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time change

4 Posted on 08 / 06 / 2012

This cafe keeps improving with new menu items and innovative ways to use grilled vegetables. It is easy to create a custom-made dish for individual needs. The manager, Elaine, is a sweetheart and handles her job in a friendly, professional way. The calzone, hummus kalaya, vegie fajita, and vegetarian harvest are wonderful as is the felafel salad special on Fridays.

I just wish they had more whole grain options, in bread, pasta, etc., to make the food healthier.

The desert case and the frequent receptions for art exhibits and other events make the place vibrant and dynamic.

Pros: dynamic menu, adaptable dishes, friendly service
Cons: occasional long waits, white bread, train noise

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Best Vegetarian Food in Carbondale

5 Posted on 05 / 26 / 2012

I love this place, and I want to point out that some of these reviews are old enough to be outdated. There is, for example, no smoking anymore. They also SERVE BREAKFAST ALL DAY, which is a recent change.

Speaking of breakfast, the biscuits and gravy are AMAZING. (sorry vegans they have dairy). But there are lots of vegan options so don't let that deter you, this is definitely the best place for vegans in Carbondale because they are 100% vegetarian and all vegan options are clearly marked.

The coffee is fair trade, always, and they have lots of yummy lattes. Try Will's Cuban, it's totally addicting. There are also vegan options in the dessert case which is made by Longbranch bakers, never bought from out of the restaurant.

Another perk is that the restaurant is kid-friendly, and they have a kids menu. I've noticed a lot of kids like the nachos! (And I do too, it's good for an unhealthy day without being, you know, grossly unhealthy).

If you buy a coffee from Longbranch, you can get a free cookie next door at the health food store with your receipt!

Pros: 100% Vegetarian, breakfast all day, family friendly
Cons: Can be hectic/busy on the weekends

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Definitely Room For Improvement

3 Posted on 05 / 07 / 2012

Having lived in Seattle with so many places to go for vegan food, I'm probably pretty biased now that I'm back in Southern Illinois. It's wonderful that Longbranch exists in this small college town and offers more than a just a handful of veg/vegan options, but I've eaten there a few times and always end up a little disgruntled.

The entrees I've ordered generally consist of veggies and tofu served with either rice or couscous. The plates are HUGE - but the grains always comprise about 75% of the meal. With such a small serving of veggies, there's barely enough for one serving let alone any to share with your dining companion. Most places you go, you usually end up taking half of the meal home because there's just too much eat in one sitting (unless you split the dish with a friend).

Like others have mentioned, they no longer serve breakfast after 4pm. My omni husband and I used to eat at Longbranch at least once a month because it was a place we could mutually settle on since he loves breakfast food. Well, not anymore. As a result, this is May and I've eaten there once - alone.

While a handful of options are marked as "vegan"/"can be made vegan", the dishes wind up having about half the ingredients for the same price. No vegan cheese or sour cream substitutes (not that those items are the healthiest things, but it would be nice to have the option). They make a house veggie burger but not a vegan one. They offer portobello mushroom caps as a burger... but really, that's about on par with your typical steakhouse line of thinking of vegan fare. :P With so many recipes online and so many pre-made burger options available at in stores/co-ops, it's sad that Longbranch chooses to put so little effort into considering vegan fare.

They tout themselves on the local community radio as being "fresh, local, organic"... but then the ketchup on the table has HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP!?!

The service, though, has always been great. Friendly, courteous, professional. And I'm sure the drinks are good, I just never go there for coffee myself.

Pros: Friendly staff, Great bulletin boards
Cons: Small veg portions, HFCS?!, Vegan options leave room to be desired

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VERY GOOD!

5 Posted on 12 / 03 / 2010

Simply amazing food i have been going there for 7 years straight never had a problem atmosphere is great good service great value!

Pros: Good food, Non smoking smells good., Really friendly staff!

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A Pebble/Rock In My Food Changed My Opinion...LOL!

3 Posted on 02 / 27 / 2009

Pebble [rock] in my food... The fact that happened has turned me off to this place (I really give this place 2.5 cows) -- but hey, this is the only options for the Vegans/Vegetarians down there. Below is my pre-pebble review however:

Since 01.01.08, all of Illinois establishments have gone smoke free; therefore, the smoking issue has been rectified here. I think this place is a cute artsy looking coffee place [and restaurant]. They had quite a few Vegan options; however, I was there at 5PM and they will not serve breakfast items after 4PM. How disappointing, because all four of us at the table wanted something off of the breakfast menu and my friend who has Celiac Disease [allergic to gluten] had to resort to chips and salsa. I ordered the Vegan calzone and I was very impressed, there wasn't Vegan cheese in it, but it was still delicious. Also, everyone liked what they got [someone got a veggie wrap with hummus].

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I love it!

5 Posted on 06 / 30 / 2008

The coffee is great-- I love the cafe mochas, and the coffee is organic/fair. Certain ingredients are not organic, but that is okay for me, sometimes.

The place is, I believe, owned (at least in part) by a local Sufi group... who also own a community farm and organize the Dayemi Homeschooling Organization. If you become a regular, you'll likely become friends with a lot of the people there! I don't feel guilty spending 3.50 on a drink there knowing that it's going to what's probably the best community place in Carbondale.

The food is really good! I love their pizzas, tofu dumplings, and vegan options (even though I'm a vegetarian!). The breakfasts are great, too.

There's no smoking inside... I think it's even prohibited on the porch now. Tons of cool events happen there (salsa on Fridays, different performers and artist exhibitions, also). And if you're from the community, you'll probably run into a lot of your friends there.

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Enjoyable

4 Posted on 04 / 15 / 2008

Overall my (meat-eating)fiance and I enjoyed eating here, however, our waiter brought me a sandwhich with cheese on it after I had said 3 times that I was vegan. He took it back and brought me a new one but only after standing there staring asking if he should bring me a new sandwhich. He said that it could be vegan but isn't normally eventhough the menu said the dish was vegan. If you decided to eat there snd are vegan be sure that your waiter understands that you want the vegan version even if he already knows you are vegan.

Pros: great food
Cons: uneducated staff

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I enjoyed the food...

4 Posted on 08 / 21 / 2007

but I agree the cigarette smoke was awful. I don't understand why a restaurant that caters to a health-conscious crowd would allow that. Especially since they have outdoor space that would have suited the smokers just as well. I had the white pizza which was good but not very filling. My companion had the portabella sandwich and enjoyed it. She also had the ambrosia tea and reported it was very good. She was a little shocked at the presence of a basket of free condoms in the restroom, however. Parents may not want to explain that to their little ones, but this establishment obviously catered to a college crowd.

Pros: good variety, interesting facility, good desserts
Cons: smokers, slow drink refills, small portions