Where to Eat Vegan: Present Moment Cafe - St. Augustine, FL

We drove right by Present Moment Cafe the first time and had to pull around and approach it again. The squat barrel shaped building hugged close to the road had blended into the tightly packed urban blip of King Street in Old Town St. Augustine. 

But this is no urban desert of a restaurant. Within the doors lush blues and greens stream through the jewel toned windows, wood so lustrous it seems to still breathe, coats the walls and a gentle pink emanates from each table set with a Himalayan Salt grinder. 

In a town more equipped to serve novelty fried alligator tail and slippery sweet ice cream cones to tourists, Present Moment Cafe gives one pause. 

This is a restaurant designed to nourish all the senses.

I had convinced my grandmother to bring us into town to sample Yvette Schindler's raw fare not really knowing what to expect. Would there be anything she would dare to eat? 

Salads don't hold much of a place on this imaginative menu. Mango samosas, Viva Burrito, Nachos, White Truffle Pesto Pasta and the Sunlight Burger stuffed with mushrooms and nuts. 

Where to begin? 

Sometimes when I don't know where to start I go back to the start.

 Where did I start this weird food journey? What foods brought me out of the boxed mashed potatoes and microwave mac and cheese dark ages? 

Miso was one of those first foods.

At the Japanese Steakhouse, where charred bits of shrimp were thrown into the grinning gapes of openmouthed spectators, I tasted my first bowl of salty miso.

As a new vegan years later I was heartbroken to find so many restaurants served fish laced broths, so when an opportunity to try a miso made without my swimming friends comes along I take it.

Present Moment Cafe could have gotten away with being mediocre. With few vegan options and no real competition in the way of raw vegan fare, they probably could have gotten by being the only joint in town and could prepare whatever they wanted. But they turned out an amazing meal, a New York quality meal really. 

I was tempted to buy their cookbook before I left but opted to just hold the flavors and textures in my mind until I could make another pilgrimage to the fountain of youth that is Present Moment Cafe. 

22 West King Street

St. Augustine, FL 32084

Monday - Thursday 10am - 9pm

Friday - Saturday 10am - 9:30 pm

Where to Eat Vegan: Ballyhoo's - Key Largo, FL

Ballyhoo's doesn't seem like an obvious choice for vegan food. The warm patio flanked with bananas is inviting, sure, but the ghastly crab legs that hang as a welcoming banner to their website seems, somewhat less than welcoming. 

Push past the obligatory seafood section though and you'll find a whole separate menu of vegan and vegetarian delights like Fried Pink Tomatoes, Vegan Grilled Cheese and Black Bean Soup, Grilled Avocado and a selection of salads that breaches the iceberg and watery tomato protocol. 

As we sipped on our Mason jar tumblers of water and pursued the menu we realized those tasty options from the website were nowhere to be found.

"Excuse me, but we thought we saw online that you have vegan options?" I asked the waitress.

"Oh, you're vegan, we have a whole menu for you honey," she beamed, rushing inside to grab a few of the reserved copies for us. 

"There aren't a lot of vegan options here in Key Largo but it turns out that our chef here is vegan so that's why we have this whole separate menu," she explained. 

We decided to get a few dishes to sample the menu: 

The Grilled Cheese with Black Bean Soup

Joe Vs The Volcano Salad 

and a Sweet Potato Burger with Jalapeño Jelly 

Grilled Mango, Sliced Tomato, Avocado and Noodles are tossed with a Chili Lime Dressing, Fresh Cilantro and Mint and served atop Spinach with a handful of Peanuts and a side of crispy toast. 

The Sweet Potato Burger, which is mixed with white beans and tahini was served crispy and warm on a kaiser roll with a spicy Jalapeño Jelly side and a choice of Green Beans, Black Eyed Peas, Mushrooms, Spinach or Fries. 

We resisted the Fries. 

The Grilled Cheese was the most unique vegan grilled cheese I've yet to experience. Instead of the stringy glue that Daiya can produce or the itchiness that cashew cheese can produce for me, this "cheese" was made of reduced coconut milk and what I assumed was nutritional yeast. Lightly flavored but satisfying in a gooey way that reminded me of childhood Velveta days. 

Ballyhoo's

Open Daily 11am - 10pm

97860 Overseas Highway

Key Largo, FL 33037

305 852 0822

Where to Eat Vegan: The Holy Donut - Portland, Maine

The Holy Donut is a pretty inconspicuous looking place. I drove by it with the wistful memory of donut sugar sweetness floating through my brain and gloomily thought "none for me."

But as I parked around the corner on Mellen Street at my home away from home, just a few minutes walk from The Holy Donut I couldn't help but let a spark of optimism induce me to google: 

The Holy Donut Portland Maine Vegan.

Low and behold: RESULTS!

Not only do they have vegan donuts but they have special Maine potato vegan donuts made with unbleached flour and organic cane sugar with frostings dyed and flavored with fruits and vegetables and REAL things. 

I walked in and breathed deep the smells of berry glaze, fresh grapefruit juice and bubbling dough wafting from behind the scenes and parked myself at the window with a cinnamon sugar donut that had been handed to me moments before with a triumphant "Yep, it's vegan."

Enter - the moistest, softest donut I've yet to taste. Perfect.

Leigh Kellis and her father are the masterminds behind The Holy Donut and they work beside their crew daily making hand cut and rolled potato donuts.

Call ahead to reserve a box of vegan donuts because the cinnamon sugar (the standard on the menu that is always vegan) goes fast. Call 24 hours in advance and you can get customized frostings to spice things up! Gluten Free options are also popping up on the menu so everyone can enjoy the goodness.

The Holy Donut

194 Park Avenue, Portland Maine

207-874-7774

OR 

7 Exchange Street, Portland Maine

207-775-7776

Where to Eat Vegan: Morning Glory Cafe - Flagstaff, AZ

Flagstaff has several vegan friendly restaurant but Morning Glory was by far my favorite.

This longtime neighborhood mainstay on South San Francisco Street somehow got overlooked on my first trip to Flagstaff. Sunlight streams into Morning Glory Cafe and a cheery "Hey Darlins, I'm Julia" floats from behind the counter when you enter.

Julia stopped chopping vegetables to come to the counter and greet us. "What can I get for you guys?"

We admitted it was our first time dining at Morning Glory and she directed our attention to the chalkboard menu on the wall while she made suggestions and fired questions at us. 

"Just got out of the canyon huh? What a perfect time of year for it. Where are you headed next month?"

We chatted about my monthly travels, the blog, food and Flagstaff and then upon her recommendation ordered lunch.

"Ok well glasses and water are there, and just grab yourself some chips and salsa and I'll bring out your food when it's ready." She smiled warmly and then turned to make our meals.

We fixed ourselves a little plate and a glass of water and then poked around a little. Hand carved spoons hung on a hanging branch mobile for sale. Nearby recycled blue jean wallets were stacked neatly next to knitted hats. 

Julia hummed to herself in the kitchen as she cooked.

In the beginning Morning Glory Cafe was owned by the late Maria Ruiz and Julia was an employee and close friend of hers. The spirit of the food and decor are Maria's but it is obvious that they are deeply rooted in Julia's philosophy as well. In addition to the list of do-goods that many restaurants strive to boast of these days, that being buying from local farmers and offering organic ingredients, Morning Glory also holds to a zero food waste policy and employs practices like composting and donation of unused foods.

The Cafe didn't start out fully vegetarian but Maria was always intent on making her food nurturing and preparing it with health in mind. Maria believed in food as medicine and created her recipes with this in mind, a tradition Julia has inherited. 

Eventually we settled in to a booth and started chatting and Julia brought out our lunches.  She beamed with obvious pleasure as she set them down in front of us and I reached for my camera. Everything about the cafe was bright and colorful and fresh and the food was no exception.

The hemp burger was so flavorful and decadent while still tasting earthy and green that I came back for another as my last meal in Flagstaff. 

These are the types of meals that inspire you and stick with you well after your meal is over. 

The Hemp Burger and The Veggie Fajitas 

115 S. San Francisco St. 

Wednesday - Saturday 11am - 9pm

928-774-3705

Where to Eat Vegan: Herbivore - San Francisco, CA

Green Juice

There should be a theme forming here if you've been following these posts:

 Breakfast is my favorite meal! 

San Francisco is one of those cities that gets veganism. There is vegan food everywhere, whether the restaurant is a professed veggie joint or not. 

Herbivore is a local chain of restaurants that are all fully vegan. On one of our mornings in San Francisco, Pang and I went over to the Divisadero Street location for our morning fix. 

I've had tofu scramble and pancakes everywhere I've been able to find them on my travels. Some serve soupy tofu scramble coated in oil. Some tend towards the spicy. Some are just bland. Don't get me started on all the weird pancakes I've had.

The food at Herbivore just tastes fresh and full. No tasteless, over cinnamoned pancakes here. 

A test is always to try the "green juice" at a restaurant. Every health conscious restaurant has one these days and I've found that most of them serve me apple juice with a few kale stems thrown in there. 

Why? Because apples taste better than parsley and you get more juice for your produce from apples. 

I'm happy to report that Herbivore's green juice was a healthy mix of celery and parsley and a kick of ginger. 

Breakfast every day from 9am - 2pm

Sunday - Thursday 9am - 10pm

Friday - Saturday 9am - 11pm

Where to Eat Vegan: St. Francis Fountain

Take a seat at the counter in St. Francis Fountain next to mustachioed bike enthusiasts and tottering local ladies and you might feel like you've been taken back in time: a time when you could go to diners and order pancakes and milkshakes all day. For me that time was a few years ago before I was vegan.

On a block bordered by giant murals of chicano heroes, stands selling lucha masks and colorful jewelry and a collection of spanish bakeries to give your whole family a sugar rush, the Fountain looks a little out of place - but the Fountain has actually been fueling this neighborhood since 1918.  

The vanilla soy gelato milkshake - geltao curtsy of local La Copa Loca served with old fashioned paper straws is where I always start a meal at a diner while I decide on the feast that will shortly ensue. 

While the Fountain is mostly your traditional eggs and bacon diner, most things can be made vegan by subbing out tofu scramble, vegan pancakes (blubbery, strawberry or banana-walnut if you please) and veggie sausage patties. There is even the enticing Devil Burger piled with seitan. I resisted.

In the end I went for the Vegan Thing - spuds, cheese and guacamole, blubbery pancakes and a side of sausage for my glutinous treat - and I was not disappointed. 

2801 24th Street

San Francisco, CA 94110

415 - 826 - 4210

Monday - Saturday 8am - 10pm

Sunday 8am - 9pm

Where to Eat Vegan: Gracias Madre - San Francisco, CA

Burritos are a big thing in San Francisco. They are THE thing, if I can be so bold to say so.

But I kinda think San Fran has it all wrong. 

How can burritos be THE thing when the empanadas are so incredibly out of this world? 

Some rice and bean and yeah maybe some smoked tofu in a tortilla? Done that.

Gracias Madre is in the vibrant, bustling part of town known as The Mission. 

True to travel-Lacey's rules I ordered three dishes:

Plantain Stuffed Empanadas with Mole

Guacamole Con Tortillas 

Sweet Potato Flautas 

The dishes were flavorful, fresh, and best of all - plant based.  Not only that, Terces and Mathew Engelhart are also committed to organic and non GMO food. 

2211 Mission Street

San Francisco, CA 94110

415-683-1346

11am - 11pm

Where to Eat Vegan: Saturn Cafe - Berkeley, CA

Saturn Cafe was an obvious first stop in California. There is something about diners that…well it's obvious why diners are amazing and nostalgic and delicious. Milkshakes of course!

Ala the website Saturn Cafe boasts that they "offer traditional comfort food with a healthy twist."

Well I might not go so far as to put healthy in the same sentence as the Vegan BBQ Ranch Chicken Burger I got - but comforting it certainly was after a long flight. 

The service was helpful and speedy and the vegan onion rings were on point. Oh also did I mention every table had a different themed table top? I sat at the Star Wars taro card table and peeked over at the lego table and the pinball table curiously. 

The BBQ Ranch Burger with Gardien Chicken and the Smoked Corn Soup.

2175 Allston Way

Berkeley CA, 94704

510 - 845 - 8505

Monday - Friday 11am - 12am

Saturday and Sunday 10am - 12am