Veggie House
Address: 52 East 1700 South
Telephone: 801-282-8686
Website: veggiehouserestaurantut.com
District: South Salt Lake
“I was the first college graduate in the family.” That single sentence says a great deal about Lillian Vergin and the life that eventually led her to Veggie House. Long before she became the owner of one of Salt Lake City’s beloved vegetarian restaurants, she was growing up in Orani, Bataan, in the Philippines, one of twelve children in a hardworking family.
Life was simple and structured. Her mother ran a small neighborhood store, selling food and household goods, while her father worked as a fisherman. The family gathered around a long table each day where rice was plentiful, but the main dish - often fish - was carefully divided among many people. The children slept side by side on woven mats laid across the floor. Every evening at six o’clock, the entire family knelt together to pray the rosary, a daily ritual that reflected the deep Catholic faith in which they were raised.
Everyone contributed. As a child, Lillian helped with chores like washing dishes and ironing clothes. On weekends, she assisted her mother, walking through nearby neighborhoods to sell simple foods her mother prepared: boiled bananas, sweet potatoes, and other homemade items. It was early training in both responsibility and business.
Even then, Lillian sensed she wanted something different for herself. Watching the constant work inside her family home, she made a quiet promise. “I’m not going to be serving any food like this. I will be different. I want to finish school and college.”
She kept that promise. In 1980, Lillian became the first person in her family to graduate from college. She first completed a two-year secretarial program and then continued studying commerce with a focus on management. While pursuing her education, she also helped support her younger brothers and paid for some of their schooling as well.
Her first professional success came through sales. Lillian began working as a Tupperware dealer, quickly discovering that she had a natural talent for connecting with people. She worked tirelessly - organizing gatherings, giving presentations, recruiting others, and building a network. Soon she rose to become a manager and eventually one of the top performers in her region.
Those years became an unexpected training ground. Lillian learned how to lead teams, motivate others, manage money, and speak confidently in front of large groups. Her success opened doors. She earned recognition, traveled internationally, and eventually moved on to another company where she continued to grow as a franchise manager and mentor.
Her personal life, however, took a far more complicated path. Lillian became the mother of three children in the Philippines and later discovered that the man she believed she had legally married had deceived her about his marital status. The experience left her raising her children largely on her own. Determined to give them opportunities she had struggled to find, she eventually made the painful decision to send her children to the United States - to Salt Lake City - while she remained behind in the Philippines to work and rebuild financially. In 2004, after years of persistence and travel earned through her work, she came to Utah. A year later, she married Jerry, a man she describes as steady, respectful, and deeply supportive.
Before Veggie House, Lillian had already ventured into the restaurant world. She opened a Filipino restaurant in West Jordan called Queen Asia, which she ran with partners for about two years. The experience gave her valuable lessons about the challenges of partnerships and the realities of running a restaurant.
Then, in 2017, Veggie House was born. A shared venture among several partners eventually became hers alone after disagreements led the others to leave. Lillian bought them out and stepped in as the full-time owner, dedicating herself to keeping the restaurant going.
Over time, Veggie House has become a favorite destination within Salt Lake City’s vegetarian and vegan community. It offers an extensive menu that surprises many first-time visitors with just how much variety can exist in a completely vegetarian kitchen. The selections span a wide range of Asian-inspired dishes, from crispy appetizers like spring rolls, potstickers, and tempura vegetables to comforting soups, fresh salads, and vibrant noodle and rice dishes. Familiar favorites such as Pad Thai, pho, and stir-fried lo mein appear alongside flavorful curries and house specialties, all prepared with plant-based ingredients. There is also an impressive array of vegan sushi rolls - dozens of creative combinations filled with avocado, mango, sweet potato, cucumber, and other fresh ingredients - making it a place where longtime vegetarians and curious newcomers alike can explore a menu that is both expansive and deeply satisfying.
What makes the story especially interesting is that Lillian did not start the restaurant as a vegan herself. Growing up in the Philippines with a fisherman father, fish had always been a part of daily life. Running the restaurant introduced her to a different perspective. She began talking with customers, asking them why they had chosen a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. “I was so amazed by the people who ate here. I heard so many good things about being a vegan,” she said. “They are healthier in body, mind, and soul.”
The dining room itself reflects Lillian’s personality - warm, eclectic, and full of personal touches. Plants fill the space, many grown from cuttings and kitchen scraps she turned into thriving greenery. Objects from her home and from the Philippines add character and history. The restaurant feels lived-in and personal, shaped by years of effort and improvisation.
Veggie House is the result of a lifetime of resilience. Lillian’s journey has taken her from a crowded family home in the Philippines to sales success, heartbreak, reinvention, and finally to building a restaurant that has found its place in Salt Lake City’s food community. “This has been my life,” she said simply. “I put my heart into this.”
