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Laughing Seed Cafe
Categories: Restaurants Vegetarian Food Juice Bars & Smoothies Restaurants Vegan Vegetarian, Juice Bars & Smoothies, Vegan [Edit]
40 Wall StAsheville, NC 28801
(828) 252-3445
- Hours:
Mon, Wed-Thu 11:30 am - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 10 pm
Sun 10 am - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Hipster, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
151 reviews for Laughing Seed Cafe
Review Highlights
"Harmony bowl with sea vegetables is awesome."
(in 15 reviews)
"I ordered the smoothie of the day and the Tico Burrito."
(in 6 reviews)
"We also had some Green Man (I think."
(in 4 reviews)
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151 reviews in English
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Review from Julie R.
Miami, FL
11/6/2011 2 photos
I love Asheville NC because it is so vegetarian friendly! It's hard to choose which vegetarian restaurant to go to.
I picked Laughing Seed this day, and loved it. It was late in the afternoon, so they still had the "lunch" menu out. I ordered a Sloppy Joe that was quite tasty. It came with blue corn chips, a pickle and cole slaw. I was stuffed when I was done eating it. It was really delicious, and the price was $10.
I think the prices are a tad on the high side; that's the only negative thing I have to say. The inside is beautiful and clean, but because it was such a nice day, everyone was eating outside. There is plenty of seating, inside and out. The service was FANTASTIC.
I really enjoyed my meal here and will be back. It is a way-different vibe than other vegetarian places I enjoy here -- a little more on the upscale side; I'm just happy to have choices when I'm in Asheville!
UPDATE: I enjoyed another meal at Laughing Seed today; I had the Reuben sandwich (marinated organic tempeh, house-made organic purple sauerkraut with cracked juniper and caraway,caramelized onions, and Swiss cheese on grilled multigrain bread with vegan Russian dressing). Ooooooh - it was so delicious! $10 for the sandwich and chips. -
Review from Eric K.
1/3/2012 2 photos
With hiking along the Blue Ridge Parkway all day, we skipped lunch and decided to have an early dinner that evening. Having read some very positive reviews for Laughing Seed Cafe and having taken a peek at the interior of the restaurant and their menu, we decided to give it a try.
Upon entering at 4:30 p.m., we were promptly seated...at a round booth between the two dining rooms with a prime view of both the kitchen and bathroom entrances. Obviously, it wasn't ideal, having passed through the main dining room which looked a lot more fun. Our booth (and its colors) reminded me of a 1980s restaurant...and not in a good way.
I had read a review in a local Asheville newspaper that described the Laughing Seed's Thai Panang Seitan Curry as one of the best dishes of the year, so I had my heart set on trying it. I saw it on the menu posted outside the restaurant, but didn't notice on the menu in my hands. I then realized that I was holding a lunch menu. I asked our server if I could order something from the dinner menu. He said, "No, not until 5:00." Seriously? Half an hour later I can order it? Does the only person who knows how to make the dish not start until 5:00? Out of spite, I felt like sitting there for half an hour until I *could* order it, but I didn't. I took the high road and opted for something else. After you have your heart set on something, though, it's really hard to settle on something else. And what kind of stupid customer service is that? And who still serves lunch at 4:30? Usually when I want a lunch item at a restaurant, I can't order it after 2:00 or 3:00 p.m. I wanted dinner, not a lunch sandwich.
Anyway...I ordered the East/West Quesadilla and it was an excellent substitute. It was a HUGE quesadilla filled with mashed veggies and a delicious curry flavor. On the side, I had flavorful black beans (was that rosemary I tasted?) AND a side salad with delicious ginger dressing. My partner ordered the deceptive Spinach-Pesto Manicotti, which wasn't manicotti at all. It was a little bit of ricotta stuffed into two zucchini slices, rolled up...and served cold without sides. For $13. My quesadilla was the same price and I had about 3x more food! I gave my partner half of my quesadilla, which he really enjoyed after his small, cold dinner "entree."
The kids weren't thrilled going to a vegetarian restaurant, but they tried the Sloppy Jo and pizza. The pizza was gobbled up by one; the tofu Sloppy Jo was eaten by another; and gnawed on a little bit by the third. We tried the leftover filling and it was delicious. It had a lot of flavor. If you didn't know it was tofu, you probably would have sworn it was beef.
So while I'm disappointed that I couldn't have ordered the Curry dish, at least I didn't order the "manicotti." The quesadilla really saved the experience and this review. 5 stars for the quesadilla and Sloppy Jo, 2 stars for the "manicotti," 1 star for our table, and 0 stars for their rigid lunch/dinner entree "policy." They really need to be more accommodating, especially when it's so close to "dinner." -
Review from Claire R.
Herndon, VA
12/29/2011
We come to this place for lunch every time we're in Asheville.
This time I started with a glass of pineapple juice. It was so good. So much better than the juices you get out of cans.
For lunch I got the Laughing Seed Salad with red wine vinegar dressing.
I found myself wishing I had gotten a Sloppy Joe or other sandwich instead. Especially after I finished off my sister's order of jalepeno onion fries. They were phenomenal. -
Review from Nicole W.
12/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Delightful. Delicious. That is the Laughing See Cafe. And I completely agree with my fellow yelpers...this is certainly a place where carnivores and veggies can live in harmony. Service is just like you would expect - very sweet and zen like.
The space is colorful and nicely appointed with little alcoves of seating throughout. The menu is definitely diverse enough to appeal to many tastes...appetizers of all kinds, giant salads, sandwiches, burritos, oh my! They also offer a nice selection of local beer! I started off with the Cider Mark: local mulled hot cider with a shot of Maker's Mark. Holy alcohol. While it was really flavorful the Maker's overpowered that poor cider. Maybe next time a bit less booze? I can't even believe I'm requesting less booze.
On to the meal...hubs and I started off with their hummus of the day and it was a tasty, fresh spread mixed with jalapeno and cilantro. The toasty whole wheat pita served as a nice vessel to move that hummus from point a to b. We devoured in a sheer minutes. For my meal I chose the Asian Fusion Salad (likely the most unhealthy salad on the menu): boatloads of fresh greens topped with a huge portion of peanutty Asian noodles. It.was.perfection. And absolutely filling.
The bill came to approximately $50 (with tip) for one beer, the Cider mark, hummus and two lunches. It's a bit steep for a casual lunch, but the quality and creativity is certainly present.Listed in: Asheville Adventures
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Review from Elizabeth S.
Bristol, VA
2/7/2012 2 photos
If I could eat at the Laughing Seed Café daily, I could be vegan. I visited the Laughing Seed for lunch on Saturday, February 4, 2012, and had the Indian Thali plate special ($12), which changes daily but, according to their menu, "always features a vegetable curry, dal, aromatic white basmati rice, salad, chutney, organic yogurt, chapatti and papadam." My lunch companion had the Venus and Mars salad ($12), with garlic roasted beets, avocado, Guernsey feta, and basil-balsamic dressing on a bed of mixed greens. Both meals were amazing. The Laughing Seed also has a very nice, extensive wine list. We both selected glasses of the 2008 Kuente-Bas Blanc, Alsace ($8 per glass, $32 per bottle), an amazing, acidic food wine with flavors of apricot and white peach.
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Review from Anna B.
Pacific Grove, CA
The kids and I ducked in here after a long day of driving during our cross country road trip from Monterey, CA to Southern Pines, NC. We sat at the bar rather than join other customers on the wait list.
I ordered a delicious local beer, some kind of Indian appetizer which unfortunately turned out to be fried (didn't say that on the menu) and a big green salad. The kids each ordered from the kids menu.
My daughter's veggie sloppy Joe roll up had too much spice and she could only take a couple bites. The fries were literally tossed with jalepenos. While this is engenious, I think they could have maybe served plain fries on s Kid's plate. I ordered her the seaweed salad (wakame and arame) and she devoured it. Infact the kids practically fought over it. It was delicious as was my salad with sprouts and a really good lemon Tahini dressing. When will I learn? One of my favorite dinners is two flavorful beers and a salad!! I should have passed on the appetizer and saved precious stomach cubic footage for a second brew.
Our bartender/server was mildly friendly but honestly seemed pretty over it. He managed to squeeze out a couple words and practically grinned once or twice but otherwise had a good size stick lodged. We had a great time anyway!
I'd definitely go back next time I'm in Asheville which BTW is an awesome little city. Kind of like a bigger, cleaner (but just as funky) Santa Cruz with a splash of Southern hospitality. -
Review from Bob S.
Nags Head, NC
1/28/2012
This place is rocking veggie food. Don't know if you can go wrong with anything. Local beer and kombucha on tap. Mushroom enchiladas are out of this world and the soup is always good
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Review from David K.
New York, NY
1/5/2012
the food at Laughing Seed cafe was amazing. I would highly recommend it!
We had the Jalapeno fries, lentil soup, Pecan Crusted Seitan and the Quesadilla. All of them were really good. -
Review from Ashley H.
12/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Hmm, I'm not sure about this place. It certainly attracts an usual crowd, as it is a vegan/vegetarian restaurant. (I'm not judging, I myself am a vegan, so I was expecting to see the stereotypical hippies, but they were even a little too extreme for me).
Me, my husband, my parents and grandparents all decided to stop here around 2pm on a Friday. We had heard good things about this place, and were only mildly surprised to see how busy it was. Still, we wanted to try it out, so we waited an HOUR to be seated. During that time, I felt like the hostess had something against us. As I said, we were accompanied by my parents and grandparents, who look like they do not really belong in a "hip" place such as this. Part of me feels like the hostess was a tad unfriendly for this reason. Once we were seated, we ordered our food right away (we had ample time to look at the menu while waiting), and it came out in a fairly reasonable time. I had the hummus plate, which was hands down the best I've ever had. That's really the only thing keeping me from giving this place two stars. -
Review from Michael E.
Charlotte, NC
Updated - 11/14/2011
So I was back here again with my mother this time as she hadn't tried this place in years.
I ordered a sandwish and she had a salad. Food continues to be solid and service good.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/15/2011
So this vegan (though meaties will love it too) has been the benchmark for Aville for years. I like… Read more »
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Review from Sherry J.
10/8/2011
I was in town for a night and stopped here for lunch. It was great!
The waitress couldn't have been nicer. We sat out side to soak up a little vitamin D and she was sweet enough to take the umbrella down for us.
I had the carrot, beet, celery, cucumber juice and my partner in crime had the carrot, beet, celery, and ginger juice. Both were delicious!
I had the reuben, vegan, after a recommendation from the waitress. Great recommendation! It was flavorful and oh so yummy. I wish I had gotten the jalapeno onion fries because they look amazing on the table next to us but honestly I was so full after juice d my sandwich that I wouldn't have been able to truly appreciate them. Beside it gives me a good reason to go back for more great grub! -
Review from Faith D.
10/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Like many of my predecessors have written, this is a place where meat eaters and veggie lovers can come to unite! I could eat here every day because each dish is delicious and the flavors pair so nicely!!
I ordered the smoothie of the day and the Tico Burrito. My belly was so stuffed and happy halfway through the meal! The tofu mole mix was a wonderful blend of spice and kick. Husband ordered the Oasis seltzer and the Harmony Bowl. If you love fresh veggies and rice, you'll love this dish made with a light ginger/tahini sauce. My mother-in-law ordered the zucchini manicotti...you will never find something like this somewhere else. Get it...it's artfully delicious!
The space is well-lit, colorful, and just has a warm feel. The service is very laid-back, yet attentive. It's definitely a popular spot for good reason. Risk the wait list and sign up for a tasty meal! -
Review from leslie a.
Nashville, TN
10/4/2011
After a family reunion, my sister and I headed to Asheville. She's a vegetarian and had seen an online review of Laughing Seed and so we planned our first dinner there. We were not disappointed.
The place is big and casual. The service was friendly and helpful, with that smiling friendly Asheville vibe.
We started with interesting cocktails, then I had the pasta special, which was spicy seitan sausage in a creamy tomato sauce. I cleaned my plate, and if I had one more cocktail, I probably would have licked it, too. My sister had the corn cakes, which were richly spicy and she cleaned her plate, too. The portions were perfect for a meal without needing an appetizer, though I wish I'd tried the sushi. Next time.
Instead of dessert, we opted for brandy and port and staggered out happy and satisfied.
Then we went back the next afternoon. I had the Reuben sandwich, which uses grilled seitan instead of meat, with a delicious housemade red sauerkraut, grilled on thick bread. Delicious. My sister also had a cup of tomato soup, which was good, though a little heavy on the rosemary for my taste. But it was a hit with her. She also had a great drink of fresh orange juice with stuff that helped with the residual affects of the previous evening's cocktails and brandy, if you know what I mean ;^)
This will be a regular stop for me in the future. And again, I'm not even vegetarian. It's not cheap but it's delicious. I'll be back and work my way through the menu. -
Review from Vert S.
Atlanta, GA
11/5/2011
First warning sign: giant trash can being rolled through the restaurant as we waited for lunch. Second warning sign: watching food sit at the expo lines waiting to be served at the table.
We were famished after waiting for a table. Ordered fries as a starter (not good; fries were mushy like they weren't blached first before they were prepared). Shitake corn cakes tasted more like mashed potato caked with corn in it... Where was the mushroom? Cashew butter left a weird after taste.
Indian dish with lentils... AVOID. Lentils were still crunchy and rice was undercooked/ tasted like instant rice. Cucumber salad was disgusting-- had a rubberly texture (like the vinegar dressing has cooked it for days and it needs to just be thrown out). No naan was served just a toritilla that's rolled up. Very disappointing.
Service was friendly and quick; only reason this place gets two stars. -
Review from Deepa J.
Chicago, IL
10/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Asheville was not the place where I expected to find some delightful, utterly delicious vegetarian food with global cuisines infusions - but Laughing Seed changed all that! A morning out in the mountains on a crisp fall day had us craving for food by late afternoon and this great stop in downtown Asheville served up exactly what we needed. Amongst the family we managed a taste of Vietnam (Bahn mi), Mediterranean (falafel pita) and that universally accepted symbol of vegetarianism -- a tofu variation ( tempeh!) but resisted the temptation to try the Italian, Indian inspired items on the menu! Absolutely loved the carrot-ginger and black bean soup but my favorite bite was one from my dad's almond topped organic potato-corn cake. All that fresh healthy food made me feel less guilty about reaching out for my sister's awesome jalapeno onion fries :)
The idea of bringing together vegetarian options from various cuisines under a single roof is brilliant, but also adding the element of local freshness and seasonal flavors and executing it all to perfection -- that's rare and precious. Laughing Seed provided a unique memorable dining experience - one of my best out of town holiday lunches ever! -
Review from Amber S.
Houston, TX
9/2/2011
You probably know that this place has been in existence forever and a day. I went there when I was a kid, growing up in the area, but I still come back whenever I am in town.
All I can say is, I am NOT a vegetarian, but Laughing Seed makes me wish I was one! Black bean burrito is always great, but branch out -- everything is likely to be from very good to extraordinary. -
Review from Rich S.
Columbus, OH
Oh wow! I need a giant cloning device so I can re-create this place in Columbus! I would hate to deprive the citizens of Asheville, NC of this wonderful spot. At the same time, Columbus would be better for having it! I'm so torn!!
The little street in Asheville that it's on is a sign of aesthetically pleasing things to come once you are inside. Seriously, it's freaking beautiful. Hardwood floors, skylights with hanging plants, exposed brick walls, iron work on the walls, and a couple murals. Hell even the kitchen was gorgeous (I'm a professional chef so I just HAD to check the working conditions).
The place was pretty busy. Their patio was packed, and much of the inside was full as well. We were seated quickly, and water was on the table within a couple minutes. There was so much to choose from that it took a little while to decide, and the waiter checked back a few times (so we weren't penalized like many places do for those lacking decision skills). There were four of us. Two got the hempseed burger, my lovely lady got the tempacado (tempeh and avocado with greens, tomato, onion). Yum. I got the Bahn Mi. Seitan, kim chee, cilantro, & more. Oh my god it was outstanding. I'm going to have to recreate it once I get home.
We would have gotten dessert if we weren't headed somewhere else and wanted to get there soon. I've also heard great things about Jack of the Woods Tavern which you can get to from the dining room, but again, headed somewhere else to have drinks and had a time constraint.
The Laughing Seed is amazing. While I wouldn't drive the almost 7.5 hours from my house to get there, I will go every time I get to Asheville. I'll probably bring family from Charlotte the next time I'm there too! I'd eat there two-three times a week were it in Columbus. -
Review from Cathy H.
Hilton Head Island, SC
11/7/2011
This has always been my favorite restaurant. The food is great but the service is TERRIBLE. First the wait time was misquoted, then after we finally received a table, we waited almost 40 minutes for our food! There was not one person that stopped by to check on us! I'm really not sure if we will go there again and we even have a frequent diner card there!
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Review from Steve J.
Dallas, TX
6/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
A vegetarian restaurant but you won't miss the meat! This place is great. I had some sort of avocado sandwich (Tempecado). Wow! So many different flavors and textures. Food was awesome and you can watch the kitchen while sitting at the bar.
Service was excellent at the bar but it was pretty slow since I was eating lunch around 1:30. The bartender was friendly, attentive and offered good suggestions from the menu.
My only complaint is the location. Wall St can be a little difficult to find if you are not from the area. But the hunt is well worth it. There's lots of shops and restaurants in a small area. -
Review from Lindsey O.
Bay View, Milwaukee, WI
8/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
My friend and I were on our way out of town after a tumultuous weekend in Asheville.
We both are open to good eats and found this place delish. My friend's 18 month out agreed too. I had the cremini mushroom omelette with goat cheese and she had the avocado tomato one. The portions were huge and very filling. Each omelette came with potatoes, seitan sausage and a homemade biscuit and preserves. The biscuit was very rich and tasty. The preserves, well, let's just say the baby ate them with a spoon.
We got seated pretty quickly (less than 10 minutes on a Sunday during brunch). The place is pretty big inside with plenty of seating options. The hostess was very much in her "routine" and didn't stray from it. This is the only area I could see some help for this place. I didn't really see southern hospitality that is so bragged about. If it wasn't your turn to talk to her it was like you didn't exist. -
Review from Reggie G.
Washington, DC
6/25/2011
I worked at a vegan restaurant in San Francisco for awhile and Laughing Seed reminds me a lot of my place. There are some damn good things on the menu, you just have to know what they are. You can easily strike out by not ordering the right thing. I went with 2 other people and 2/3 of us didn't really like our food.
The veggie reuben is insanely good, just get that, it was amazing and probably the best veggie reuben in town (Early Girl's is not all that good.)
Also, stay away from the Kombucha cocktails. I know, that probably seems obvious, but for some reason I was drawn in. -
Review from Laura L.
6/10/2011
I went roadtripping for Memorial Day and stopped off at the Laughing Seed for lunch, per my bro in law's suggestion. While I am generally carnivorous with rare diversions towards anything that is not, I figured it'd be worth a try, and boy, was it tasty!
The service was a bit slow (and definitely not with a smile) but our orders were taken relatively quickly, which was nice. I got the Harmony Bowl with avocados on top- it was delicious! A Harmony Bowl consists of a hodgepodge of brown rice, steamed veggies, grilled tofu chunks, married together with a healthy dousing of sesame dressing (or was it ginger dressing?).
If I'm in the area again, I will definitely give Laughing Seed a second try. During my next visit, hopefully the weather will ease up a bit so I can sit out on their patio and people-watch (it was inching towards a sticky 90 degrees when I visited). -
Review from Reagan T.
Richmond, VA
8/29/2011
When I was visiting family in Asheville, they suggested going to this restaurant for some good vegetarian fare. Although I'm not vegetarian anymore, I sincerely love and appreciate creative veggie foods, and eat them as frequently as I can. The ambiance and decor were very nice, from what I could see, as it was a little dark inside. The service was slow and spotty. My family insisted that the food was excellent, though, so I let all these things slide off my back.
The dish I ordered (the Harmony Bowl, I think) was literally flavorless. Not in a "darnit, this dish is bland" kind of way, but more of a "holy shit, am I eating textured air?" kind of way. Brown rice, tofu, some odd vegetables in an edible ginger salad dressing. Nothing was mixed together, but rather dumped into a giant bowl, much like a layered salad. You had to dig through layers of lukewarm brown rice to get to the tofu, and once you did, there wasn't much to reward you.
My family members totally looked like they were enjoying their other dishes, but as I plugged through my own rice bowl of blah, I couldn't imagine how their food tasted any better. When the server asked if I wanted a box, I sadly declined. I hate wasting food, but the only thing those leftovers would have seen was the inside of my garbage can. -
Review from Audra S.
San Francisco, CA
10/9/2011
Bless this restaurant. When I think of my happy food place, this is where I go. Everything on the menu is amazing! Make sure you try the jalepeño onion fries, they are delicious!
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Review from Tamara S.
4/27/2011
Laughing Seed Cafe has a great reputation as one of the foremost vegetarian restaurants in the country. I've eaten there only twice--once in June 2004 and again just recently for Sunday brunch. My recent trip may have fallen prey to bad ordering, but I was seriously under-impressed.
I remember little about my 2004 meal here, and I have an amazing memory.
On my recent visit, my boo and I split a few items--the hot and hour soup, the harmony bowl, and a side of rosemary potatoes. I mostly let him order, even though I had my eye on some of the traditional brunch offerings. I should have spoken up. After we placed out order, and waited... and waited, I realized that the harmony bowl was not the way to go.
The soup was solid, but at five bucks for a bowl of soup it's definitely a bit pricey. It was served with a sad little bun in its own bowl.
The rosemary potatoes were fine, but not stellar. I did not taste the rosemary. Probably it was left off, it seemed to me. (Menu inconsistency strikes again.)
The harmony bowl tasted fine, but I could have easily made it at home. It's brown rice, black beans, tofu, and mixed veggies with a sauce that you pour over top. Their choice of vegetables is seriously pitiful, reminiscent of a cheap frozen California blend--cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini squash, and carrots. What about eggplant, some oyster mushrooms, swiss chard, something with a little excitement to it? The tofu was well cooked, but there were maybe three small slabs in the whole dish. Eleven bucks this thing cost. Heinous.
Service was miserably slow and unfriendly. Granted, we were fresh from a camping trip in Pisgah National Forest, and maybe didn't look the best, but a customer is a customer.
I'm a little off put, but I'll likely give Laughing Seed another shot next time I'm in Asheville. It's pricey and thus far I haven't been blown away, but it has to be deserving of its reputation, I'd think. -
Review from Mick W.
Ellicott City, MD
11/19/2011
Great food. Fresh, imaginative & healthy. A good variety for every taste.
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Review from Caroline S.
Durham, NC
4/26/2011
I've never been drawn to Laughing Seed given it's focus on veg. cuisine- but gave it a try on Easter Sunday (one of the few places open without a wait).
Loved the location on the very cute Wall St. which will make you think twice if you're in Asheville or Europe. The cobblestone street provides a great venue for outdoor dining. A Sunday in April was perfect to enjoy brunch on their patio (upon quick glance inside, the outside patio is much more inviting..the inside looks a bit outdated). They're really pet friendly, but some of the dogs got out of hand and disturbed some other guests (they complained) - so don't be prepared for very quiet dining.
Tried their mushroom omelet with goat cheese, potatoes, biscuit, and house made sausage. For $10 it was a spectacular deal - only problem was the sausage was veg. - somehow I missed that there is no meat on the menu, too bad since the house made sausage misses the mark. Love that they also offer smoothies, fresh juices - tried the carrot/cucumber -which was excellent.
Would definitely recommend Laughing Seed - very cute restaurant and great food! -
Review from A. H.
San Francisco, CA
5/2/2011
This place has been my go to for over ten years now. I was vegan for a long time, and no longer am.
However, this is still my favorite fab place to lunch, or brunch, or dinner or dessert when in Asheville.
I had the sushi of the day, and a salad, sat in the sun, and simply existed for an hour.
Thank you, sweet, attentive staff, and thoughtful, aware chefs.
Gluten free vegan love has never been better. -
Review from Jeremie S.
Durham, NC
3/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
One of my favorite vegan restaurants. The food is great, but the eclectic menu is what brings me back whenever I am passing through Asheville on my way to the Smokies. The eight year old in me could eat the Sloppy Jo every day of the week.
The place is really nice, but still casual. I have only been for lunch, and each time it was empty and almost uncomfortably quiet, with hipsters lurking in the shadows. -
Review from Stacey C.
Asheville, NC
4/23/2011
I used to drive over an hour to go to Laughing Seed when I was in college, would have rated it a 5 then. I took some business guests there for dinner recently. As we were finishing our meal we saw a mouse run from the store room and notified the waitress. It stayed near our table for a few minutes and disappeared. The waitress said nothing to us about it other than "well, now we know he's here." Really? I will never go there again. Disgusting!
Also, we were the last table to leave and as we left we said "thank you" to the bartender for being patient with us (even after the mouse fiasco) and the bartender replied with a thank you dripping with sarcasm. -
Review from Greg G.
Buford, GA
10/30/2011
By far my favorite place in Asheville. Someone told me about the Tofu Sloppy Joe and I thought "what?" I tried it anyway and wow it is by far my fave. The martinas are also the best.
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Review from Scott S.
Asheville, NC
6/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Much like my review for Rosetta's Kitchen, I think that this place is far better if you are actually vegetarian. For someone like me who is ok with vegetarian food, but also fine with eating meat, it just comes across as good, but overpriced.
I went with a group of 12 and was surprised to find how accommodating they were. They quickly seated us and the service was excellent. Definitely no complaints there.
Food wise, I paid $10 for a Cuban sandwich made of battered tempeh with a few veggies. It came with the "side of the day" which happened to be pasta salad. I would have liked to have had some options regarding a side dish, as I wasn't fond of the ingredients in said pasta salad. Not really be a true vegetarian, it was kind of difficult for me to be excited about a lot of the things on the menu. My wife got a quiche which I'm told was delicious.
I got a delicious cookie for dessert also, chocolate cherry, that I would highly recommend.
Bottom line, if you're not vegetarian, but still want to have a meat-free meal, head on over if you aren't too picky, but I think I could have done better down the street at Early Girl for the same or less cost. If you ARE vegetarian, this place would definitely be near the top of the list of places to hit up in AVL. -
Review from Jon L.
We went here for Sunday brunch because the Early Girl just a few steps away was running an hour wait at 11a on a Sunday.
We had seen this place many times but never stopped in. We decided it was a good option rather than wait for the Early Girl.
Their tag line is 'revolutionary organic'.
We had the Huevos Rancheros. nice mix of flavors with feta & goat cheese, guacamole, cilantro and a great home made salsa.
Blue Plate special was a good choice as well. All for $10 each, a decent meal for a good price.
A nice large dining room and would be great in season when the weather is nice for a large patio on a quiet street.
We would def go back. The service was good even though it was busy.
They bill themselves as Vegan and Organic and it seemed to be the case.
Everything was fresh and tasty with reasonable prices.
The only downgrade was our sever was a bit slow with the coffee and they had no soy milk or splenda. -
Review from Lindsay S.
Durham, NC
2/14/2011
When we're up in Asheville for a show, we always like to take advantage of the great vegetarian fare... usually, we go to Rosetta's Kitchen, but we were in town on a Sunday, and Rosetta's is closed on Sunday. Hence, Laughing Seed!
Oh, the goodness. I had the Harmony Bowl, which just called my name with its vegetabley, beany, ricey, tofuy goodness, and husband had the veggie cuban sandwich, which was a nice piece of seitan slathered with fantastic mustard and all those other things that come on a cuban sandwich. Husband also had a rich and delicious porter.
Atmo was great - we got there early enough to easily get a table, but we were impressed by the way the place really filled up as the evening progressed. Seems like every foodie visiting Asheville wants to eat at Laughing Seed...
Best thing of the night, though? The mayan chocolate pound cake... this rich piece of chocolate cake with just the right amount of cayenne spiciness. I could have kept eating it all night long.
Laughing Seed is a keeper. Win! -
Review from Justin S.
New York, NY
10/4/2011
STOP whatever it is you're doing and go to Laughing Seed. Three Asheville locals recommended this place so we went and had a GREAT MEAL. Actually, we went back the next day for Sunday brunch and had another great meal.
The raw zucchini manicotti is WONDERFUL. As is the sweet potato-ginger soup. Great place, great food. Better than many of the places I eat at in NYC. -
Review from Dawn C.
Raleigh, NC
8/28/2011
A vegetarian's paradise, this innovative restaurant does not serve any meat at all. For those that are lactose-sensitive beware of veggie restaurants. There is usually lots of cheese included in these healthy meals. Laughing Seed thankfully had the handy "v" for vegan dishes. I tried a Caribbean Jerk Tofu which was tasty enough, but I wish it had more spice. The beers were really tasty. I had a kölsch that was golden and refreshing!
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Review from Beth G.
West Palm Beach, FL
8/18/2010
Even after reading all the great reviews, I wasn't expecting much from this place - the menu just left me cold. This turned out to be a good thing, since I was saved from a feeling of bitter disappointment. After waiting a long time for a table (on a Wednesday - during the summer, granted, but still) and then waiting longer for our food, my dish - the Indian plate - came out. I took one look at the two little scoops of curried vegetables and wished we had gone somewhere else. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't that great, either - and there wasn't enough of it.
I love meat, but I also love veggies - and this was not the answer. I would maybe consider this as a lunchtime place to get a salad, but I would never go here for dinner again. The service was good - our server kept the water full and was pleasantly attentive - but there just wasn't enough food. We ended up stopping on the way home since I was still very hungry after dining here. -
Review from Lee B.
11/20/2010
I freakin' loved this place. My husband and I went to Asheville for the weekend and got there around 2pm. Laughing Seed was still pretty crowded from the lunch rush and we sat at the bar for about 10 minutes waiting for a table, while my husband had a beer and I had a local Kombucha.
I was very excited that they had Kombucha on tap.
I got the Harmony Bowl which was rice, black beans, steamed veggies and tofu. It was something that I could have easily made at home, but sometimes it's nice to have a simple meal out also. My husband got the hempnut burger with garlic fries, both of which were great.
I love it when a vegetarian restaurant has a lot of options that aren't just meat substitutes and this one certainly did. -
Review from Andrew B.
Asheville, NC
9/9/2011
I've visited twice with my wife. Of the four meals we've shared, only one was excellent. The rest were substandard vegetarian/vegan food in a city where great food of this kind is becoming increasingly prevalent. Once I ordered a meal with tempeh. It arrived without, I sent it back. I returned with hastily prepared tofu. I pointed out again that I had ordered tempeh, not tofu, and they finally got it right. The service isn't terrible, but definitely not great. Both times I've just felt kind of ripped off, like I could have had such a better experience for my money somewhere else. Maybe this worked when Laughing Seed was the only veggie place of any size in Asheville, but there are far better options now.
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Review from Walt R.
Salisbury, MD
9/2/2011
I'm not a vegetarian but my wife doesn't eat meat. I would eat here anytime. A great menu and a varied selection. The Tofu barbecue wrap was outstanding and my wife enjoyed her Tico Burrito immensely. The service was outstanding. If you are vegan/vegetarian, go find this place. If you are not, give it a chance.
