Denver's first vegan food truck is putting down roots. Vegan Van is relocating from its Park Hill commissary to a brick-and-mortar restaurant at 1490 Eudora St. along East Colfax Avenue, with plans to open October 17 and serve breakfast, lunch and dinner in a fixed location for the first time in its history.
The move caps years of operational shuffling for the plant-based eatery, which as BusinessDen reports has a current shop in northeast Park Hill but is now expanding into a full-service space. Vegan Van general manager Hannah Lagaly told the outlet that the eatery's move has been somewhat of a saga, an understatement given the truck's history. Founded by Brittney Gurule as Denver's first vegan food truck, Vegan Van originally served residential neighborhoods until city code enforcement forced it out in late 2022, pushing it into temporary stints at Assembly Student Living and Park Hill Kitchens, according to Denver Westword.
A Building With a Bittersweet History
The Eudora Street address carries its own weight in Denver's dining community. The building was originally being transformed into the new home of fine-dining restaurant The Fifth String by chef and co-owner Amos Watts, who passed away unexpectedly in April 2024 at age 43 before construction was completed, Westword reported. Prior to securing the Eudora Street location, The Fifth String had operated in Denver's LoHi neighborhood inside the former Old Major space from August 2020 to August 2023, followed by a temporary pop-up on Larimer Street.
Following Watts's death, more than 20 Denver-area restaurants organized a Dine Out For Amos Watts fundraiser in August 2024 to help his widow, Jessica McCabe, cover ongoing property costs while a buyer or new operator was sought for the site, according to DiningOut. Hoodline previously detailed the property's tragic history and pending status.
Fast-Food Cravings, Plant-Based Twist
Vegan Van has built its identity around plant-based riffs on fast-food comfort food. The menu includes a seitan Crunchwrap, per BusinessDen, alongside items like McLovin breakfast sandwiches made with JUST Egg, a Royale with cheese, Chubby Fries and house-made seitan wings, according to details listed on Uber Eats. Assistant general manager Gabrielle Parisien rounds out the leadership team as the eatery prepares for its expanded format, and the new space is intended to double as a gathering spot, with Vegan Van planning to use the brick-and-mortar location for parties and events.
Opening Amid Major Colfax Construction
The timing puts Vegan Van in the middle of significant roadwork. The relocation to East Colfax Avenue places the restaurant along the route of a $280 million Bus Rapid Transit construction project that broke ground in late 2024, though the two-mile segment between Broadway and Colorado Boulevard reopened its center bus lanes in late September, as Hoodline has reported. Full BRT service on the corridor is not expected until early 2028.
The corridor is no small artery. East Colfax Avenue's bus line, served by RTD Routes 15 and 15L, represents the highest-ridership bus route in the Regional Transportation District system and is projected to carry more than 32,000 daily passengers once full BRT service launches, according to the Denver Streets Partnership. That traffic could be a boon for a new restaurant, but the construction disruption has also strained nearby merchants.
A Shifting Landscape for Vegan Dining
Vegan Van's expansion brings a new brick-and-mortar option to Denver's plant-based restaurant scene.
