Golden Temple Natural Grocery & Cafe

Golden Temple is a staple of vegetarian cuisine in Birmingham. Having been open for almost 50 years, it's a great spot for lunch any day but Sunday (the cafe is closed), and they've got an eclectic store, as well. Every menu item is either vegan or can be made vegan, and they have a different special every day. I just wish they were open for brunch and/or dinner!

My family ate lunch here on a recent visit. The vibe is very 70's hippie, but the food was good and fresh. There is a full menu of vegan and vegetarian food, with daily specials. The staff was very friendly and happy to explain the menu. A lot of restaurants in Birmingham have very minimal vegetarian options, finding the Golden Temple was a great surprise. We will make it a point to return the next time we are in the area.

The recent reviews captured my shock for this store quite well... What is up?! So much potential, but it has seen its best and has since just declined into a state of decrepitude. Sad.

The produce is locked, well, not really, but imprisoned in glass refrigerators. That means people ain't buying it fast enough. One look at the bananas, which were one of the few produce items not locked in the refrigerator, and you know you want no food here.

The people here seemed to want the nick nacks of a flea market style selection of stuff. If that's your expectation, you will love this place. For the rest of the public seeking to buy some food... Well, I would advise going elsewhere. Sad store is an understatement.

This place looks so sad that I would not order anything from here if given the choice. It is just such a sad space with so little of interest. If you can make it during business hours, sure, do for a cup of coffee and some simple food... Overall, there are better options just about everywhere else for places that are not all veg but are also of a higher quality in appearance and delivery.

Nice to have a place with some vegan grocery foods, but half of the store is filled with gross dusty incense, and psudo-new-age stuff made in China. Did not seem to be keeping up with the times and felt dirty.

I've been here a few times looking for specific items that I couldn't find anywhere else. I have never seen meat being sold here as the other reviewer claims. Yes, they sell cheese, but it is rennet-less. I don't eat dairy, regardless because it's essentially one and the same with the veal industry. They have lots of great items for a small store and some produce from local farmers. The entire store smells like incense. The only problem I had with this is that I bought a frozen loaf of bread, took it home, and found that it also tasted like incense.

It's nice that anything towards nature is attempting to exist in Alabama...
However I don't feel anything natural about walking in this place... Just all the keywords to SELL "natural". Vegans still have to sift through and read every label. They sell meat and lots of dairy and honey and wool and other things stolen from nature. The cafe is not really vegetarian because it sells cheese... The present word used by humans to define the eating of vegetables must have been stretched to include cheese even if it is lined with calf innards (known as rennet).

It's in the city so high prices are to be expected... But they are really high.

I usually get so excited about bio shops, but this place just deflates me with all it's marketing, not much substance or LOVE. If you're going to do it for love do it for love, not for the money.