December 1, 2025
Every August, the Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge brings together restaurants from across the metro to create bold, innovative plant-based dishes for diners to taste, rate, and share.
The 2025 challenge was the biggest yet, with more than 1,600 votes cast across 27 participating restaurants and rave reviews from the community. Organized by Compassionate Action for Animals (CAA), the Challenge highlights the growing demand for compassionate dining and helps keep animals off the table — one delicious meal at a time.
For the Lundquist family — parents Stephanie and Greg, and their daughter Rebecca — the Challenge has become more than a fun food event. It’s turned into a meaningful family tradition. And what sets them apart is no small feat: they visited every single participating restaurant last year AND again this year, making them true “super-challengers.”
This year brought new twists to their experience, including a major life change, new guest raters and fresh discoveries. All three Lundquists shared equally in the adventure — and each of them brought a unique perspective to the journey.
A Change in Routine for the Lundquists
A big change for Rebecca shaped the way the family experienced this year’s challenge.
“One thing about this year versus last year was that I moved out of my parents’ house,” she said. “So each time we went out to try dishes it was so fun to see my parents and spend time with them since I don’t see them every day anymore!”
Stephanie and Greg felt the same. They loved the food, but they especially valued the added chance to spend time with their daughter. “Having Rebecca join us again made everything extra special,” Stephanie said. “It wasn’t just about the food — it was a chance to reconnect.”
Greg agreed, adding that the Challenge became a fun reason to explore new parts of the metro together. “We were doing something we all enjoyed, and it made the month feel more exciting.”
Another change this year is that they brought along other friends to join in the Challenge with them: “This year we added guest judges. We wanted people to join us who may not regularly eat plant-based to experience the delicious and creative restaurants we have here in the Twin Cities.”
Stephanie reported, “They all really loved the food and said it was delicious! Plus, they said it was a lot of fun, and we agree! As it turned out, all of our guests were non-vegans and non-vegetarians, and they really enjoyed the vegan food.”
Taking the Challenge to the Next Level
The Lundquists didn’t hesitate about joining again this year and taking on their own version of the Challenge. For them, it blends creativity, connection, and discovery.
Rebecca explained her motivation clearly: “I love trying new vegan dishes in the Twin Cities and discovering new restaurants to go to and bring my friends to!” She continued, “I love … talking to the chefs/restaurant staff about the dishes. It is so cool to hear about how proud they are of the food and the motivations behind each dish! So cool!”
Stephanie said she enjoys expanding her palate and being pleasantly surprised by food she might not normally order. Greg added that the challenge feels like a mini-tour of the best plant-based food the region has to offer.
“It’s inspiring,” he said. “You get to experience just how creative and delicious vegan food can be.”
He went on to share, “Also, we’re all competitive, even though we won’t admit it, and we love completing the goal of visiting each restaurant. We also love to win prizes.”
How They Completed All the Restaurants … Again
Yes — the Lundquists reached every participating restaurant this year (and last year too)!
That’s an impressive feat for anyone, but especially for a busy family. Rebecca shared the strategy that made it possible:
“I have a pretty busy schedule, so going to multiple restaurants in one day is a MUST. You also need to map out what’s near each other and hours they are open to maximize efficiency.” Greg also shared that they tried to go to 4 restaurants on the same day!
Stephanie added that sharing dishes helped them taste more without getting overwhelmed. Greg noted that having a plan made the whole experience smoother and more fun.
This year, they also dealt with a challenge: time. “Not enough time!” Rebecca said. “Especially with working full time — some [restaurants] are only open during the day.”
But with good planning, teamwork, and a commitment to completing the Challenge, they made it happen.
Tips for Future Vegan Chef Challenge Diners
The Lundquist family has some advice for both first-timers and returning challengers who want to make the most of the experience:
1. Try something new.
Rebecca said, “I always gravitate toward ordering the same things or eating at the same restaurants, but go try a restaurant or dish you might not usually pick — you’ll be pleasantly surprised!”
2. Plan your route.
Mapping out locations and business hours in advance keeps the challenge fun instead of stressful. This year they used our suggested map routes to help them get started.
3. Share dishes.
This is one of Stephanie’s favorite strategies. Sharing dishes lets you taste more while reducing food waste.
4. Bring a group.
Rebecca said, “Having a group to try each dish helps or that would be a lot of food for one person to eat HAHA!”
5. Give yourself time.
Some restaurants have limited hours — planning ahead makes a big difference.
Favorite Dishes From This Year’s Challenge
With so many creative vegan dishes to explore, picking favorites wasn’t easy. But one dish stood out strongly for Rebecca: “Reverie’s taco — that was so bomb I literally crave it every day.”
Lots of other diners agreed with Rebecca’s choice, as Reverie’s dish was the second-place winner this year!
Stephanie and Greg shared several favorites too, ranging from comfort-food classics to inventive, chef-driven dishes. They agreed that this year’s challenge offered even more creativity than last year.
Greg told us: “my top three were the Burnt End Tacos at Reverie, the Crispy Chicken Rice Bowl at Food on the Fly and the Masala Fire Tacos at Namaste.” Many other diners in the Challenge agreed, as these were the top restaurants in the ratings! Stephanie loved the Reverie dish too, plus: “I also loved Tori Ramen’s Hobak Buchim – a zucchini pancake made with baby Korean pumpkin, garnished with avocado and seaweed. This was such an impeccably plated, superbly delicious gourmet dish!”
What the Lundquists enjoyed most in the restaurant choices:
- bold flavors
- friendly staff
- beautifully presented dishes
- thoughtful, plant-based innovation
“It’s cool to talk to chefs and hear the story behind each dish,” Rebecca said. “You can tell how proud they are.”
The Lundquists’ Biggest Takeaways From This Year’s Challenge
This year’s Challenge opened the family’s eyes even more to the growing vegan food scene in the Twin Cities. “There are a lot more restaurants in the Twin Cities that have vegan options than I thought,” Rebecca said.
Greg noted “Love the challenge! Love hanging out with family and guest judges! This year there was really a step up in creativity. A vegan sunny side up egg?? Amazing!”
Stephanie shared: “What I look forward to the most about the Vegan Chef Challenge is spending time with my family, trying creative and delicious foods and completing the adventure together.”
Sharing the Journey on Social Media
If you want to see Rebecca’s reviews, she shared each dish — and a final recap — on TikTok:
“I made TikTok reviews of each dish and a recap of my favorites,” she said. “I love making videos and I got a lot of comments and interest from people.”
She didn’t win any prizes this year, but she’s hopeful for next year. “I hope they include TikTok posting next year!”
Greg however, got lucky and won a $25 gift card to Craft and Crew for posting on Facebook!
Stephanie also shared some of her posts on the Challenge:
Will the Lundquists Take on the Challenge Again Next Year?
Yes — without hesitation, the Lundquist family plans to take on the Challenge again next year.
“It’s become something we look forward to,” Stephanie said. Greg nodded, saying that it’s now a family tradition.
Rebecca added her reason for doing it all again, “Trying more great food and bringing more non-vegans to try out some bomb dishes!”
The Lundquists have turned the Challenge into a shared experience full of laughter, new flavors, and meaningful time together. Their story shows how food can bring people closer — one delicious dish at a time.
