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Tue-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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Does this place need another positive review? Yes it does, it's that good.
I had the Southern fried tofu, collards, and mac and cheese. My boyfriend had potato salad and the fried tofu in a sandwich. While waiting for my food to come, I took a bite of his sandwich, and I must say, that bite was as satisfying as any burger I ever ate in my previous omnivore life. Everything we ate was phenomenal, and I will be back, probably soon, to order everything else on the menu.
The place is new, so a few things need to be worked out. They need some better lighting and interior design. Also, I found the collards to be a bit over-spiced. But yay, this is the kind of food that makes you glad to be alive, and I'm so grateful that Souley Vegan is around!
I tasted Souley Vegan for the first time last Thursday. And I'm not going to lie and just straight-out admit that the very next day I ate here again. In my defense, the first time, I had to-go food delivered to me, so I needed to check it out on my own.
So a friend and I headed down to Jack London Square in preparation of a big lunch. She was having a bad day, so we were certain that gorging out on soul food would do the trick in cheering her up.
We walked into this corner place a bit past the lunch hour and it was relatively empty. Mind you, the restaurant is huge (front room with a handful of tables, and then an open space in the back which seats way more), but it was still quiet. The atmosphere is a little cold and not as homey as I would have expected, but I hope that changes as this location is established a bit more.
While I really really want to try the everything-plus, there was no justification for the two of us eating all that food. Instead, we each ordered a southern fried tofu chicken sandwich (which I still insist is mindblowingly amazing), and got an order of yams and of mac and cheese to share. Finally, we topped it off with the spiced homefries.
My dining companion was just as impressed as I was at the sandwiches, and it was just as good the second time around. The yams were heavenly - so sweet and buttery and warm. But the mac and cheese was just eh. It tasted like a relatively standard nutritional-yeast version of the dish, but without much seasoning or kick. By the time our homefries arrived, we'd already filled up all the remaining food-space in our stomachs, so we ate a few and then got them to go.
All in all, a fantastic place to visit, and I'm super stoked on trying the collard greens and fried okra next time.
One thing to note - it is cash-only.
Only four stars because I haven't yet been on-location. However, Brian G. was so kind as to buy me a… Read more »
The food was really tasty. I took off a star because it was a freezing day and they didn't have heat OR coffee :(
The southern fried tofu was unlike anything I've ever had - really hearty and tasty. The sweet potatoes and mac n' cheese were totally belly-warming, comfort food.
I'd been looking forward to trying trying this place for a while and it was worth the wait. I hope to come back soon and give one of their good looking sammiches a try.
I couldn't say more about this, if you are vegan and trying to support the vegan community, esp. business entity, you gotta come here, not only the food's great but also different than the regular salad and vege soup cafe. This restaurant has so much to offer to the community!
Come check out the food, they do catering too!
Took my bf (who's a vegan and work at Cafe Gratitude) for a surprised trip to Oakland/Alameda one… Read more »
Have been eating this yummy goodness at the Lakeshore Farmers market for awhile so it was great to see them Oakland!!!
So - BBQ Tofu - excellent- Crispy Fried Tofu- Yummy. Fried Okra- insanely good and worth the $6!!!
Mac-n-Cheese, Greens, Yams, Lentils - all so damn good I could eat them daily.
The place it cold but who cares the food is soul warming and they have live music some nights too!!!
Even if your not a vegan/vega its worth it!!!!
Vegan soul food. That's an oxymoron, isn't it? Like fat-free ice cream or savory manure. Not that I've had savory manure, at least not that I know of. Souley Vegan doesn't serve manure either, savory or otherwise, and my curiosity peaked as to what their food was all about last Sunday when I happened upon their new location in Jack London Square. Ironically, it's two doors down from Nation's Giant Hamburgers, so you have both extremes of the nutrition spectrum on the same block. Oakland is cool that way.
Empty as the place was, I don't think many people know that they are open on Sundays and actually serve a limited brunch menu - $8 for three items and $10 for four. Sadly, they don't serve their house specialties like the BBQ and Crispy Tofu dishes on Sunday morning. Instead, it's purely breakfast fixings. Luckily, I had a cheery server to help me maneuver the chalkboard menu. I ended up ordering the Scrambled Tofu, Smothered Potatoes, and "Sausages" (see photo). You let her know at the counter and sit anywhere you like. Red stencils of jazz greats freckle the walls.
When the food arrived, I picked at it because I suddenly became fearful of eating something way too healthy for me. Let me start with the best selection. The Scrambled Tofu turned out to be surprisingly hearty with cubes of firm tofu mixed well with peppers and onions among whatever was the egg substitute. The net result was tastier than it had any right to be. The Smothered Potatoes were in the "pretty good" range, a big pile of smashed potatoes with plenty of texture and seasoning though a tad too oily for my taste. I assume it must have been vegetable oil.
The "Sausages" were the least of the three in flavor and looks - two links that were shaped more like finger potatoes, they were made of ground soy mixed with cilantro. The texture was more bready than meaty, so the masquerade was not successful. Still, it was hearty enough to complement the other items. There is definitely a sense of craftsmanship that I admired about the meticulously prepared food. I'm sure if I was a vegan, I'd be peeing for joy in my biodegradable underpants. As a carnivore, however, I have to admit I was thinking an Extra Giant Triple-Egger at Nation's might have hit the spot in a weaker moment.
FOOD - 3 stars...vegan craftsmanship, variable taste
AMBIANCE - 2.5 stars...kinda empty in there
SERVICE - 3.5 stars...cheery server wanted to see me smile...I obliged
TOTAL - 3 stars...does Souley Vegan allow your inner soulful vegan to emerge?...I'm not sure 'cause I'll be next door having a Harvester
This has got to be my favorite Vegan Soul Food restaurant....wait a minute....it's the ONLY Vegan Soul Food restaurant I know.
I'm not a practicing vegan, but I was really curious about this place. It's rare to see a vegan soul food place ANYWHERE!
My favorites here were the black eyed peas, perfectly sweetened yams, southern fried tofu (tasted like chicken), red beans and rice, and the flavor bursting BBQ tofu.
The strawberry ginger drink was a bit spicy, but I loved it.
The collard greens, potato salad, mac and cheese, cornbread were just okay for me. Given that they don't use animal products, I still was impressed by the taste!
The Friday night entertainment was loud yet enjoyable! We were groovin to the festive sounds of a live and talented blues band while chompin away at our sampler platter. Also, the staff was extremely friendly and checked on us frequently.
The last time I had uncharacteristic vegan food was at Ronald's Donuts in Las Vegas.....and they turned out to be one of the best donuts I've had. Can't say the food at SV was the best soul food I've had, but they do rank up there with traditional soul foods I've experienced.
This place is awesome! I give the food 5 stars, but the atmosphere and speed of service knock my overall rating down a bit. It's hard to understand why it takes so long to prepare the food, but when you get the food, it's worth it. I'm also a little bothered by the prices. They're not steep, but for the price, it seems like the decor should be a little nicer. It's a little dismal in there. Just sayin'.
Back to the food -- I am vegan so I'm biased, but both times I've been there with a non-vegan and both of them enjoyed the food a lot. The BBQ tofu is yummy, and the southern-fried tofu is too, except that it could use a bit more seasoning. The sides are all really good (especially potato salad & mac-n-"cheese"), as is the cayenne lemonade (wow!). If you go there with someone else, your best bet is to order the everything plate & get the added-on fried okra & red beans and rice. It's more than enough for 2, and it comes to $25. Not dirt cheap but not expensive either for a good, filling dinner. And, even though you eat a lot and get really filled up, you don't feel that weighted down, greasy, sick feeling like you would if you ate a whole mess of animal-fat-laden soul food (my subtle pitch for veganism!).
This place, these guys- so awesome! Between my 5 friends and I we ordered nearly everything on the menu and it was all great. This, coming from a person who was vegetarian & vegan for 8 years and now an omnivore.
BEST things about this place:
- The sweet & helpful staff! The two gentleman working tonight were the tops.
- The batter on the southern fried tofu. Can't remember anything better I've ever had fried. Ok except a Snickers.
- Sweet Potatoes- PERFECT consistency & sweetness
- Awesome price for broke babes.
xoxo!
So good. So good. So GOOD.
You just have to eat it. Everything was amazing. My heart went to heaven. I really hope to go back soon, and try everything else.
My only real complaint was that using google maps directions, we got SO LOST. We ended up 10 blocks away from where it was, but made it there and it was worth getting lost in the dark.
Best vegan food I have ever had. Slighty over priced, but the service and speed is great.
Seems a little grungy, but they are understaffed.
If you are a vegetarian or vegan this is a must
This place is so delicious! My boyfriend and I got the sampler plate and cobbler and it was more than enough to fill us up. Super friendly people work here and the service was excellent.
We are not vegan, but I prefer this style of soul food over it's meaty counterpart any day!
Can't wait to go back.
It's vegan, and it's Soul Food, but it sure ain't Fast Food.
So be prepared to wait if you come here. I showed up before the lunch rush and probably waited around 15 minutes just for my food when there were only two other customers in the restaurant.
But when the food arrived, it did not disappoint. Collard greens were awesome, no bitterness and had a very distinctive flavor, not unlike the greens at Pican (which I also like). I think the unique flavor of the greens is because there isn't a huge hunk of pork in the middle of my greens.
BBQ Tofu was good, but wasn't very spectacular and the mac and cheese is unexpectedly good. I would not expect something vegan to taste so non-vegan. The cheese felt like a cheese hollandiase sauce, but I guess it's vegan.
Out of everything I had, only the cornbread disappointed me.
Good food, worth returning, but I think it is not as good as hyped. I mean, besides the fact that this is vegan, it's just good soul food, nothing more, nothing less.
This is by far the best vegan restaurant in the bay area.
So why only four stars?
Portion sizes are pathetic. $2 for a mini ice-cream-scoop of potato salad? C'mon.
ETA: After looking at the photos on Yelp, it seems like we just got ripped off last night & their portion sizes are generally much larger. Bummer.
The food is excellent, and reasonably priced.
They could use a bit more decorating, atmosphere.
I was most impressed by the service. Given the type of place it is, I didn't expect them to be nearly so doting. They were exceedingly polite and generous.
I will definitely be back again and again.
We drove hours to get here. I recently went Vegan and heard about this place and wanted to love it so badly.. We pulled up, and were concerned for our safety, not the nicest area, but we understand, it's Oakland.
Next, we go in, and were in shock with the prices! $19 for a plate with everything?? We're used to paying $19 for two awesome meals at Chevy's.. I could see the prices if the ambiance was nicer, but come on, how are you going to stay in business serving Vegan food when the prices are outrageous!
The Mac and Cheese though, UNREAL!! And the potato salad, DYNOMITE!! But come on already, if you want to stay in business, make it that even Vegans want to come back! The prices are too high!
We'll be back for brunch, oh I hope it's worth it..
Yeah, it's good! I'll write more later.
A little expensive, I think.
As a result of pure serendipity, I discovered Souley Vegan last weekend on an East Bay walking excursion. I couldn't help but be captured by the unique billing of vegan food combined with soul food. I often eat vegan, and vegetarian food but had never heard of the "soul" version of this kind of food.
I was immediately greeted by a friendly server as I entered. She guided me to a table and the menu while explaining some of the choices. She was not rushed and was willing to chat about the food. Blues classics played in the background as a perfect story-telling partner with the food. And as a perfect ending to the story, the beaming chef came out into the dining room and asked me what I thought of the food after I had finished. She thanked me with a friendly smile as I assured her that there would be another chapter in my visits to her restaurant.
A plate of corn bread, greens and, barbecued tofu captured me with a hearty and harmonious mix of intense tastes. What a contrast to the mild flavors of asian-style vegan food I've tasted. And though the tastes were not subtle, the savory and sweet flavors were well-balanced and complimentary. I left feeling perfectly filled, and entirely satisfied.
The menu has a great variety so I'm already planning my next meal at Souley Vegan for this weekend.
Food was great! Customer service was great! The family that owns the restaurant are all vegan and they seem very passionate about their restaurant.
My friends and i ordered the everything plate for 19$ and it was definitely enough for all three of us to split! It had a portion of everything on the menu. We also added the Okra, beans and rice which brought it to 25$.
My favorites from the plate were the southern fried tofu, mac n cheese, potato salad, bbq tofu, fried okra, cornbread, and greens. Everything was delicious though!
I also ordered their lemonade (4$) and enjoyed it. For desert we had the cheesecake (4$), sweet potato pie and peach cobbler. All of them were hella good! We were stuffed by the time we left! I am definitely going to come back!
Skeptical was an understatement about how I felt when I first heard of this place. But they have completely won me over. I definitely eat meat, but I can't believe how delicious and filling everything is. How they make these dishes without dairy, eggs or meat is beyond me. All I know is that I could eat a plate of the bbq tofu all day, every day. I also had the mac and cheese, potato salad and greens. Everything is perfectly seasoned and very reasonably priced. I definitely need to hit them up again and try their other items.
This place rocks! I think i ate here so much they might be sick of me....or the person i send to go get my food. haha ...
Great food and great prices.
Of course it totally depends on one person's taste...
...but i would say that they satisfy mine.
Messy, Hearty, Souley Vegan!
***review based on 2 visits, 4 1/2 stars is more accurate rating***
I live with vegetarians, getting meat dishes when i dine out is almost a must. Souley Vegan does not disappoint though. 2 Crispy Tofu burgers, BBQ burger, corn bread, black eye peas, lentils, mac n' cheese--enough for 4 + leftovers = $33
Lots of good flavor comes out of this kitchen, but CRISPY TOFU deserves special recognition. Only my wife's beet burger can compete on the 'veggie patty' front.
Very friendly staff.
The Toasty burger will make you want to bear its children! No joke. This is delicious.
$7 gets you a wheat bun with BBQ and Southern Fried tofu, lettuce, tomatoes, and a creamy, mustard-y, tartar-ish sauce filled with pickles. It's going to drip down your arms and you're going to lick it off.
The fried tofu is magical. I have no idea how they get that cornmeal crust onto there like that, but… Read more »
Friday night was my first time at Souley Vegan, and it was a great experience. I have been vegan for almost 2 years, and BBQ is one thing that I really miss. Souley Vegan not only satisfied my craving, but it seriously exceeded my expectations.
I highly recommend getting the "everything plate." It's $19 and you get to taste just about everything on the menu: collard greens, black eyed peas, kidney beans, cornbread, mac and cheese, lentils, BBQ tofu and country fried tofu. All of these dishes were pretty awesome. For $25, you can get all of that, plus fried okra - well worth the splurge.
The atmosphere seemed a little iffy from outside - there were several arrests being made in the neighborhood - but when you walk in the restaurant, everything changes. There was a great soul group performing, and everyone was just so happy to be eating there. Loved it.
Holy crap this place is good. I knew it would be something when the meat-eater in the group couldn't wait to get there. The BBQ tofu and fried okra were best-in-class. The mac & 'cheese' was also quite tasty. Really, though, everything on the menu (and we got a plate of everything on the menu) was quite good.
Casual atmosphere, and no alcohol license last I checked, so if you need a buzz to go with dinner, hit one of the excellent nearby bars beforehand.
I've given the place several tries but each time the food has been a letdown; several friends of mine have had the same experience which is a bummer. Their farmers market stand is AWESOME so I'm not sure what happened.
Except for the fried tofu (which has a great batter but no seasoning inside), all of the dishes I had were over-seasoned. The BBQ tofu, collard greens and potato salad were all way too salty-believe me, I love me some salt, give me salt & vinegar chips and I'll lick the bag, but this was just too much. The mac & cheese was ok, but you can find a much better recipe on any decent vegan food blog. The cornbread and sweet potato pie were average as well.
I would probably go back if a friend had their heart set on it, but not by myself. That being said, all the reviews have been good so I hope I went on off days-vegan soul food should be the best thing ever.
Amazing! I am such a tough customer that sometimes I want to tell myself to leave a restaurant. Well, April the wonderful waitress was determine to make my first visit a pleasant one! I was griping about not being able to pay with a credit card, but my real grip was, Wow everything looks so good on the menu I want to order everything and I don't have enough cash!
April recommended the BBQ tofu and it was great beyond great! I'm African American and this is good soul food!!! My friend that went with me is not vegetarian and she enjoyed her meal as well. We ordered, collard greens, BBQ tofu, mac and cheese, fried okra and yams. Oh, and the strawberry ginger drink was amazing! I love ginger so you have to love ginger too to truly appreciate the drink.
The bus gentleman was great too! He was more than accommodating. I have to say the general customer service at most soul food restaurants are not good, this place has amazing customer service!
I think I said above that I went back today for lunch and enjoyed my meal. I am a pecetarian but after this meal I have decided as of today to go back to being a vegetarian and slowly back to vegan.
Oh and great motown live music!!!!
Thanks Souley Vegan!!
OH MY
a fried suggested we try this spot after she had an amazing first experience and i can't stop thanking her.
upon completion of my southern fried tofu, mac&cheese, and herbed cornbread i declared "This was one of the best meals i have eaten in a very, very long time" and believe me, i eat lots of good food on a regular basis.
we returned less than a week later with a huge group in tow. luckily, there were so many people, i got a chance to try at least a bite of every single menu item as well as all of the drink flavors.......get the mint sweet tea....do it!
i must also reiterate how very sweet, accommodating, and attractive the amazing woman behind the counter has been both times.
go there now, eats lots, return often.
I can't even begin to explain how friendly the staff is here. You can tell they love what they do and they love their food. It shows.
I had the mac n' cheese, the southern fried tofu and the cornbread. I didn't realize until my plate came how beige my meal was. Shame on me. I should have gotten a veggie to balance out my monochromatic meal.
I ate the mac n' cheese first and had a hard time venturing to the tofu and cornbread because it was so good. I made sure I saved some mac n' cheese for the end of the meal so as to savor it.
The tofu was insane. I can't even describe it. I don't know how they got the breading down so it was crisp and perfect. The pieces even looked like fried chicken. It's definitely tofu in the middle though. The cornbread had some rosemary baked into it and while I couldn't finish it, I loved ever last bite of it.
It's worth the trip over the bay for when you're vegan but wanting something fried and homey. My own vegan mac n' cheese is definitely good but it didn't have the tang SV's had. My fried tofu is decent too, but it didn't have that insane crispy coating.
I look forward to going back for sure.
I'm veggie not vegan but I have to say this place makes the best potato salad - mayo or no mayo.
I have also had their collard greens, yams, bbq tofu and sweet potato pie. Everything tasted spectacular except for the collard greens which were way too salty.
And it is such a pleasure to be dealt with in such a sincere, friendly way by staff, whether on the phone or in person.
Yay Souley Vegan is back!
They have been in their new digs for a couple of weeks.
The new space is easily 4 -5 times bigger than their original location.
There are great little wall paintings of famous African-American Blues and Jazz singers and musicians
And they have a bathroom--yay!
And the food is just as good as ever.
All Vegan but not for dieters.
The three of us shared a combination sample plate, which has almost everything on the menu. The portions are sample size but you do get to have so many different tastes. (Collard greens yams, potato salad, mac and cheese, BBQ tofu, southern fried tofu, cornbread and black-eyed peas). We also had a side order of red beans and rice.
All very yummy.
We also ordered a Crispy Tofu Burger (2 large slabs of crispy tofu) which was heavenly; Southern Fried Tofu minis (I recommend this--you get around 6 large crispy tofu squares with that to-die-for crunchy batter on the outside); and our son got the three sides plate (any 3 sides for $10). He got the collard greens, yams and BBQ tofu).
NEGATIVES:
-Not cheap. We spent around $35 + for lunch and $25 for out to go order.
-You need to order bottled water or drinks, no water glasses that I was aware of.
POSITIVES:
Yummy Food!
Spacious dining area
Better location; slightly easier parking. (Across the street from
Buttercup Grill).
Blues Night on Fridays
The owner is not only beautiful but she is so warm and gracious; checking in with you to see how you like your food. And "oh dear" she remembered me from the old SV location. My "unique" face strikes again!
My son who is a sometimes omnivore and a Soul Food fan was in 7th Heaven with this place. He's been waiting and waiting for their reopening.
We'll definitely be back once I've worked off the calories from my Crispy Tofu sandwich!
We just phoned today and their NEW opening date is July 22nd!
Can't wait!
Read more »
Yet another great find via YELP. The food here is wonderful, just absolutely wonderful! I am a country boy from the Midwest who loves meat so I wasn't too sure about this place at first, but decided to check it out when other 'meat lovers' opined that it was great. I was surprised about how good the tofu was, but that isn't what got me. It was all the other food that I loved the most.
When you walk in, you will find a menu (or flyer) with a description of everything you can choose from. In a strange twist, you order your food first and then sit down. I took my mom here and we got the sampler, which is a serving of everything they have; it is enough food for two people and something you should seriously consider on your first time. Plus it is only like $19- a very good deal.
As for the food, I think everyone will find something they love. I really liked the mac 'n cheese- so much better and more flavorful than any other mac 'n cheese around here. I didn't try any of the desserts- that will be my goal next time!
Excellent service and delicious food! I'm grateful.
WARNING: The food here, while very good, will most likely put you into a food coma. But if I had to be in a food-induced coma, I'd rather do it with a belly full of Souley Vegan.
A 3-item plate can easily feed two people, so if you are on a budget, you can easily have dinner or lunch for two for about $10. The fried tofu is crispy crunchy goodness and very filling. Potato salad was a bit salty this time, but normally it's very tasty. The mac & cheese is good, considering there is no dairy in it. I noticed they had fried okra on the menu now, so I'll be trying that next time.
I don't know how they get the Crispy Tofu the way they do but OMG it is the closest thing to Fried… Read more »
All I can say is, WOW. Just wow.
So my husband and I go to Souley Vegan for a late lunch/supper thing, and I've read several Yelp reviews that recommended the $19 everything plate, so that you could have a taste of everything.
Boy, am I glad that we did.
When we got our food (the wait wasn't very long), we got the lentils, black eyed peas, BBQ tofu, Crispy tofu, collard greens, yams, mac and cheese, and one big ass hunk of cornbread. Oh, and to drink I got a strawberry ginger juice, which was pretty good at first but started to taste more and more like ginger at the end. So since I'm not a big fan of ginger, I'll most likely not get it again.
Anyway, so the food. Wow. So the BBQ and Crispy tofu was orgasmically good. The BBQ sauce, which I'm assuming is vegan, tastes EXACTLY like the kind that goes on the ribs, so it was like I was eating BBQ'ed ribs. Which I guess is kind of the point, although you obviously just substitute the meat for the tofu and there you have it. And the crispy tofu was exactly like eating crispy chicken, the skin was delicious! Dip the skin in the BBQ skin, and it tastes even more awesome.
The mac and cheese like everyone says, is also just as awesome. It was a little bit spicy, but still bearable. I did notice there was some red powder or something other on the mac and cheese which might have made it spicy.
The yams was great also, very soft and a little sweet, a little bit cinnamon-y. I was reluctant to try the yams since I normally do not like them, but these, I'd eat tonnes of.
Collard greens were also pretty good, which is also surprising to me, since I don't normally like them. Unfortunately, like another Yelper had mentioned, it did indeed get a bit salty at the end.
The lentils and black eyed peas are okay, they're still good and everything, but not as memorable as the top 3 I have mentioned, and the cornbread, which I'll mention next. I can't remember if it was the lentils or black eyed peas that was spicy, but that, like the mac and cheese, was also bearable.
Finally last but not least, the cornbread. This cornbread was very good...very soft and crumbly. I had some bad cornbread in the past, and because of that, haven't eaten much of it until recently. And I'm glad that I like it now, so that I could enjoy the cornbread from there.
About the place itself, it was bigger than I thought it was, so that was nice. There was a lot of light, big booths, and lots of places to sit at. And the smell of the food cookin' is lovely, too.
The lady that rang us up was very friendly and seems to enjoy working there, which is always nice to see. Actually, I have to make a longer comment about her, because when I called them to ask what time they open until (just to double check), she asked if she could put me on hold, and I said sure. I waited for a little for about 10 minutes, probably less actually, then I decided to hang up and just go there. Not a minute went by and I was surprised to see the Souley Vegan number pop up on my phone. I answered, and it was the lady, apologizing for putting me on hold for a while. I felt bad for hanging up, so I apologized to her as well, and then asked my question. Anyway, I just wanted to mention this because this kind of thing doesn't happen very often, so it was kind of sweet for her to do.
We will definitely come back here again...this time for the burgers! And the desserts. :)
Talk about a welcome addition to our neighborhood! Food is fabulous and everyone is really friendly, prices not bad either! Particular standouts are the yams, the cornbread and the cobblers. The collard greens were tasty too, interesting seasoning, I could have sworn it was olive juice, wacky.
So glad they are here for this vegetarian family!
holy shit this place is good. i finally went today for lunch and now want to go back and try everything on the menu.
i got the crispy tofu burger and cornbread. the cornbread didn't come til much later because of a service mix-up which took a long time to correct, but it was okay. it's not table service technically (you order and pay at the counter) so with that in mind, the service is great. my boyfriend got 3 items ($10) which were the collard greens (tasty, a little fennel-y for me but still really good), the potato salad (OH MY GOD IT IS GOOD) and the bbq tofu. i'm not a bbq sauce person, but as my boyfriend said "i haven't tasted anything in bbq sauce this good since i ate meat". that's like 12 years ago, i think. the tofu burger was amazingly good, considering i'm a cheese and avocado addict.
the lemonade was $4 but it was the best lemonade i've had in a long, long time.
so, all in all, this is certainly not the most healthful vegan meal you'll ever have, but it is incredibly tasty and i want to try everything they have on the menu, no joke. be aware: cash only.
last note: at least at lunch, this place did not seem to have a hipstered-out vibe, which i expected. it seemed more of a blues-southern soul food place that happens to serve vegan food. for now, anyway!
Best soul food in the Bay I've had yet. It really puts farmer brown to shame in taste and quality and the vibe is really laid back and homey feeling. Its kinda pricey and cash only and takes forever, but the staff is friendly and patient and it makes it all worth it once you get your food.
Ah the food, the best part. We had rice & beans, mac n cheese, collard greens, and a Mix BBQ/Fried tofu burger which proved difficult to eat but that didn't make a difference. The taste of the food makes all your problems fade away into a spicy comforting coma of happiness.
The love of my life is back, and its better looking, a little further away, and just as tasty.
Get the macaroni and cheese, potato salad, and barbecue tofu. Then bring it to my house.
HEY 121 OTHER REVIEWERS: DON'T WORRY!
Just do this: Get yer drunk ass outta bed this sunday morning.…
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Yum! I liked it bunches! And what a lovely woman staffing the front. They make a very sweet sorrel ginger tea hurray! I'd been missing sorrel tea since the Black Muslim Bakery closed and haven't looked for a replacement til now! I got a 3 entree plate (southern fried tofu, yams and collards) and with another side of cornbread. While the other 3 at the table cleared their plates (they had bbq tofu), I could only finish half my plate--which I happily packed to take home.
The carrots were cinnamony, and the greens was also spiced w/ Oh dear, I forgot. They were tasty tho!
The cornbread was of the sweet variety and quite tasty, it was darker than I'm used to, and I'm not sure what they used in it, but i was impressed, stood up to non vegan cornbread--and I've had my fair share of hit or misses on that subject.
I had a bite of the potato salad, it was chock full of olives, which worked for me, but may not be to everyone's taste.
and the mac and cheese had a sprinkling of i think cayenned, cuz I would get an occasional zing, but otherwise a hearty standard yeast cheese.
Neighborhood: West Oakland
Category: Personal Chefs
Neighborhood: South Berkeley
Category: Vegetarian
Neighborhood: Oakland Chinatown
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Uptown
Category: Cajun/Creole
Neighborhood: North Oakland
Category: Vegetarian
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