Pescetarian Options on Typical Steakhouse and Burger Menus

2026-09-28

Steakhouses and burger joints look like the hardest places to eat as a pescetarian. The menus are built around beef, and the fish section can be one line long. Still, most of these restaurants have more to offer than it first appears, as long as you know where to look and what to ask.

This guide walks through the usual sections of both menu types, what tends to work, and the hidden meat ingredients that catch pescetarians out.

What Counts as Pescetarian Here

A pescetarian diet usually means no meat or poultry, but fish, shellfish and vegetarian foods are fine. Many pescetarians also eat eggs and dairy. The tricky part at meat-focused restaurants is rarely the main protein. It is the stocks, fats, garnishes and shared cooking surfaces that carry meat into dishes that look safe.

Steakhouse Menus: Where to Look

Starters and raw bar

The starter list is often the best part of a steakhouse menu for pescetarians. Common options include:

• Shrimp cocktail
• Oysters, clams or a seafood tower
• Tuna tartare or seared tuna
• Crab cakes
• Calamari
• Smoked salmon

Crab cakes and fried calamari are usually fine, but ask whether they share a fryer with anything meat based if that matters to you.

Fish and seafood mains

Most steakhouses carry at least one fish main. Salmon, sea bass, halibut, swordfish and tuna steak are all common. Lobster tail and king crab legs often appear as add-ons or as their own dish.

Surf and turf plates can sometimes be ordered with the seafood only, or with a double portion of seafood. It never hurts to ask.

Salads

Salads are a good base but need a careful read:

• Wedge salads almost always come with bacon. Ask for it on the side or left off.
• Caesar salads use anchovies in the dressing, which is fine for pescetarians and a nice bonus.
• Chopped or house salads may include ham, salami or chicken.

Adding shrimp or salmon to a salad is often the easiest way to build a filling meal.

Sides

Steakhouse sides are generous, and a few of them can make a meal. This is also where hidden meat hides most often.

• Creamed spinach is sometimes made with bacon or pancetta.
• Brussels sprouts are frequently tossed with bacon or pancetta.
• Loaded baked potatoes usually come with bacon bits.
• Mac and cheese may include bacon, lobster or ham depending on the kitchen.
• Mushrooms and onions are sometimes cooked in beef fat or finished with steak juices.
• Fries and potatoes may be cooked in beef tallow at some traditional steakhouses.

Asparagus, grilled vegetables, mashed potatoes and plain baked potatoes are usually safer bets, but it is still worth confirming how they are prepared.

Soups and sauces

French onion soup is traditionally made with beef stock. Clam chowder sounds pescetarian but often starts with bacon or salt pork. Lobster bisque is a better option in many kitchens.

Steak sauces and gravies are often based on meat stock or drippings. Béarnaise, hollandaise and lemon butter are generally meat free, which makes them useful for fish dishes.

Burger Menus: Where to Look

Fish sandwiches and seafood

Many burger places offer a fried fish sandwich, a salmon burger, a tuna melt or a shrimp po'boy. Fish and chips is common at pub style burger spots. These are usually the most filling pescetarian choices on the menu.

Veggie and plant based burgers

Most burger restaurants now carry at least one meat free patty. For pescetarians this opens up the whole burger menu, since you can often swap the patty into any build.

Two things to check:

• Shared grill. Veggie patties are frequently cooked on the same flat top as beef. Some pescetarians do not mind this; others do. Ask if a separate pan or clean section is possible.
• Toppings. Signature burgers often come with bacon, pulled pork or chili. Remove them or pick a simpler build.

Grilled cheese and melts

A grilled cheese or a tuna melt is a reliable fallback. Watch for versions that add ham or bacon as standard.

Fries, rings and sides

Fries and onion rings are usually vegetarian in themselves, but a few things can change that:

• Some chains and diners fry in beef tallow or add beef flavoring to fries.
• Fryers may be shared with chicken or other meat items.
• Loaded fries often include bacon, chili or gravy.
• Baked beans are often cooked with pork.

Coleslaw and side salads are usually meat free, but check the dressing.

Chili and gravy

Chili at a burger joint almost always contains beef, even when it is listed as a topping. Poutine gravy is typically beef or chicken based. Skip both unless the menu clearly says vegetarian, and confirm with staff.

Hidden Ingredients to Ask About

A short list of things that turn up in unexpected places:

• Bacon and pancetta in salads, sides, sauces and soups
• Beef tallow or lard for frying or roasting
• Meat stock in soups, rice, gravies and some sauces
• Gelatin in some desserts, mousses and panna cotta
• Shared grills and fryers used for both meat and fish or vegetables

Some pescetarians also avoid cheeses made with animal rennet. If that applies to you, ask about Parmesan and other aged cheeses in particular.

Simple Questions That Help

Servers at steakhouses are used to modifications, so clear questions usually get good answers. Try:

• Is there any bacon, pork or meat stock in this dish?
• What oil or fat are the fries cooked in?
• Is the fish or veggie patty cooked on the same grill as the meat?
• Can this salad or side be made without the bacon?
• Is the soup made with vegetable, seafood or meat stock?

If the answer is uncertain, choose something simpler. Plain grilled fish with a butter based sauce and a baked potato is hard to get wrong.

Building a Good Meal

A few combinations that tend to work at both types of restaurant:

• Shrimp cocktail, grilled salmon, asparagus and mashed potatoes
• Caesar salad with added shrimp and a side of fries
• Fish sandwich with coleslaw and onion rings
• Veggie burger with cheese and a side salad
• Raw bar starter, lobster tail and a plain baked potato

Finding Pescetarian Friendly Dishes Faster

Reading every menu line by line takes time, especially when a group has already chosen a steakhouse. KaleMap finds the dishes on ordinary restaurant menus that fit a diet, including pescetarian, and lets you combine it with others such as gluten-free or dairy-free. Menus are read by AI and dishes are confirmed by people who ate them, but every dish still needs a double-check with the restaurant.

You can learn more on the how it works page, browse options by diet, look for places near you, or check the city pages for restaurant shortlists by diet.

The Short Version

Steakhouses and burger joints can work well for pescetarians. Start with the raw bar, seafood mains and fish sandwiches, use salads and sides to round out the meal, and ask about bacon, stock, frying fat and shared grills before you order.