Eating Detroit: Vegetarian Restaurants
I have been pescatarian (no meat, but seafood) for nearly a month now. I started doing it as part of a 30 day challenge that I put myself on. I have always wanted to try being a vegetarian but I never thought I would be able to cope without meat. I always thought I would never be able to become full.
Surprisingly this has been the easiest part of the challenge. I sometimes crave chicken wings but that is it. I have found replacements for burgers and never really crave steak or other meat. Bacon is definitely a noticeable absence from my life, but I am sure this will pass. I am planning to continue pescatarianism throughout the summer, but since I am heading to Africa soon, I know that it will be a bit of a challenge.
Now onto the Detroit vegetarian restaurants! I was pleasantly surprised by the options for vegetarian eating in Metro Detroit. I eat out a lot and I was glad to know that I had options for restaurants and more importantly friends that were interested in going to these restaurants.
Seva
Seva is a restaurant chain which started in Ann Arbor followed by a location in midtown Detroit. My friend Theo was the first to introduce me and take me down to Seva. Subsequently I have been with another friend and everyone that has been loves it. I have tasted a number of dishes and they were all delicious. From the portobello burger with sweet potato fries to the original General Tso’s Califlower, the dishes will leave your mouth watering. I have also tried a bite of my friends Cilantro-Peanut Stir Fry which was delicious and the African Ground Nut soup, which to my surprise actually tasted like there were Africans in the back making the food.
Portabello burger with cheddar and sweet potato fries!
If the food isn’t enough for you, you will be happy to know that they have happy hour specials which range from margaritas to half off wine, depending on the day. They also offer fresh juices and smoothies which are a great accompaniment to any vegetarian meal. They have standard recipes but you can make adjustments as I did.
Kermit’s Lagoon minus celery with extra apple.
So if you are in midtown and looking for delicious healthy food definitely stop by Seva! The staff is awesome and the atmosphere is fantastic.
Seva
66 E Forest Ave
Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 974-6661
http://www.sevarestaurant.com/detroit-menu
Inn Season Cafe
Two of my girlfriends and I committed to doing one week dairy free two weeks ago. It was a challenge but I made to eight days before going back to dairy. My skin looked heavenly, but that is another post.
My two girlfriends and I went out to dinner to celebrate our commitment to no dairy and to catch up with each other. Garnet suggested the Inn Season Cafe so we all headed to Royal Oak, which is about 15 minutes north of northwest Detroit. When we arrived there was about a 20 minute wait, but there was a very kind and interesting man who we chatted with during that time. He was in town on business and told us whenever he is in the area he orders carryout from Inn Season Cafe. I was getting excited.
The ambiance and set up of the restaurant make you feel as if you are in someone’s house. The warm spirit of the staff maintains this mood. The menu is quite full and had a lot of delicious sounding options so it was difficult to choose. We shared the Black Bean Avocado Quesadillas and topped it with daiya, a vegan “cheese”. I wasn’t excited about the daiya, but it was a good (not great) replacement to regular cheese. The dish was super delicious and was perfect to share with three people. I ordered the Classic Stir Fry, it was good not great, but I think many of the other dishes are much more flavorful. I will definitely be returning to try more. Their desserts are rumored to be amazing.
So if you are looking for a vegetarian restaurant with a homely feel head over to Inn Season Cafe. Be sure to check the hours before you go. On Sundays they close at 3pm. I found that out the hard way. Enjoy!
Inn Season Cafe
500 E 4th St
Royal Oak, MI 48067
(248) 547-7916
http://www.theinnseasoncafe.com/
Golden Gate Cafe
After sitting at the Secretary of State for over an hour and a half to renew my license and running a few other errands on the west side of Detroit, I was famished. I opened my Google Maps app and put in vegetarian restaurants. The two that I posted about above came up first, but the third was Golden Gate Cafe. Located in Detroit on Woodward. I had never heard of it so I called to make sure that it was exactly what I was looking for and it was! I made a U turn and headed right over. I approached the colorful building that was adorned with water features and what looked like a tree house. The cafe is located inside of the Innate Healing Arts Center.
The place is not fancy at all, but the employees were very friendly. I was the only one eating in the cafe at the time so I sat at the bar and chatted with my hippie waitress/chef Cookie. We had great conversation and she even convinced me to try tempeh, which is a soy product. I hate tofu but she convinced me that I would like its first cousin tempeh and she was right!!! She seasoned it with garlic, lemon and a product similar to soy sauce. DELICIOUS. She added some to my portobello burger as well. As soon as I bit into it I knew that I never needed to eat another beef burger again in my life. So if you are in the area, and even if you are not head over to Golden Gate Cafe and enjoy some freshly cooked vegetarian and vegan options!
Golden Gate Cafe
18700 Woodward Ave
Detroit, MI 48203
(313) 366-2247
https://www.facebook.com/innatedetroit
