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Savory Cafe - CLOSED
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good for:
- Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
18 reviews for Savory Cafe
So perhaps you've read the other reviews, and if so I'm sure you get the gist. Great laid back, granola atmosphere. Think of it as being for hippie hipsters, which sounds wrong, but fits. Food is okay, and although that's where the margins are, that's not why you go. You go to chill, relax, study, or whatever requires a chair and a table, and eat only because you need to fill the void. There might be some pleasant surprises for the palate, but the infrequency makes them more surprising than they really should be.
That all being said, mayhaps you wonder why the four stars? Perhaps it's because i'm in too good a mood, but really, it's a good place and unique for the area (Think of a transplanted Mediterranean Cafe from Berkeley, CA with a downstairs instead of an upstairs and with a more proactive neighborhood-togetherness thing (probably does not help)). You should it check it out, even if just to say "meh" or ask "what was that reviewer thinking?"
Closed, closed, closed. Owners packed up and scrammed in the middle of the night (November 15, 2009).
I really wanted to like Savory more, but sometimes, it just isn't too hot. It does have a great location and layout where you can spend a long afternoon with friends and a menu with a lot of variety. The food is just ok though. I was disappointed with Savory Tofu special, the veggie's version of an egg scramble. Being that this is crunchy Takoma Park, I thought they should have perfected tofu, but I can do better than this at my kitchen at home. I think they need to get some people in there who really know how to cook and create good recipes to retool their dishes a bit. All of the food choices are really good in theory, they just need a little help.
That said, I still enjoy going there and grabbing a decent pastry.
Three solely for the fact that it's cute and conducive to studying and had available seating during brunchtime on sunday (huge feat in the dc area).
But my waffle was lame. I went with people who had gone before and they recommended the waffles. Despite the cashier taking 5 minutes to take my order, it took all of 3 minutes for my waffle to come out. I was a little taken aback by how fast it came out. After being mildly disappointed with the taste, my friend also agreed. It was not crunchy, too chewy, and tasted like it had to much baking soda in it. We think they just had extra ones lying around and reheated them and didn't make it fresh for our order. For $4, I know I shouldn't complain but I was hella disappointed.
My friend ordered french onion soup and the soup cup was over halfway full with just onions, totally lacked in the broth department. The red velvet cake is to die for, the frosting is perfect!
Overall, I will be back to study, I'm sure. But I'm gonna stick to desserts from now on.
Because, I guess, I am an aging hippie at heart, I straight up love this place.. DC needs -sorely needs-mellow respites from the nerve grinding "I need it last week" ethos one finds damn near everywhere-and this place is one of them... I like the food, too, of course.
Don't go if you are more accustomed to the opposite... I dont mean that in a "keep out, this means you" kind of way. I just wouldnt want you to be ticked off, or disappointed.
Great vegetarian food, well almost always.
I LOVED the spinach pie every time I ordered it in past visits, which was usually at lunchtime. However, at dinner recently I got the last one. When you nuke phyllo dough in the microwave it loses it's crispiness. Very sad. Plus, this particular pie was not very plump with filling; its edges were slightly burnt.
The portobello mushroom stuffed with eggplant, red peppers and topped with a large slab of mozzarella is great as is the veggie lasagna. It should be noted that all food entrees are pre-made which means they are microwaved after you order them at the counter.
The food is still tasty. I really like coming here for breakfast too. The atmosphere is laid back and the scones are at their freshest.
While much of what I wrote in October stands--the good and not-so-good--I've continued to be pleased with customer service overall. Internet connections are still spotty and the interior still needs some TLC. Not sure that Savory merits 4 stars yet, but it's edging closer.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
10/9/2008
People in the neighborhood need places like this--to work or hang out, by themselves or with… Read more »
My rating is purely for the sandwich and the service. I couldn't believe that the pita sandwich I ate here on Friday was vegan. I mostly just needed something to keep me from falling over, but Savory far exceeded my expectations. I think I said a long "uuuuuuuhhhh" when I walked up to the register and Alex offered a sentence: "She wants something with avocado."
The man behind the counter suggested something involving hummus, avocado, and tofu. Sold! It took a while to make, but when it arrived, I could see it was made with love. Great presentation and the sandwich was really, well-- savory. I need to find out where he gets that pita.
I do think the place felt a little more like a cafeteria than a cool organic joint with a stack of postcards advertising an Amigos Invisibles concert. It could have been because it was half an hour from closing and the place was vacant save the two of us. I'll have to see it in the middle of the day with the sun coming through the windows.
I really just cannot get into this place. I know the vibe their going for, but every time I come here I'm disappointed.
This is supposed to be the neighborhoody, cool meeting place that's also a coffeehouse/cafe/bar/etc/etc/etc, and it definitely has the potential. The problem here is with execution.
Every time I have come here, something has been wrong. Whether the coffee has tasted gross, the food was undercooked, or the temperature of the cafe itself was on the ridiculously hot side. My wife vowed to not come back here again, only to drag me this past weekend.
For those regulars, I hope it's a better experience, but my personal take is that this place could use some work.
Laid-back and funky the Savory Cafe is charming in its simplicity and granola vibe. The entrees skew towards the vegetarian and it's all quite tasty. Enjoy!
Nice alternative coffee shop/veg restaurant. Their baked goods are very tasty, my kids all concur. They have a nice menu of vegan/vegetarian options, a kids menu and some non-vegetarian options as well. They have a laid back coffee house atmosphere. My only complaint is that sometimes it seems a little too laid back and can take a long time to get your order, even if it's just a scone or muffin from the case. Still, I plan to go back.
The veggie food is great when you order (the Sunday buffet seems to have fallen off a bit). Coffee is excellent and served in a real mug, not a to-go cup. It's a nice place to sit for a long time--with friends or to take advantage of the free wi-fi.
I used to go to Savory all the time when I first moved to Takoma Park. Then I left for a year and a half...and found that nothing had been changed or updated at all in that time. Sure, if something isn't broken, don't fix it...but can't you update or get a new paint job? They are soooo slow, too. That said, the breakfast bagel with veggie sausage is great, and they have a good range of vegan and vegetarian options (of course, the same ones they've had for years). I think they just need to update things and get some more staff!
There should be a Savory Cafe in every DC neighborhood. Warm, welcoming, bright, fresh, independent, healthy, and fun, with decent entertainment. You can bring your group here to meet, you can come here for a meal. The food is a tad expensive, but hey, you get what you pay for. Come here and you will leave feeling happier and that you've done good for the world.
Nice alternative cafe to sit and read if you ever find yourself in Takoma Park... They offer only organic, mostly vegetarian food, which is supposed to be quite good but I didn't enjoy it that much personally and I also thought that it was overpriced (except the Sunday brunch). Nonetheless, there are free refills on very good ice-tea and coffee, and local bands and poets perform on Thursdays and weekends. The brunch on Sundays is definitely good, but expect it to be crowded, with many families and lots of little kids. There is a special 'adults' only reading area downstairs, but I always enjoyed the lively atmosphere in the main area and outside, including the many loud kids.
i was torn between one star and two stars (so i ended up inbetween, one for food and three for atmosphere). my friend took me for lunch today and it was the worst. the kid taking our order seemed so disintrested in doing his job. forgot to give us our drinks. 20 minutes later when the food arrived the soup was wrong (i was REALLY excited about having vegetarian onion soup) but to not be a pain i said it's cool, i'll stick minestrone. it sucked. as did my sandwich. i actually found it difficult to find a veggie sandwich on their board. the person i went had a roast beef sandwich. one of the last things i'd expect to see at a place like this.
Good little coffeeshop joint. The place has three floors to it and is wide open unlike other crammed coffee shops where you can hear other people's Ipods. I wish they had more couches though, and the ones that they do have looked they were sitting outside next to someone's trash for a week and got picked up by some savvy Savory employee.
The Savory Cafe is one of those rare gems in the DC metro area--hip, unassuming cafe with a relaxed liberal vibe and tasty food offerings for vegetarians at reasonable prices. Of course, you don't have to eat dinner or lunch--you could always drop in for a great cup of coffee and some dessert. But if you are going for a meal, check out the butternut squash soup or "Le Croque Madame."
