advance. Staff was helpful and informative about which items were vegan and pointed us in the right direction immediately.

Savory Spice Shop
- This shop sells spices and marinades. A few dressings are noted as vegan as well. Many spices are available for cooking. Check labels. Packaging that includes dairy is clearly marked with warning labels - very helpful.

Clusters Handcrafted Popcorn
- This shop sells specialty seasoned popcorn ready to go. Has dairy-free options, not marked as vegan. These may or may not be vegan but we are thrilled to see that many of the popcorns are dairy-free.

Skip's Candy Corner
- This staple of the village sells traditional fudge and candy. The shop has a few but not many vegan options including prepackaged Taza brand toffee flavor and other chocolates. We'd love to see a vegan fudge option in the future! (meaning dairy butter, milk, and egg free) We're going to keep posted.

Sticky Situations
- Honey is an animal product and since vegan is a label for 'no animal products or byproducts' honey is not vegan.. but what you will find here is a wealth of knowledge and information about honey bees thanks to the knowledgeable expert staff. If you're interested in that, this shop can be very helpful.

Bucks County House of Jerky
- This shop has vegan jerkies in addition to their other selection but carries other products that some shoppers may want to avoid.