Opened May 2008 this vegan restaurant is open long hours. Serves breakfast all day, plus sandwiches, pizza, salads, desserts, shakes and drinks. Order at counter and food is brought to your table. Free Wi-Fi. Pizza is served Friday evenings only. Open Mon-Thu 8:00am-11:00pm, Fri 8:00am-12:00am, Sat 9:00am-12:00pm, Sun 9:00am-11:00pm.
Category: Vegan, American, Pizza, Organic, Take-out, Bakery
Reviews (69)
First Review by delbot
Contributions +42
Go to in Syracuse - Edit
Great vegan sandwich place with long list of milkshakes and desserts. Monthly specials are also delicious. Options from tofu, seitan, tempeh and processed fake meat products.
Delicious Friday night pizza and wings. All day breakfast.
Updated from previous review on 2017-07-24
Pros: Great price, Wide menu, Great food
Cons: Needs less processed plant based meat substitute
Contributions +33
syracuse safe-haven - Edit
All vegan cafe menu including all-day breakfast, sandwiches, salads, monthly specials and daily soup specials.
Friday night pizza night.
Pros: nice, long-time friend owners, reliability, long time favorite menu items
Cons: gets really busy quickly, metered parking
Contributions +109
hidden gem - Edit
This place is kind of hard to find from outside on the street but it is a wonderful hidden gem. They had heaps of coconut milk based milkshakes (I loved the chocolate peanutbutter one) and breakfast and lunch options. Also large cupcakes and treats. Highly recommend!
Pros: lots of options, milkshakes!!
Contributions +60
Wish I could have tried a different milkshake - Edit
I had a 400 mile drive from upstate New York to Long Island and decided to stop here to eat as it was about half way through my drive. I chose this place mainly because I was excited about the almost 50 flavors of milkshakes they had! However, when I get there I was extremely disappointed to learn that they were sold out of the ingredients and were only currently selling about 5 of the flavors. As a place that prides themselves on their milkshakes, you would think they would make sure they always had ingredients on hand.
Disappointed, I ordered the pumpkin oreo milkshake, one of the few they had available, along with spicy tofu scramble and french toast. My dad ordered the pancakes and the chocolate mint milkshake.
We were very impressed with the food. The spicy tofu scramble was the best tofu scramble I have ever had. The french toast was great in some ways and not so great in others. I thought the flavor was amazing, and the bread was super thick which I loved. However, the crust was very hard to cut into and to bite. I still enjoyed it as a whole though. My dad, who's not a vegan, really enjoyed the pancakes.
We didn't love the milkshakes. Don't get me wrong, the flavors were on point and the texture was great, but they weren't flavors that we would normally order had they had the rest of the flavors available at the time.
Many people around us ordered sandwiches that looked absolutely amazing. I almost ordered a sandwich to take with my on my long car ride, but I was so full from the great food that I couldn't even think about ordering more food in that moment. If I ever get to drive through Syracuse again, I will definitely come back and order one of those sandwiches, and hopefully get to try another milkshake!
Pros: Excellent food, Nice vibe
Cons: Ran out of milkshake flavors, Crust of bread was super hard
Contributions +50
OMG!!! - Edit
I am in Syrucuse with my significant other who is here on business and WOW! The food at this place is great!! I got myself a cajun seitan sandwich which comes with cheese (100% vegan) and chips. I love seitan and this has to be one of the best seitan dishes I've had so far.
We came back for dinner and I got a chickpea salad sandwich (like the chickpea "tuna" salads) with dressed greens, cold brew coffee, and an amazing chocolate cherry cupcake (see pictures). My boyfriend got a marinated tofu sandwich with dressed greens and a delish coffee ice cream espresso milk shake.
Kudos, Strong Hearts!
Pros: The entire place is vegan!, Moderately priced , Cute atmosphere
Cons: It is not closer to my hometown in Massachusetts :
Contributions +203
every town should have a Strong Hearts - Edit
This is the kind of cafe you want to find while travelling. It's a perfect spot for a bite to eat that's tasty and filling; and where you can get a sweet treat to keep you going. Enjoyed the sandwiches, shakes and muffins.
Pros: huge variety of sandwich fillings & shakes, plenty of baked goods for a treat, pays homage to political heros!
Cons: low key - not bad just know what to expect.
Contributions +85
Cannot Recommend Enough - Edit
This café is AMAZING. I usually get the Reuben sandwich when I go, and they use seitan which is an excellent imitation of roast beef (or whatever is usually on a Reuben sandwich). The cupcakes and milkshakes are also awesome. Also a plus: the menu is written in beautiful calligraphy :-)
[Edited for typo]
Updated from previous review on 2017-01-14
Pros: Delicious food, generious portions, menu is beautiful :-)
Contributions +396
Great option in Syracuse - Edit
Great desserts, decent meals.
Although I don't live in Syracuse, I've been here multiple times over the years on visits to family (e.g., around holidays), especially the first few years they were open as I'd go multiple times per visit.
Their milkshakes have always been great & so, too, their baked goods. I was underwhelmed by their savory foods in the past & hoping they've improved since the last time I was there about 3 years back (I went on Nov 25 this year), but I was not too impressed with their green tofu scramble, which I expect to be excellent at any vegan place, while theirs was merely good.
I would still recommend them if visiting or living in Syracuse, but if you're from a more vegan-friendly city like Boston, NYC or San Francisco, you'll probably be underwhelmed with the savory meals (not including desserts which are great).
If they have pizza when you go, ask what kind of cheese they're using - they used to use Teese mozzarella in the past, which I think is one of the most flavorless vegan cheeses, but hopefully, they're using something better now.
Pros: Excellent milkshakes, All vegan, Cool space
Cons: few healthy options
Contributions +93
Paradise, vegan style - Edit
Wish there was a Strong Hearts Cafe in Brooklyn NY.
I've started making this cafe a regular part of my itinerary whenever visiting Syracuse. The food is always delicious and I love the low key, earthy atmosphere.
I had a tofu scramble for Saturday AM brunch with an unlimited cup of coffee. The 2 people I was with both ordered sandwiches. We kept tasting each others food, everything was so very tasty and creative.
Before leaving I bought a couple of tempting deserts to go and all I can say is I wish I had bought more.
Pros: Creative and delicious., Great menu, with well described details., Well prepared and thoughtful combinations.
Cons: Guy behind counter could have been friendlier
Contributions +30
perfect - Edit
Got the pizzas there, they were fantastic. I plan on going back for more ?
Contributions +74
Delicious Vegan Comfort food - Edit
I had the Reuben and some sweet potato soup. Both were quite good. They also had tons of cookies and cupcakes that looked amazing.
Contributions +26
delicious!! - Edit
The food here is fantastic. The menu is really creative and diverse. The milkshake selection is incredible and they are all delicious. The atmosphere is great too. This place cares about people, animals, and the environment. Highly recommended
Pros: vegan, milkshakes, environmentally friendly
Contributions +20
AWESOME! - Edit
All I can say is - WOW - this place makes the most delicious vegan food. I traveled to Syracuse (from California) for a wedding and found this place through Happy Cow. I am so glad I did! We went three times during our short trip and loved everything we ate - highly recommended!!!
Pros: excellent food, good value, nice vibe
Cons: not one near my home - I wish there was!!!
Contributions +116
so many choices of vegan milkshakes to wash down amazing food - Edit
Strong Hearts is one of our favourite spots. It seems like we pass through Syracuse a lot on our way to other places. Since we have found out about Strong Hearts we are thrilled to find out we have to go through Syracuse. The highlight is the vegan milkshakes named after celebrities including the father/son marathon running Hoyt family. We have tried many and all have been delicious. The food is just as great including sandwiches and brunch food. Finish your meal with one (or more) of many vegan baked goods including imitation Hostess cupcakes. Last year when we drove to Boston for the marathon we stopped both ways. That is how much we love Strong Hearts!
Contributions +25
LOVE this place! - Edit
I don't live nearby and have only been twice - once for the pizza Friday night and once for brunch on Sunday. I LOVED it both times.
Pros: GREAT food., Decent prices., GREAT food.
Cons: It is so good that it can be crowded sometimes and
Contributions +22
Always stop there on my way from MI to VT - Edit
They make the most delicious macaroni salad. When I make the 1,000 mile trip to Vermont, I always have to stop at Strong Hearts Cafe!
Pros: Macaroni salad, All Vegan, Great hours
Contributions +16
!!Outstanding!! - Edit
We've been here on three occasions while traveling to Syracuse NY. Each time has been Outstanding!!
First the Venue; Very Cool Eclectic café in the front corner of a historic building. Ample seating and good People/Street watching posts. It's an Order at the Counter establishment which I traditionally cringe at... the pressure.. the indecision.. and YES I'm referring to the people in line in front of me!! But all in all this was not bad :) Even for a busy lunch time crowd. Service was quick and attentive and the wait from order to food was only about 5 minutes.
The Food; Superb Vegan Fare!! Substantial serving sizes with a choice of greens or chips with your sandwich. I had the Buffalo Tofu Sandwich and it was one of the best sandwiches I've ever had. It was a daily special that I hope they keep (finger crossed). Think wing sauce and banana peppers… The sandwich was basically an 8 inch sub on ciabatta bread. Yes lettuce, tomato, mayo, a generous slab of wing sauce drenched tofu and banana peppers (MMmmm….). They offer up hand tailored sandwiches so even if this one isn’t on the menu I’m sure you could get something similar. During this a took home (2 hours away) a Reuben for my Beautiful Wife (who has been Vegan for 23 years). She LOVED it!! The sandwich was so big she enjoyed it over the next 2-days for lunch. In previous visits we've also enjoyed the grilled cheese and hand crafted salads... both hit the Outstanding List!!
The Baked Goods; Excellent!! We've tried both cookies and cupcakes and they are Outstanding!!
The Milkshakes; Yummilicious!! Forget about the Coffee at this ‘Café’… It‘s more appropriately the Strong Hearts Vegan Creamery!! The only down side.. there are so many skillfully selected flavors and combos.. you're going to wish you ordered THREE MORE!! In fact, this last trip I brought 2 Milkshakes home for my wife and rode with the air conditioner on Full Blast the whole way... They Survived!!
Overall 5 Stars. If you're Vegan this place is a MUST. If you dine here once you will be dreaming about this place for All of Time...
Pros: Diverse Menu, MILKSHAKES!!, Baked Goods
Cons: None
Contributions +45
Glad I found it! - Edit
Strong Hearts was conveniently located 5 doors down from my hotel, which allowed me to eat there twice a day, for 5 days, while I was staying in Syracuse. It was such a blessing to be able to eat vegan, while supporting a vegan business.
The first night I went looking for it, I had trouble locating them. This is due to the fact that they are one space in a small, brick office building. But the cafe itself is very warm and cozy, with seating both inside and outside in the hallway.
I quickly gathered that the owners were not only vegan, but activists of sorts. This you can determine by what is on the walls, and by the names of there milkshakes.This fact only made me feel even more at home.
I decided for my first breakfast meal that I would have the scrambled tofu. Something I had never had before. I confess that my first impression with their food was not positive. This is because I found it prepared with too much salt. On top of that the coffee was lukewarm.
But I persevered and later on that day returned and tried there Veggie Burger. It was very good, but again was a little on the salty side. The Cranberry Juice I had with it was in a large cup and was very tasty.
I finally hit upon their Chick Pea Salad Sandwich, which then became my staple for the next few days. It is a truly satisfying meal. It comes with either Ruffles chips or a salad of mixed greens.
All together I had 5 coffees, 3 of which were hot and 2 which were lukewarm, so that is something they may wish to keep a closer eye upon. Increasingly the food tasted less salty, and so my first meals may have just been a mistake in preparation.
I also tried there muffins, and peanut butter bars, which they make fresh, on the premises. They were both very, very good. Addictive even.
I found the prices reasonable, and the atmosphere very comfortable. The wifi was strong and easy to connect to.
I would highly recommend eating here, even despite the few negatives I've stated.
Updated from previous review on Thursday March 24, 2016
Pros: Amazing Chick Pea Salad Sandwiches, Very Vegan atmosphere., Awesome desserts
Cons: Lukewarm Coffee, Occasionally the food was too salty., Slightly hidden location
Contributions +19
outstanding! - Edit
Great atmosphere and excellent food! Had a great vegan "chicken" salad sandwich and specialty milkshake...absolutely delicious. Very friendly staff, well worth the trip.
Pros: Great variety of vegan options, tasty for everyone
Contributions +68
Best Food Around - Edit
everything I have tried on the menu has been spot on. eating the club, pancakes, and tofu scramble right now. this place rivals some of my favorite restaurants in NYC no question. it might be better ;) YUM
Contributions +21
My Frist Vegan Restaurant Experience! - Edit
I fell in love with this cafe. The best grilled cheese sandwich I have ever had and the cupcakes are magic. Amazing milkshakes. I love everything I have ever eaten here. Everything is Vegan. Even the wall art. I feel at home in the cozy little space. They can tell you everything on the menu and help you find something if you have more dietary restrictions. Vegan comfort food at it's best.
Updated from previous review on Sunday January 11, 2015
Pros: Vegan Comfort Food., Nice People., Everything Vegan!
Contributions +149
happy for 100% vegan cafe in CNY but... - Edit
This place seems to rely a little too heavily on vegan mayo and daiya, making most of their sandwiches too greasy and messy. The Friday night pizza is mediocre, with premade crusts and sauce that don't taste very good (at least as of last Jan 2014 -- haven't tried the pizza again since then). I want to support this place, and will always get the egg trick muffin takeout any time I'm flying out of SYR in the morning!
Contributions +394
Tasty Vegan Food!!!! - Edit
Well after reading all the reviews about their shakes I had to try one. I tried the John Brown shake (cookies and creme) and it was amazing!!! It had to have been one of the best vegan shakes I have ever had. The BLT was also really tasty with a small side salad. I also liked the small atmosphere of the place.
Pros: All vegan, Affordable, Tasty
Cons: A little hard to spot if driving by
Contributions +14
Magic, essentially - Edit
I am in love with everything that Strong Hearts Cafe produces. The service can be a bit slow and the staff slightly surly, but the quality of the food more than compensates for these minor shortcomings. I'd recommend the Cajun seitan sandwich, pizza, and milkshakes.
Contributions +237
Wish I Could Visit Every Day! - Edit
Delicious and friendly, with many options! This is a great spot for lunch with a focus on sandwiches and drinks. I had the BLT but would love to work my way through the menu. I'm definitely stopping here every time I'm in Syracuse!
Pros: Delicious Vegan Food, Great Atmosphere
Cons: Limited Seating
Contributions +107
One of My Favorites - Edit
Anytime I am near Syracuse I have to visit. I live in NYC where we have a ton of vegan options but this is the best sandwich shop (they have other things) I have ever eaten at. My mother just visited with me and she is not a vegan and had a chicken salad sandwich and her quote was "This is really good" and last night on the ride home she asked if we would visit again today. That is praise.
Pros: Awesome Sandwiches, Great Milk Shakes and Names, Cool/Funky Building
Cons: Not closer to home
Contributions +63
Vegan Valhalla! - Edit
I'm so glad I made it here! The food was great and the atmosphere casual and funky. I had the Tofurky Club and it was delicious. And on the way out, I got a Milkshake (vegan) to go that was truly out of this world. It wasn't just good for being vegan, it was world class and better than any dairy milkshakes I had back before I was vegan.
I didn't notice a sign from the street and had to find it by the street number. Its actually inside a building along with other businesses. Don't miss this place!
Pros: Milkshakes, Delicious food, Reasonable prices
Cons: Not great signage, On street parking, No beer or wine
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