Buds
“We did not know anything. We had no idea what we were doing. But we were passionate and motivated to make it work.” When Buds opened in 2012, it did not announce itself loudly. It did not have much room to work with, either. What it had was a window, a small menu, and a belief that vegan food could feel familiar, affordable, and welcoming to everyone.
Roxy Carlson was twenty-three. Alex Jamison was twenty-four. They had met only months earlier, at a time when both were still searching for direction. Neither came from a culinary background, and neither had a safety net. What they shared was conviction, energy, and a willingness to learn in public.
Roxy grew up in the Cottonwood Heights area, the youngest sibling in a family where her brothers and sisters were much older than she was. She spent much of her childhood alone, fueled by imagination, music, and quiet observation. After studying at Salt Lake Community College, she moved to Los Angeles to attend a special effects makeup program for film and television, only to return home with student loan debt and the realization that the industry was not the right fit. Back in Salt Lake, she worked as a nanny, feeling unmoored when she met Alex.
Alex grew up in Salt Lake City, spending much of his time skiing and moving somewhat loosely through school, never quite settling into a traditional academic path. He worked in a coffee shop for a period, but eventually burned out, sensing that he wanted more than repetition or routine. Alex met Roxy through friends, and around that same time, Alex began casually browsing commercial listings, imagining a small vegan fast-food place without yet having a fully formed concept.
Alex had been vegan since 2006, long before plant-based food was part of the mainstream conversation in Utah. His relationship with food was deeply tied to values, but never to judgment. He saw food as an entry point, not a lecture. “Food felt palatable,” he said. “Here is a bowl of chili. Eat that. It is delicious. Cool. It is vegan.” Communicating his values did not always come easily to him, but he began to realize that cooking for people created an opening. Food became his way in. What started with vegan chili slowly grew into something larger - a belief that he could make an impact, quietly and meaningfully, through what he put on a plate.
Together, they hoped to offer something different. “The business was born out of wanting to offer more vegan options to the community,” Roxy said. “And wanting to offer something that had mass appeal, not just for vegans.” The name Buds carried layered meaning. “It came from a place of wanting to nourish friendships,” Roxy said. “And there is also a slight cannabis reference there as well.”
The original space was found through a modest online listing. “It was $700 a month,” Alex said. “It felt approachable.” Early ideas included chili and curry, but the space was too small and lacked proper ventilation. Sandwiches made sense. They fit the room, the equipment, and the pace. One of the first experiments was a lentil meatball sub. Over time, the menu narrowed and strengthened.
In the early days, Alex leaned on friends for help as Buds took shape. Before there were systems or clear roles, people showed up because they believed in what they were trying to do. Friends helped where they could, filling gaps and learning alongside them as the business found its footing. That sense of shared effort was part of Buds from the beginning.
Today, Buds offers a concise lineup - nine core sandwiches and a rotating seasonal option. The two agreed that the most popular are the buffalo, the pesto, and the cheesesteak, which has been on the menu since day one. Everything at Buds is made in-house except the bread, delivered daily from Salt City Bakery. Vegan mayo, sauces, deli-style meats, cheeses, and proteins are all prepared from scratch.
The partners are proud of the fact that they have never reduced portions, and in 2026, everything on the menu remains $8 or less. Affordability is intentional. “We could raise our prices,” Roxy said. “But we want more people to be able to purchase the food.”
The shop itself is famously small - less than 200 square feet. For the first several years, that was all they had. Even after leasing prep space next door, sandwiches are still assembled in the original footprint. Customers order at the window and eat outside. There is no indoor seating. “That is a big reason we are able to keep prices low,” Roxy added.
What happens on the patio tells the story of Buds better than any sign. “There will be policemen, anarchist kids with piercings, businesspeople in suits, and sweet little old people,” she said. “There is no one type of customer.” Buds does not try to convince. It feeds people well and lets the experience speak for itself. That quiet consistency has carried it forward. “We are just happy to have everyone continue to believe in us after fourteen years,” Roxy said. “Which is wild.
