Vegan
American
Organic
Fusion

A chef-operated New American vegetarian cuisine restaurant, opened Jul 2015. Sources organic produce from local farmers. BYO. Menu confirmed all-vegan by owner. Brunch on Sunday. Reported closed December 2021.


36 Reviews

First Review by KB

kplossay

Points +16

Vegan
06 Jul 2021

Repeat offendee

I love this place...it was a new discovery for me but I am so glad I found it! I go there almost every week and I actually brought a non vegan friend to eat inside and she loved it!! The atmosphere is cozy and the chefs are super nice and the food was beyond awesome!! I highly recommend and will continue to recruit more friends to come to the "fresh side! Lol...

Pros: The Buffalo cauliflower is my most favorite!!, The eggplant sandwich is the best I ever had , Roasted Brussel sprouts w black garlic was phenome

Cons: Absolutely no cons

TheVeganPotter

Points +109

Vegan
08 Feb 2021

First time , will give it a second try

First time and had to do curbside because of the pandemic. Food was ready very quickly. We ordered Macro bowl and spicy peanut tofu wrap. Portions were really decent although the wrap description said chips and no chips everything else was as described. The macro bowl lacked flavor overall not overly thrilling. Will go back to try other things when we are in the area.

Pros: 100% plant based, Good portion sizes

Cons: A bit lackluster on flavor

AmandaJean

Points +700

Vegan
25 Jan 2021

Lunch at 21 Oak

We grabbed take out from 21 Oak on Saturday and it was a great lunch! Ordering online was easy and the order was ready right on time. The man behind the counter wasn't the friendliest when I walked in, just asked if I was picking up an online order and when I said yes he pointed to the bag on the counter and walked away. It was lunch time on a Saturday though so maybe just busy...

I got the Chicken Picatta, my fiance got the Country Seitan Steak Dinner and we split an order of mac n cheese. The Seitan dinner was the star of the show, the gravy was so delicious and the seitan had great texture and flavor! Chicken picatta was great with the exception of the cream sauce being a little heavy on the lemon for my taste but still tasty! The mac n cheese was cooked well and super creamy, just had to add a little salt and nooch at home.

We will definitely be back to try out the rest of the menu!

Pros: Large Menu, Easy Online Ordering

kyoungbird

Points +1301

Vegan
29 Nov 2020

Yummy

Had the mac attack burger. Very delicious but messy. Good portion for the price

kdowning

Points +301

Vegan
23 Nov 2020

Food was yummy

The food wasn’t the most incredible that I’ve ever had, but still pretty good. The nachos were great and unique. The highlight was the doughnuts! The chefs wife creates vegan donuts that are incredible and truly the best I’ve ever had. They sell out super quickly however, so order early!

AnimaLoverLF

Points +345

Vegan
21 Aug 2020

food was meh

The server was nice but the food wasn't great. Everything needed much more flavor. I ordered a pina colada smoothie that tasted like only banana, and everything was under salted. They also didn't have any dessert options as they said they make one batch of baked goods and are done when it runs out. Wasn't terrible but not great.

ThatsVegayzing

Points +755

Vegan
11 Aug 2020

High quality vegan in CT!


Seasonal vegan dishes made from locally sourced ingredients doled out in a cozy, simple space in the heart of Manchester, CT.

Food****
The menu had so many things that sounded delicious but we opted for the Mac Attack Burger and the Curry dish. They didn’t have tofu so we got Seitan in the curry fish instead and I think that was an even better option. The curry dish was absolutely delicious! The Mac attack burger was everything and more. Between the vegan Mac and Cheese and the coconut “bacon” and the BBQ sauce—this was the epitome of delectable!

Service***
Due to covid you had to sit outside obviously and that ended up being nicer than sitting inside based on what we saw. One of the staff was very friendly and brought our food out to us and made sure we good on condiments. The woman taking our order had a bit of an attitude, which was certainly not appreciated but the gentleman who checked on us made up for that!

Atmosphere****
Nice outdoor seating and cozy inside seating (when you can sit inside again I’m sure you’ll enjoy). Located in the heart of Manchester, CT this wasn’t far off the main strip.

Price$$
Pretty cheap for quality vegan food and good portion sizes!

Pros: Unique dishes, Large portions , MAC ATTACK BURGER

Cons: Ran out of tofu

robotsateme

Points +26

Vegan
31 Jul 2020

Not a fan

Really bad service mixed with so-so quality food is a recipe for disaster in my opinion. Three different menus there and only one was accurate? Pass.

Pros: Only pure vegan spot in the area

Cons: Very bad service , Food quality vs price

CandiceVotava

Points +40

Vegan
19 Jul 2020

It's all delicious

Love that the menu is always changes. They cook what is in season! Also delicious vegan doughnuts. Support your local vegan business❤

happybunny9000

Points +77

Mostly Veg
12 Dec 2019

Cute lil vegan food spot

Recently moved to Connecticut & been seeing this place on the app and finally tried it. I ordered a vegan taco salad and thought it would just be a pile of vegetables on top of chips. It came out very fancy and was so good. My bf got the butternut squash hummus. Everything was very delicious and filling. I would love to go back and try more things on the menu and even go back for brunch (on Sundays) this place really exceeded my expectations.

Pros: Everything was vegan , Waitstaff was friendly and nice , Christmas music was playing.

Cons: Small dining area

cx45

Points +2111

Vegan
18 Oct 2019

Colorful and delicious place

Liked the people and how colorful and delicious the food is. Just a great place that does a lot for the community and it has a lot of nice details. Go there!

Pros: Good food, Big portionsize, Nice staff

GlobeTrotter18

Points +731

Vegan
14 Sep 2019

Worth a detour awesome vegan cafe

Small vegan cafe in the heart of Connecticut. We were on the way from Boston area to NY. Took a 15 minute detour to Manchester Ct. Well worth trip. Lots of lunch options all vegan. About 40% of the menu is glutenfree. Service was great and the server was very friendly.
.
They have an array of soups. salad, stuffed potatoes, wraps and much more. We started with th 21 Oaks brussel sprouts. They well prepared but a little salty. The taco salad was a hearty portion and was a cross between nachos and a salad. The cheesy sauce was a very flavorful and loved the chili. We also shared one the florentine potato which was a also an oversized portion. Loved the combination of kale and spinach cheesy. All the food was fresh and served hot.

Pros: Lots if glutenfree options, Lot of food for the money, Very creative dishes

Cons: None

Danidarling06

Points +401

Vegan
04 Aug 2019

Great all around

Staff is friendly, helpful, and funny. So many options on the menu and great specials! I loved the scallion cakes. A little sweet from the sweet potato and a little spice 👌🏼

mark m braunstein

Points +441

Vegan
23 Jul 2019

American vegan eclectic cuisine at its best

Entering 21 Oak is like stepping back into the past, namely 25 years ago into It’s Only Natural. I mean this as a very good thing. Think back to 1990, when Ken Bergeron was still the head chef and owner of ION 1.0 at its original location on Main St, a block north of where ION 3.0 recently relocated. The décor was simple and yet comfortable, the vegan food wholesome and appealing (Ken, along with most of his faithful customers, had transitioned out of macrobiotics), the portions generous, and the prices just right. Likewise now for 21 Oak. Eerily, Shawn the head chef and owner of 21 Oak even bears a very striking resemblance to Ken both in looks and in peaceful demeanor.

While Manchester may be out of the way, once within Manchester 21 Oak is easy to find, a half a block off Main St in the center of downtown. The restaurant is small (seats 26), hence the menu is short, but covers the breadth of American vegan eclectic cuisine. Vegetables and grains take the center stage that they deserve. My one complaint is the white flour flatbread, which however can be substituted with wholesome and oil-free Mary’s Gone Crackers, so do ask instead for the crackers. Among the appetizers I highly recommend the signature Brussels sprouts. Even when not in season, the Brussels sprouts here are delectable. (I recommend also the beet chutney, the sweet potato mash, and the barley cakes, but those were dropped from the ever-changing menu.)

When it first opened, it maintained with the very highest nutritional standards. For instance, no mock meats and no deep-fried foods. Four years later, it has descended a few notches. For instance, one or two mock meats, which make a mockery of vegetarianism, have crept onto the menu. But 21 Oak is still way up there in nutrition heaven compared to most other veg eateries in CT. For example, it now offers fresh veggie juices.

While desserts vary daily, I recommend the raw vegan cheesecake, which initially in 2015 cost only $6. For the same quality (though not all OG) and same quantity, compare that with $15 charged at G-Zen. While G-Zen may be the best veg restaurant in CT and RI, that does not mean I rate G-Zen as my favorite. Rather, I rate 21 Oak as my favorite veg restaurant in CT and RI. And apparently it has become others’ favorite restaurant too, as there sometimes are long waits just to sit down. So if you plan on eating during dinner hours, on weekends you might want to phone ahead to check on wait times.

Updated from previous review on 2016-01-03

Pros: the food, the prices, easy parking

Cons: in out-of-the-way Manchester

SouthernPines

Points +46

Vegan
24 Jun 2019

Great place right off of Main Street

My favorite is the potato with mushrooms and gravy, but I've liked everything I've tried. I'm so glad to see vegan food in Manchester.

ceedog

Points +38

Vegan
09 Mar 2019

Everything Was Amazing

This quaint vegan restaurant was amazing from the specials of the day which I had both the Brussels sprouts ( out of this world) and the pasta which was outstanding. They have many deserts but the chocolate cake and doughnuts were some of the best I have had! I will be eating here quite often and happy this is a local gem for me!

ChristieEchols

Points +52

Vegan
12 Oct 2018

Worth it

This place is amazing! I ordered two of the daily specials and my mine was blown. I live in Hartford and it was way worth the 25 minute trip to try this beautiful food. The atmosphere was inviting and my server was a sweetheart. I will be coming back soon.

Pros: All vegan, Fairly priced , Awesome service

MariaRoseMoreno

Points +34

Vegan
06 Sep 2018

A must try!

Fresh, organic, farm to table plant based menu. Intimate dining, reasonable priced and AMAZING meals!

leahk3

Points +566

Vegan
17 Aug 2018

Love this place!

Delicious and creative totally vegan meals plus excellent desserts. Try all their options!

770veg

Points +3331

Vegan
01 Aug 2018

Delicious and intimate

Lovely little place stopped by on our way across Massachusetts back to Boston. Chef was friendly and the choices were varied and all sounded delicious. Had the nachos and the chana masala pancake, which were both delicious and beautiful.

Pros: Delicious , Good prices, Chef owned and operated

PennyWizz

Points +73

Vegetarian
04 Jul 2018

What a gem!

What a gem! This plant-based eatery delivers exciting dishes and bold flavors to please even the meatiest diners.

We pulled up to the bar in the narrow hall and watched the operation go down as a 3-man, well-oiled operation. Everyone was very pleasant and clearly vested into efficiency and customer service.

The menu is vast with many tantilizing options for apps, soups, sandwiches, and full-on entrees. For my first visit, I samples the 21 Brussel Sprouts, bowl of chili and the carnitas tacos (which were on special). I also got one of the raw juices (CGA - carrot, ginger, apple) from which can be ordered inddpendently at their neighboring juice bar. All of which were freshly prepared and delightful.

The crispy carnitas (seitan) was a clear cut winner and should be featured on the regular menu somewhere if is not already. While I very much enjoyed the food overall - there are a few minor tweaks I, personally, would've loved to enhance my dishes. For example, the CGA was a bit sweet and could benefit from a bit more ginger/acid or maybe even a jalapeno, and the tacos (while coming with a lime) could've used a fresh component like raw onion or carrot, but again, the food was really, really great overall and this is splitting hairs.

I'm really excited to make this a regular stop on our way from MA to CT to try many more of the offerings, including dessert.
We will most certainly be back!

Pros: Jazzed up plant-based cuisine

Cons: Can be a tad tight/hot

fionafee

Points +198

Vegan
20 Jun 2018

OUTSTANDING AND CREATIVE MENU


A MUST if you are vegan and/or GF!! WOW! I travel all over for work and this place has THE best variety of vegan. No fast food fried junk with chemicals.

And the NICEST service! Thank YOU for being here.

Pros: not your average plain Jane vegan

Cons: zero cons

Abbyg71

Points +32

Vegan
11 Jun 2018

Excellent!

Gone here multiple times even before I was vegan! Food is amazing and clean and staff is very friendly. Love it here.

Pros: Everything vegan, Clean, Locally grown food

Cons: Can be a little pricey

pgaju

Points +28

Vegan
06 Feb 2018

great food!

Customizable vegan food i.e. cook with broth or water instead of oil. Very tasty, sumptuous and healthy food in Hartford area!!

Pros: vegan, friendly, customizable

Beckiromans

Points +113

Vegan
26 Oct 2017

vegan Deliciousness

Had a wonderful meal to go after an exhausting day. Mushroom Marsala, Brussel sprouts and chocolate cheesecake. Everything was truly delicious. Staff were friendly and sweet. This is a great place to eat.

daroff

Points +1613

Vegan
04 Oct 2017

excellent vegan experience

We enjoyed our lunch in this quaint restaurant just off Main Street in Manchester. We ordered: chili (very good), tempeh pattymelt (innovative, but too much bread), burrito (good, but could use more veggies less rice), hummus wrap (excellent!), and sweet potato scallion cakes (way too bland). The spirit of the chef and waitstaff was fantastic and permeates a cool vibe at the restaurant.

Pros: great spirit, 100% vegan, fresh

Cons: food a tad bland

yumyum

Points +16

Vegan
14 Sep 2017

delicious and friendly

Had the 21 Brussels sprouts and the pineapple coconut tempeh. Both delicious. Great to sit at the bar and chat with the chef and waitress about the area and watch them work their vegan magic. Will definitely return when in the area next time.

Everyone else coming in raved about their meals as well.

Pros: options, options, options




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