One of the most common dilemmas herbivores face is whether to go out with their carnivorous friends without asking a thousand questions about where and what a restaurant serves. It might oftentimes be a bar, and that food can generally consist of burgers, hot wings and other meat-based delights. Your vegetarian options might then be reduced to greasy French fries and onion rings.

But in Ferndale, vegetarians and vegans can still find creative solutions to the blues of going out to the perceived meat-centric eateries.

Rose O'Grady's

Rosie O’Grady’s is a popular spot for many to enjoy a hot dog, burger or any other dine-and-dive food. With heated patios and a large bar and dining area inside, it is a convenient gathering place. Yet the focus on meat might make many vegetarians hesitate to join their friends there. Fortunately, there are a few simple solutions to this quandary.

If you are a pescetarian, meaning you eat fish but not other forms of meat, don't you worry: There are seafood options. Rosie’s offers a shrimp scampi linguine, which is an upscale dining option in the restaurant, and a tasty pasta and shrimp-based entree for you pescetarians. Rosie's also offers various dishes with salmon. So you're set if you eat just seafood.

Many vegetarians will consume dairy before resorting to fish. And for those who would like to avoid the price tag of seafood, Rosie’s has a wide variety of choices that many other bars may have. These include cheese and vegetable quesadillas, Rosie’s famous chips and chile con queso and even pizzas.

Whether the lacto-vegetarian, a vegetarian that eats dairy, opts for the white pizza — which hosts a variety of cheeses — or the green pizza (just ask them to hold the chicken), there are numerous opportunities to enjoy a good meal that will include leftovers and cost less than seafood. Who can say no to saving a buck and having leftovers?

But the difficulty increases for vegans — those who avoid not only meat but dairy and fish as well. Don't fret, though, because there is always the option of doing a build-your-own pizza at Rosie O’Grady’s and simply not adding cheese into the mix. If cheeseless pizza sounds sad, then consider a feta-free Greek salad, which still has the sweet and salty components of black olives, tomatoes and other tasty greens. Lastly, there is always the delicious comfort of appetizers, often vegetarian, tasty and large enough to be a small entree. Rosie’s offers stuffed mushrooms, a creative way to eat vegetarian without sacrificing flavor.

However, Rosie’s is an independent restaurant, arguably acquainted with Ferndale’s variety of eaters. Franchised businesses, such as Buffalo Wild Wings, are a different story. Nevertheless, vegetarians do not need to stay home simply because their friends are going to a place where chicken bones outnumber the collective tally of fingers and toes in the restaurant.

Buffalo Wild Wings

Once again, appetizers are a budget-friendly, creative place to start. Buffalo Wild Wings offers a fun alternative to french fries: the Southern favorite of crispy fried pickles or even fried button mushrooms. BWW also has chips and salsa for a snack, and for lacto-vegetarians craving true junk food, order the queso chili fries, without the meat-filled chili, or even splurge on mozzarella snacks.

For those a bit hungrier, the restaurant has many salads that can be ordered without the meat. But even better: Buffalo Wild Wings has a Boca burger. This is a great dinner option when out for a burger and beer with carnivorous friends, although strict vegetarians beware — it cannot be ordered without cheese because…

Pescetarians can enjoy a good meal without stressing the budget or settling for a salad, because Buffalo Wild Wings also offers a crispy fish sandwich and popcorn shrimp.

Despite what seems like a stressful endeavor — eating out with carnivorous friends at a sports bar — many of the local restaurants in Ferndale, whether franchised or independent, have a variety of satisfying options for food-lovers of every walk, whether pescetarians, vegans, lacto-vegetarians or and simple, straightforward vegetarians.