Caffe Vita Reviews

We've come to Vita Cafe already for a couple of times. The food they serve is super fresh and tasty. It's really though to select something without feeling sorry for what you're not talking. Chilled out atmosphere, friendly staff, great Bloody Mary's. Definitely worths a visit if you are in town. Maybe even more than one.

Our party of five, some of whom are vegan, enjoyed delicious meals here the other night. Our server was attentive and explained some of the items on the menu. She failed to tell us the specials, thus 4 points. We shared a basket of fries which were perfectly cooked. I had the grilled cheese sandwich which hit the spot. Others in our group had the mushroom burger, soup, and fajita. We enjoyed some cold beer and cider as well as dessert. The peanut butter pie was excellent.

Good Food, Friendly Service, Great Tempeh Rueben! Nice to go after the lunch rush, and can be SRO on weekend brunch.

We were invited once by some friends, then went back a week later, and two weeks later, and a few weeks later, and again... and again, taking other people. The service is great, all the food we've had has been tasty and reasonably priced - we recommend the Buffalo Things and the Tempe Reuben. Even though it's busy, have never had to wait for a table, and waitstaff is always prompt and nice.

Plenty of unique and tasty-sounding meal options for my vegetarian self -- LARGE portions! Service was adequate but really pretty indifferent.

I've been frequenting the Vita Cafe ever since I moved to Portland in 2003. The food has been consistently good with generous portions. I love, love, love all of the comfort foods that have been adapted to a vegetarian diet. "Chicken" Fried Steak and Fish n' Chips are wonderful AND vegetarian (perhaps they are even Vegan!). They make a fantastic Reuben Sandwich as well as a Philly Cheese "Steak". I could go on and on about each menu item - they are all well done. They serve a few meat and fish items for those who can't do without. All menu items are clearly marked as vegan or gluten-free. Very helpful. A lot of the menu can be made vegan or vegetarian, too. Be sure to save room for dessert! They serve awesome vegan cakes, cheesecakes and pies from Piece of Cake bakery. Yum! CHINOOK BOOK ALERT! There is a 15% off your entire bill coupon. Visitors to our fair city, I strongly urge you to buy a Chinook Book and use it, especially if you are going to be for a week or more. Not only will you save a lot on restaurant meals, but you will discover a lot of cool shops and attractions that you might otherwise miss. Chinook Books are sold in many stores such as New Seasons Market, Whole Foods and Powell's Books, to name a few. You can also order one online at http://pdx.chinookbook.net

three words, people: spicy. tempeh. sticks. damn they're SO good! i had lunch here 3 days in a row and the food was soooo good. recommendations: spicy tempeh sticks (after 4pm), chopped salad (after 4pm), seitan cheese steak sandwich, chicken fried "steak," corn cakes. the vegan blt is pretty good, too. they make their own vegan ranch dressing! yum. that's all. just yum. i eat here at least twice every time i'm in portland.

I'm a vegan and I am so glad I found this place. The menu selection is extensive and the portions are huge! I love the atmosphere and the staff is friendly, attentive, and fast. I like their desert display as well. Will definitely come again.

Vita Cafe is on Alberta Street, which has tons of restaurants. Most everything on the menu is vegan. I saw in other reviews talk about meat and eggs on the menu -- I didn't see that. I think it is all vegetarian with vegan options. I had a salad and mac and cheese. My boyfriend had the club sandwich. Both were good, not the best vegan food ever, but good.

Mmm ... yummy, healthy, happy food.

Here's where you get the healthy version of west coast home style cooking in a laid back, down to earth atmosphere. The location right on Alberta Street is an added attraction, it asks for an after dinner stroll up and down the strip. Don't be shy to order a veggie burger, it's the real deal. Otherwise I suggest my favorite: Tempeh-Broccoli on brown rice....jummy.

We stopped in to Vita Cafe for dinner during the monthly Last Thursday phenomenon on North East Alberta Street. it’s always exciting to find an all vegetarian restaurant which offers lots of vegan and gluten free options too! At least we thought it was an all vegetarian place as that’s how they advertise themselves, but they do offer meat and fish options too. Though, unlike more conventional restaurants where you have to hunt for the vegetarian options on the menu, it’s the real meat options you have to hunt for on this one. Take that omnivores! They have a bunch of meat substitute items as well if you’re, like me, an ex-meat eater and still crave the taste, texture and experience. The unfortunate thing here is that this is one of those restaurants that serve a little bit of everything…I guess a mostly vegan take on an American family restaurant, but that sometimes can lead to things not being so great as they’ve focused on volume of options rather than the artistry and taste of fewer. I was very excited to have the “Fish and Chips” (Batter dipped tofu starring as the fish) as i desperately miss the real fish and chips experience. This was not my favorite dish…The tofu was a bit tough (overcooked?) so didn’t end up being a particularly good simulation of fish (or, for that matter it wasn’t a really good simulation of overcooked fish either.) The batter was okay, but it’s gluten free so not quite the lighter batter you’d want on a fish and chips. The fries that came with it were really good, though a chunk of those were the “remains” – much smaller pieces those of which were a bit overcooked. My wife had the Super Grains Salad which she loved to death. She thought it was a perfect balance of everything and the guacamole it came with was super tasty. Our table also shared the Lemon Grass Noodle Bowl. The mixed veggies in it were really good, but it felt like more of a mushroom based soup and the lemongrass didn’t come through. I’d come back to try the sandwiches and explore more of the fake meat options. (I’m a sucker for a reuben and I’d love to try the faux turkey.) The staff were super nice!

The restaurant has varnished birch tables with fifties style chairs. The floor is concrete. The atmosphere is funky but the food is great. And what an amazing variety of food. From vegan to range-free to gluten-free. People with celiac disease do have to be careful for cross contamination. The prices are more then reasonable. I had the salmon burger with ginger sauce. The sauce was spicy which is why I ordered it. The flavor was incredible. It was my first time there. I will be back and I will recommend it to friends.

We ended up here late in the afternoon before the early dinner crowd on a Friday. We weren’t aware of the vegan, vegetarian and gluten free emphasis and looked forward to trying some items off the menu. The ambience was casual and comfortable. Our server was very good and she accommodated our requests. The spinach salad was excellent with hazelnuts, currants, red onions and goat cheese. We ordered a side of bacon on the side to top off the salad. The soup and salad option was good with tasty a vegan chili and mixed green salad with quinoa and sunflower seeds. The accompanying corn muffin was very good. The mushroom onion burger was delicious, but the vegan mayonnaise was not too flavorful. The Reuben sandwich was good, and interestingly the tempeh’s texture resembled that of a potato rather than meat. The vegan carrot cake was very good. Our next visit we would like to try the breakfast menu;-).

Good vegan standards.

Love eating at Vita, great choices of differing foods, such as burgers, breakfast, Thai food, wraps and inventive specials. The Buffalo Tofu wraps are stellar, with Cajon spiced fries on the side, can't beat that. And the Mexican Scramble is a great breakfast choice, done with tofu and having their herb garlic bread. Overall, the service is usually attentive and they have good coffee to boot.

My first trip to Portland was filled with “best of” places. And The Vita Café was in the mix. The place was very cozy and it was busy when went. Nestled in a lively neighborhood, this is a favorite of local vegans and foodies and I understand why. The food and service were A+. The food that passed me looked so appealing. The lentil soup and homemade bread I had was really, really tasty. I wasn’t paying attention to the bill but when it came I was happy. As a visitor I found this place a special place with special people in the special place Portland is.

This is a wonderful, delicious, friendly restaurant. From the Buffalo Tofu (appetizer), to the Nacho's (they are vegan, but the best Nacho's I've ever had), the Lasagna.... everything is absolutely delicious. I LOVE Vita!

My family and I came from Utah for my grandson’s graduation from PSU. Some of us gathered at Vita Cafe the next day for brunch before leaving for home. The food was amazing and there was plenty to satisfy all our different palates. Onci was a our server and she was a delight! She was friendly and professional and definitely added to the vibe and experience. We will certainly visit again when we are in town!

This is somewhere my gf and I have been in years past. Last week we decided to go back there and the amount of flying insects was appalling and disgusting. There were a ton by the bathroom and also swarms in the dining area. Not exactly the environment that we wanted to sit down and eat. We walked out and it was a real bummer.

Our daughter took my wife and me to the Vita Cafe for breakfast during our visit to Portland in July. Vita is a vegatarian and vegan haven but they also have some meat options. I preferred this over a strictly vegan menu. My wife had the vegan French toast. My daughter had the faux tofurkey florentine, which she said was fabulous. Her boyfriend had the breakfast burrito, which was gigantic. I had the Greek scramble with free range eggs, toast and morning potatoes. All of the meals were very good. The coffee was outstanding. I ended up drinking too much coffee it was so good. The service was relaxed and helpful. Vita is located in the funky Alberta Arts district. We enjoyed our breakfast at Vita Cafe. I would gladly go back to Vita to try other items on the menu. The prices were very reasonable.

During our recent visit in Portland, we were lucky enough to eat at the Vita Cafe. Both my wife and I are on Gluten Free diets, so finding a restaurant that will work for us can be tricky. I ordered the Lemongrass Noodle Bowl with tofu. It was really tasty! The vegetables were fresh, and the food was really tasty. The menu had a good selection of gluten free options. We enjoyed this restaurant so much that we ended up ordering take out a few nights later!

I love this cafe in the Alberta Arts district. It's always open when I need a quick healthy meal. The food is great and they also serve wine,beer, etc. I love that there are gluten free selections. If you are into Baked goods you will love there Cakes!!! Bon apetite.

vegan and vegetarian food that is delicious, service is quirky and not too great, prices are good, bar is good, the patrons and staff are soooooo Portland, if you're not tattooed you look out of place

The menu has tons of options. Breakfast is served all day. The food was really good. We ate here because of the plethora of vegan options! We liked the casual atmosphere and the great location.

Place seems to have great reviews but I thought it was far from good. Staff seemed unfriendly; especially the guy sitting people in. The food took forever to come and when finally we got our dishes we were very disappointed. I didn't liked my breakfast at all. It was absolutely tasteless, coffee was bad and cold. The only thing I liked were the steamed veggies, they were more like roasted veggies. Flies in the restaurant are also a turn off. The restaurant feels like a filty place. I wouldn't come back not recommend it. Very disappointed.

The people that work here are Always friendly. Great vegan desserts!

Our group had very mixed reactions to this restaurant. My meal was good, not great, and overall, the menu is a bit mystifying. It has beef burgers, but the mac and cheese has vegan cheese. Would be great if there was an option for regular cheese. Didn't mention to our kids that it was vegan, but they immediately noticed and didn't like it at all. I tried it and have to agree it was watery and rather tasteless. Thai noodles were very good as was the cesear salad. Somewhere besides Portland, it might make sense to go to a place like Vita, but there are so many fantastic vegan and vegetarian options in Portand that Vita just isn't worth it.

This little place has a great menu if you have vegans in your midst, yet you want a quality burger. This place has it all. The fries are not to be missed however. Excellent.

Cute cafe with good food, but for those who have special dietary needs, this place is perfect. Mostly vegetarian and vegan, with many gluten free options. The perfect place to meet my lactose- and gluten-intolerant friend for breakfast. We both enjoyed the corn cakes with real maple syrup, such a treat. Even though I have no food sensitivities, I would go back.

Vita is one place I never tire of eating. I love getting their New Year's Breakfast because I get both sweet and savory. Good prices and fun staff.

i swear I bought our house in this neighborhood because it was walking distance to this restaurant. I eat here all the time, with friends, family, or solo. They have a really fantastic breakfast/brunch menu that can cure any evils you may have committed the night before. That being said, I also love to have comfort-food-diner style dinner that consists of fresh food (vegan, vegetarian, and meat options). Service is always good and they always have good beer and cider on tap.

I've been coming to this basically vegan café for years now with my sister, who is vegan, tho I am not....and I love the place! For the carnivors, they have the best real beef hamburgers!! And real chicken sausage that is crispy and flavorful, and the best over-easy free range eggs! The worlds best vegan carrot cake lives there too and I always take a slice back to the hotel! The neighborhood is fun and walkable. Don't miss it!

I was in the area for a dance convention/half marathon and I love vegan restaurants so I decided to try this place. This restaurant is located near the Alberta Arts district in Portland, which didn’t mean much to me, but it was near the area I was visiting that morning (the Beverly Cleary areas). This place was packed right as I got in and there was a sign in. Not a lot of signage to tell you what to do and the staff was super busy running around. It said to sign up even if you wanted to sit at the bar and then there was a column that said “bar”. I guess I should have figured out that if you wanted to sit at the bar, you should put “yes” or something but really, I didn’t think it was that intuitive or maybe I was hungry and needed some food to put two and two together. At any rate–I sat there after putting my name in and watched as all the customers who were already there waiting before I got in were seated, and then, frustratingly, I watched as several customers who came in after me got seated as well. This was nearly an hour after I had put my name on the list. So I went up to a server and asked and she said that I was supposed to put a check in the “bar” section if I wanted to be seated at the bar. Okay whatever. Anyway, she seated me right away and apologized for the wait. I ordered the vegan huevos rancheros–chose the tofu instead of the eggs and added the faux rizo. Also had coffee with half and half (I believe there was a vegan creamer option but unless it is something special like the cashew crema at by Chloe in NYC, I normally don’t get it). After the bad start with the long wait and watching everyone coming in after me get seated, my visit there ended on a good note as the food was excellent and of high quality. I would go here again though but either early lunch or late lunch as they are way too busy to really guide you much during peak times.

After a great breakfast visit we had to return to try the lunch offerings. The Thai Corn Cakes were fantastic and I couldn’t believe they were gluten free. It was made with Banana’s, ginger and served with hot coconut syrup. The Mexican scramble looks like the dish everyone was ordering. My wife loved it, made with green chilies, onion, corn and topped with guacamole, salsa and vegan sour cream. For lunch we split a Reuben Sandwich made with tempeh on gluten free bread. Another winner. This saved room for some desert, cheese cake. Should not be missed. The service was good, and kept the excellent coffee topped up. The décor can be called by a phrase that kept cropping up on our visit: “Portland Weird”. It was fun, not scary. This is the first vegetarian restaurant I’ve ever seen with a full bar. Maybe at night the clientele get liquored up and heckle people that do not have a visible tattoo…

I had the veggie wrap. It had a lot of salt. I was disappointed. Other party member had the cesar salad and it didn't look that great either. They play the rock music way too loud for the lousy acrostics they have. Service was good. It's cheap food, that's why people go there, I guess.

My husband and I went to Vita Cafe twice during our trip to Portland, OR. Once for breakfast and once for dinner. Being a vegan i absolutely loved it. I thought the food was great and the price was decent. My husband is not a vegan and also enjoyed this cafe. The menu is mainly vegan but it also had locally sourced eggs and cheese for breakfast. My husband had a regular breakfast burrito and I had a vegan breakfast burrito. Both were delicious. For our dinner my husband had the buffalo tofu wrap and loved it. I had the vegan club sandwich and have been replicate it since we got home. We shared a piece of vegan cheesecake for dessert and my husband said you could not tell it was vegan.

When in doubt, Vita always hits the spot.

We went to Vita Cafe shortly after getting off the plane on the Sunday before Labor Day around 3pm. It was a little challenging to find. There is a Vita Cafe coffee spot down the road from the full service food cafe we were trying to find. We had looked at the menu online and loved what we saw. We thought we were going to eat there multiple times during our stay in Portland but we did not. We did not because it wasn't really as exciting as I thought it was going to be. The servers were hipsters and it seemed like they were on a team, as we had 3-4 people stop by our table and help throughout our meal. Great service. We ordered the Reuben sandwich (made vegan with tempeh and Daiya), a side of hand-cut seasoned french fries, biscuits and gravy, a French 75, Earl Grey hot tea, and a chocolate mint slice of cake. The food was mostly delicious with the exception of the biscuits and gravy. The gravy was a vegan almond gravy. I have had many different chef's takes on this dish, including mine. This was the worst I have ever had. It was so salty it was almost inedible. It would also have been better if it had some "meat" in it like vegan sausage or tempeh. The reuben sandwich and fries were amazing as was the cake. The drink was good but served a bit warm which I thought was odd for a champagne drink (who the hell wants warm champagne?!) I asked for a side of vegan ranch and got what appeared to be mayo with a dash of dill in it. It was some of the worst vegan ranch I've ever had which is sad considering it's so mainstream now and they could just buy Daiya or Just Mayo if they're too lazy to make a good one. The service was attentive and good. However, one annoying thing I could not get over was the constant blaring of Abba. It wasn't just one Abba song. It was a whole album. It was terrible. I told the server it was terrible. He didn't care because it seemed to be his jam. I am not one to expect a server to change the music just for me. But I also don't expect for a restaurant to play a whole album of one band for over an hour. You would expect some variety. I can't be the only one that cringes over Abba. At any rate, fear of having to sit through another hour of Abba along with the food not being as amazing as I had hoped, kept us away. We opted to save money and cook meals in our hotel room. This place was a solid GOOD, but definitely not great. I would recommend it only to vegans or vegetarians. I don't think they are going to crossover more mainstream with mediocre dishes.

The biscuits alone are worth a trip and a (short) wait, but everything else was delicious too. Wonderful coconut based soup and brunch items!

Café Vita may offer the best breakfast in the neighborhood, at least that’s what we thought while we were visiting friends on a trip from NYC. It was the perfect place to start and end our trip, and is gluten free friendly too (not to mention environmentally conscious). We visited twice, enjoying a fruit smoothie, faux tofukey florentine (sooo good!) and the Vita and Mexican scrambles. The atmosphere is super relaxed with a Brooklyn, NY vibe. I wish we had one of these back East.

We had a lovely breakfast here. I had the 2+2+2 with corn cakes and as the corncakes were so good, I ordered another separate serving of them. They truly serve comfort food here and even better that most of it is organic and local.

Kinda a hike to get to out on Alberta street, but it's a cool funky neighborhood. The restaurant is very casual, but has a full wine and cocktail list (I had a good dry martini). The vegetarian fare was very good. We had the BBQ tofu things, the vegan nachos, the vegan BLT and the carrot cake. It was all very tasty and filling. Would recommend taking friends who are vegetarian or even others just interested in a change of pace. (BTW - I'm not vegetarian.)

Loved it here! Amazing food and so many choices for both vegan and non. Friendly fun staff . We will be back

Even for a meat eater this place is a great place to eat. Very good! The price is very affordable too for a vegetarian place and in general. I'm a meat eater and it was great. This would be an excellent place to eat if the staff would do a better job at seating the customers. They have a small bar with about 7 chairs tops. They have a sign that says wait to be seated which is a joke even for bar seats. People were wating out side for 30-45 minutes even when they could have sat at the bar asap! Next time I will probably just walk in and sit at the bar and ignore the sign. The person helping seat people eventually went to do everything else too like serve and wait on tables. Maybe they are short on staff during certain times? I will go back here despite the bad service because the food was so good.

Long wait if you don't get there early on the weekend, but what else is new. Good food and sassy service.

I'm not vegan, but after eating here many times with my family, it wouldn't be hard to convert. It is one of our regular places to go for a family dinner. The meals are hearty, tasty, and all off us leave very satisfied. The service is quick. The staff are friendly. The seating is spacious. And extra bonus: Free Wi-Fi. We always know we'll have a great dining experience at this restaurant. I've taken my parents and cousins here from out of town when they visit, and they can't believe they're eating vegan food. another bonus, if you so choose, you do have the option of subbing cow cheese for various dishes.

Part of Portland's charm is the ability to live and let live while folks are letting their freak flags fly, so my lady friend chose Vita while she was vegan. I'm a rather experienced omnivore. (don't judge!) Vita had food for everyone. And it was good! We ate good sized portions of our selected meals, and I was chuffed to see they also had bacon on the menu. If there is one gateway food for vegans to return to a omnivorous lifestyle, it's bacon.

This has to be one of the best vegan restaurants of all time! The chicken fried steak was awesome and the sausage sub incredibly tasty. Both had just the right amount of flavor and texture. The nachos were the best vegan nachos I have tasted. Atmosphere is relaxed and casually eccentric. Typically Portland!

One quality that my wife and I always look for in a restaurant is consistency. There's nothing worse than hit-and-miss dining. Thankfully, Vita Cafe always delivers. I have been eating here for years and I know when I order one of my favorites that it will taste the same every time that dine. The menu is varied and accommodates both omnivores and vegans. This makes it an easy place to eat with friends. This is comfort food at its most comfortable. Thanks Chef Woo.

Super vegan friendly bar style food. I love just about everything here. My favorite menu item is the vegan club sandwich. I recommend it. It's a fat sandwich that is very filling. Perfect for when you are sandwich hungry.

I have previously eaten lunch here several times and just tried dinner. The environment is bustling and cheerful. The waitstaff are friendly. The food is wonderful - filling, large portions of well seasoned vegetarian food. The Philly cheesesteak is wonderful - flavorful, but not greasy. I haven't had anything there I wouldn't eat over and over again. Socially conscious as well - a portion of the proceeds go to local causes.

Vita Cafe is located in the very cute neighborhood of Alberta St. A group of seven women, dinner before fun at the Alberta Street Theater. Only two of us were vegetarians, but everyone enjoyed their meal. I ordered the raspberry martini - nice, not too sweet, nothing special for the $7. I also ordered the Thai pasta with peanut sauce. As good as any Thai restaurant. My friends ordered the lemongrass soup, a huge bowl and very flavorful. The menu is huge and varied, something for everyone, including burgers for the carnivores. A friend ordered the Cesare salad - great flavor but hardly enough for a meal, which was what she expected. Beware the atmosphere- apparently the cook is an artist who specializes in tragedies - depictions of plane crashes adorn the walls. It's a little unsettling, but it is original! They do not take reservations - we started at 4:00 and place was filled by 6:00 when we left.

Nice vegetarian, vegan and free range food. Only problem is too many fruit flies...although that does indicate the organic flair of the food.

Buttery and huge. Really fulfilling for a pastry-lover like me. Most cafes on NE Alberta offer the same baked goods, but that pain au chocolat was unique to Vita Cafe...with a great ambience and friendly service, made my day.

Liked the ambiance at this neighborhood cafe in the Alberta district. Menu was very good for vegetarians or vegans. Food was fresh and tasty. Only ordered a couple of snacks as we were not very hungry, but what we had was very good.

I’m sorry to have to write a negative review of this restaurant, because the wait staff are very kind and earnest. But there is no other option. The menu seems so promising, especially for my vegan husband. But it really disappointed. The vegan sandwich was bland and served on a tasteless white roll. The kale salad side dish was tiny and way too salty. The vegan lasagna was a disaster: some pasta was undercooked and some was partly burnt, and the only flavor was from a salt-drenched “marinara” sauce that was little more than tomato paste. And for that we paid around 33 dollars. The setting didn’t help. The Vita his clean but feels worn out and scruffy—like a low cost restaurant in a college town. Due to its layout and lack of sound absorbing surfaces, it can be loud—especially if there are loud children. And on a Sunday night, that’s mostly who was there—young parents with toddlers. The only plus is the wait staff, who are quite nice. If it weren’t for them, I’d rate this place 1-Star. This is our third time here in 10 years. Time has not been kind. In a town full of vegetarian options, you can do a lot better than the Vita. Much better. Especially on Alberta with so many good Mexican, Indian and ramen places to eat.

It gets hard to go to new places in magical Portland, because we always need to re-visit our favourite places - Vita, Voodoo, El Nutri Taco, Homegrown Smoker, etc. Vita is our brunch place. My goodness! The vegan variety is extraordinary, the coffee fantastic, and the desserts mind-blowing. It is busy, but we rarely wait, because the bar seats are usually available. The staff are hard-working and friendly. My go-to is anything involving biscuits and gravy, alone or in the sloppy biscuit sandwich, or the Country Comfort. The partner likes the Reuben. Look, the portions are huge, the prices reasonable, and the variety incredible. You could go every day for a month and not repeat a meal. And Alberta Street is just Portland at its best. Do Not Miss The Vita Cafe!

Chose The Vita Cafe to meet a friend for lunch after reading the reviews on Tripadvisor. I decided on the house made veggie burger with a gluten free bun. The burger was very thin and blackened (not mentioned on the menu and not my favorite style) and had absolutely no flavor! The bun was okay for gluten free, but again, no flavor. The waitress looked scared to talk to us, and my companion noticed that she had noticeable body odor-not something that is appetizing when eating lunch. So disappointed.

It had been a little while since I had eat dinner at Vita. We often go for lunch/brunch. We weren't in the mood to eat out, but didn't want to cook. I know you know what I'm talking about. So we ordered take out. Didn't even know they did take out. Everything that we usually ate in tasted just as fresh and wonderful when we took it to go. I'm definitely doing take out again at Vita.

There is a famous saying 'Keep Portland Weird' Folks in the standard Portland garb are a little different than the rest of the country. It's that I'm too smart to try and dress like everyone else look (like crossing a lumber jack and a yuppie) And The Vita Cafe is clearly a Portland restaurant.. We went during a weekday for lunch. Were seated at the smallest table possible. We were essentially ignored by the male waiter on duty (weird boots and nose ring). After he finally took our order we waited and waited. In fact we saw our order under the lamps for like 10 minutes before the server got to it. Don't worry, he was very busy waiting on all the other folks who clearly dress in the Portland garb. This same waiter had a few minutes into our visit cranked up the radio playing some 'classic' rock and roll. We were within seconds of leaving when the female server, who was clearly the one keeping the place together, turned down the radio. After our food finally arrived one dish that was supposed to be hot was cold so we sent it back. This server was clearly more concerned about being cool and hanging out with folks who looked like him than us who were just dressed normally. The food itself just was ok. Nothing really special. We had high expectations for Portland Vegetarian eats based on what we read on tripadvisor. But we were let down every time. And we did try four of the top rated places on the east side of Portland on the airport side of the river. Downtown Portland is way too crowded and has some really congested and strange areas. And we won't miss the traffic jams either. So like I said in the beginning of the review. If you are from Portland and like to dress in goth or grunge and are vegetarian you will like it here. For the rest, a definite pass.

good food, great options for vegans, vegetarians and meat eaters.

This place really hit the spot for us. I love the refurbished but not overdone older buildings and they did it well. Very comfortable, casual but clean. I don't remember if they had sidewalk seating for that day it doesn't rain in Portland ;) We were traveling with my father-in-law, whom we trick into eating vegan once in awhile, but would never eat anything but meat knowingly. Well, this place has a meat burger and real bacon for the non-vegan BLT. He loved it, but he's 83 years old and has dementia.......I'm sure it's good for your weird friend who eats meat.....but if you can trick them into eating vegan, this place might open their eyes. I had the Buffalo wrap and it was delicious. I wish I could have tried some other items as well, but that just makes us want to go back! I do have to say the french fires were a bit disappointing, still good but.... They were maybe, "house cut"? But just little pieces, some were almost "crumbs" Still good, a bit over-cooked, but that might be their style. We ate the whole basket, so I'm not complaining, just a heads up if you're a person who likes whole fries. I think there was one or two whole fries, but mostly just pieces. I only got a photo of the Buffalo Wrap, my ravenous wife and her daughter tore into their food before it was fully on the table......Hey, we're restaurant reviewers....hello....darn hungry vegans. Overall, we say, "YES" go there and enjoy a great setting on Alberta, friendly people and really good vegan food. We will be going back. That is a pretty big endorsement, since we're usually in town for one day and there are SO many good vegan spots in Portland.

Holy cow, was this place good! I got the tempeh ruben and my friend got the lasagne - both of us starting with a corn muffin and a bowl of soup. We loved every bite. A low-key, completely unpretentious greasy spoon, with something for everyone, with very generous portions. Vegan burgers next to real meat hamburgers. Likely a good place for non vegans to being their vegan friends. An added plus was the very friendly and helpful servers. Recommended for an inexpensive and tasty meal!

Don't get the Reuben with Daiya and Tempeh. The kraut makes the bread soggy, the tempeh is a giant slab of bland and the daiya doesn't fit in. Do get the club sandwich. The Fries are weird, but good.

We stopped in for a drink only. No hello or greeting, very blah waiter. Great Gigantic IPA brew. Nice Hot Totty and selection of soda. Cannot comment on the food, but the bathrooms were clean and functional. The only thing I don't understand, is the sign in the window. I'm not sure if certain people are not welcome here. It was a little intimidating going inside. I'm wondering if individuals were not welcome here in the past, but are welcome now? If they put up a sign like this, they should welcome EVERYONE with a smile and hello.

Ordered the 2-2-2 with tempe and my daughter had it with eggs and apple sausage. Just very blah, would not come back again. The tempe had no flavor, I even ordered guacamole and salsa to try and spruce it up, without success. If you want tasty vegan, I would suggest Blossoming Lotus instead.

Relaxed atmosphere, friendly wait staff, and decent food. Easy to find. I stop by whenever I'm in the area. I especially love the tempeh Reuben sandwich, and the chicken fried "steak" and gravy is excellent.

This cool spot is located on the ever gentrifying Alberta St which never seems to have a lull in restaurant, bar, and shop openings...and some closings. The interior is no fuss, diner like setting with some retro touches, concrete floors, birch tables and a veg/vegan dessert case. The service is fast and friendly. Their menu is HUGE..split between breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We were here for dinner and I chose Vegan Nachos for our appetizer which was a flavour explosion and very good. For entrees we had the Reuben Sandwich...tasted like a "real" Reuben..very good. The other entree was the "Fish" and Chips...interesting and good. It was a little hard deciding what to pick from the large menu and everything sounded good...can't wait to go back and try some more! Visited May 2011

On our second visit to Vita Cafe we found it to be as interesting as ever. The huge menu of mostly vegetarian and vegan food will leave you scratching your head as to what to order..everythind we have had thus far is good. This time around we both ordered the same thing: appetizer of 3 Bean Vegan Chili which was delicious! and for the entree the HUGE plate of Vegan Chicken Fried Steak....I was skeptical when ordering but loved it! The side of mashed potatoes smothered in almond gravy was out of this world! It was so good in fact I could not let them take away my uneaten portions (it was a HUGE plate) and took the rest back later for lunch the next day. As I am not a vegetarian I keep finding myself pleasantly surprised at how far vegan and vegetarian food has come ( visit Natural Selection on Alberta as well) and Vita Cafe keeps delivering.

I got the New Year's breakfast, which is two eggs, steamed vegetables, and a corn cake. The eggs were ok, the vegetables had no salt, and I really didn't like the corn cake. The coffee had little bits of coffee dregs in it, and the almond milk separated. The waitress wasn't especially friendly. But maybe I should give it another shot and order something different next time.

I am writing this for mainly out-of-towners. The food is great and the menu can accommodate just about every diet. The atmosphere is casual and the large windows open so it is almost a totally open air cafe. Where they fall short is the service. We were there today and I think we saw one person smile. The service was not rude, just indifferent. So if you expect to be welcomed with a smile and made to feel like they value your business, this is not the place for you. Please don't judge the Portland servers by these sour-pusses.

Best vegan selection I've found in PDX...love the "chicken" fried "steak!"

Classic menu but with Gf, vegan & vegetarian options. They also included meat options so you could really keep everyone happy. My salad was excellent.

A quaint restaurant with local artist work on the walls for sale Service was very friendly and personable We were told of the special which was potato hash with winter root vegetables, fennel, celeriac, watercress, vegan horseradish sauce and your choice of eggs or tofu. I ordered the special with over medium eggs. I am not much of a vegetarian eater but this breakfast was absolutely delicious. It had lots of flavor and the portion was large. I do wish it had more horseradish sauce because it helped give the dish a kick. The other breakfast ordered were the corn cakes with roasted peppers, salsa, guacamole and vegan sour cream. Two large corn cakes that were tasty, light and full of flavor. Very good restaurant when visiting Portland and having breakfast with friends.

With all of the great brunch options in Portland, I wouldn’t choose this one. They weren’t busy, I sat at the bar and felt ignored while the server prioritized putting a piece of cake in a box instead of taking my order. I ordered the Vita Scramble w tofu which was tasty, however, lacked any substantial amount of veggies promised by the description. I won’t be returning here.

Another great place for vegan/vegetarian food. Their vegan cakes are delicious. The service is okay, but not great.

A gem of a place when it comes to food. Our waitress wasn't terribly friendly, but man was it nice to be able to go out and eat nachos! The white bean chili was also delicious!

Our first stop when we landed in Portland. Amazing food - had the seitan cheese steak and burrito. Will definitely be back when we visit Oregon again.

Have been here several times. Coffees are always delicious. Friendly service and very casual atmosphere. Dog friendly Nice place to spend a morning over coffee with a friend or two.

My daughter took me here for lunch and I had the best Soup and Salad I have had in a long time. The bread was delicious and the soup hearty. I enjoyed it so much that I took a friend to it again the next day. Then I had the Thai Coconut Soup and the blend of flavors were a treat to the palate. It is so nice to have delicious, healthy meals at a very reasonable cost. I will go again the next time I am in Portland.

I love the corn cakes with maple syrup and hazelnuts. everthing is super good and tasty. some days I want grass fed hamburger, some days I want a vegan or vegetarian option. at this resturant I can have what ever my desire is.

We had a phenomenal server who made great recommendations. The food was delicious. We came across this one on Alberta St. by accident and considered going again for lunch the next day! In the end we decided to try as many different places as possible while in Portland - what a great food city - but this one was top of the list.

Nice vibe to the place. My wife loved her Caesar Salad especially the dressing. My Burger was good. The only problem was that the piece of lettuce had dirt on it. So obviously not washed off. This kind of killed my appetite and spoiled an otherwise good experience as cleanliness is important to me where I in places I choose to eat. The fries were great. Obvious care went into making these fabulous.

We love this place! As vegans, we often have to sacrifice flavors when we go out to eat - but not here! We both had the Buffalo Tofu wrap and holy moly, it was amazing. We will definitely be coming back!

There's a wealth of trendy little indie restaurants all up and down Alberta Street in this trendy Portland neighborhood. But with two vegetarians and a vegan in the family, we seem to always end up here. Our most recent visit included a veggie Reuben (Swiss cheese was on the approved list for one of our vegetarians, but the 1000 Island dressing is vegan -- and yummy). We also chose organic tempeh over faux turkey on this sandwich. Vegetarian No. 2 feasted on a combo meal: very filling and tasty Thai coconut soup, a green salad and corn muffin. Our third diner chose the vegan club sandwich (organic tempeh ‘fakin’, homemade faux turkey, vegan mayo, guacamole, lettuce, and tomato between 3 layers of toasted sourdough bread). The reason we love this restaurant is b/c it offers a lot of choices outside the usual vegetarian/vegan box. The sandwiches are creative and a nice change of pace from the usual sprouts/tomatoes/cheese offerings that pass for veggie fare at most casual restaurants. Oh, and don't forget to sample the crunchy, skins-on fries. The three of us always split an order and everyone goes home satisfied. We'll be back, for sure.

OH MY LORD - where do I start. We love this place for its wonderful flavors and perfect vegan fare. Very comfortable and love the menu choices, especially their buffalo things.

We've just returned from a trip abroad and we're headed right back out the door. I'm thankful for Vita Cafe. Their take out never disappoints. It tastes as good at home as it does at the restaurant.

My wife, daughter and I were looking for good, basic food after eating rich cuisine for the better part of a week. Our daughter needed vegan choices. The Vita Cafe was just what the doctor ordered. I had a tasty grilled cheese sandwich, which helped calm my stomach after it was upset by food from a brunch earlier in the day. The Greek and Caesar salads were also fine that my wife and daughter ordered. And the vegan nachos we shared were a special treat.

We stopped here for dinner on own way back to Portland after having spent the day at Mt St Helens. I ordered both a salad and a grilled cheese sandwich. I didn't realize the sandwich was going to come with fries and the salad was large. The sandwich was great and I saved most of the salad to eat for lunch the next day, so no problem.

Can here with some friends who are vegan after being told there are meat options also. Come to find around your option is a burger or a shrimp dish. Burger was excellent and the Greek salad was very good, but don't come here thinking there are options. I'm told by vegans they love this place. Service was ok, meal took very long to get.

This was my go-to place for vegan food when traveling to Portland. On our most recent trips over the past month, it was clear that something has changed. The service was lack luster and the food matched. I was heart broken after singing it's praises for years. I ordered the Rueben for lunch and the 2x2 for breakfast. Both meals were lacking in presentation and the taste was just 'ok'. I'm hoping that my visit was just a couple of 'off' moments in time but I likely won't return with all of the other options in Portland.

Came here for a late lunch on Sunday afternoon, and had to wait a little bit (10-20 minutes) for a table. The service was fast and the food was excellent. They are "mostly vegetarian" and have loads of vegan options too. Meat is not the main event, but I saw real bacon, grass fed beef, and chicken apple breakfast sausage, if you want to dine with someone who must have carne. Everything was fresh and healthy. Definitely a feel-good meal!

I’ve visited the Vita many times, and it’s usually a good experience. Interesting salads, and lots of vegetarian and vegan versions of stand-bys like chicken-fried steak, nachos and mac and cheese. Well-stocked case of vegan cakes. Definitely a place for vegetarians, though those who must eat meat can get a burger. Old-school meat eaters and traditionalists might be put off by the Vita. My dad didn’t like it because his pea soup was brown (different kind of pea, I guess) and had bay leaves in it. Sometimes the music is too loud for conversation.

Almost every item on the menu can be made vegan or gluten free ... We absolutely love the buffalo wrap and the seitan steak sandwich. The staff is super friendly & attentive. It's a little on the small side, but the longest we've ever had to wait was about 20 minutes at dinner. Seriously good vegan food!! It's nice that they have non-vegan options as well!

Had a delicious quinoa salad - but a bit too much dressing, something I thought I'd never say. Great neighborhood and a really nice vibe to this cafe.

Good natural and organic food. Mostly vegetarian and vegan with some natural and free range meats and eggs.

Best vegan selection I've found in PDX...love the "chicken" fried "steak! Wanna get tipsy? Order their Spanish coffee.

I was at a weekend business function and stayed at an Airbnb nearby. On Sunday morning I Googled top rated vegan restaurants and this one had high ratings and was three mins away. . I am a foodie and love eating out at quality places . I was not disappointed. Located on a quaint little street with outdoor seating he menu was full of healthy items. The quality was amazing and the service was good. . It was full which made it seem like a neighbourhood favourite ! I had vegan sausages with corn walnut pancakes and they were delicious ! Highly recommend.

Went here for the first time today, and can't say enough good things about the place. Inside is vintage quirky, looks like the booths were handmade. We tried the fries and tempeh with peanut sauce as appetizers, and both were excellent. The tempeh had a coating like fried chicken but I thought it had a pork taste/texture, but it was wonderful. The fries were excellent as well. I got the macaroni and cheese with (vegan) chili on top and though at first it felt like the chili had been a bit watery and collected in the bottom of the bowl, it turned out to be very tasty, and the portion was huge! My partner got a single biscuit with gravy (a bargain at $3) and I tried it too, and though parts of the biscuit seemed harder than they should have been, the gravy was not too heavy and had a nice country gravy flavor. She also got the grilled cheese on sourdough with onion and tomato and said it's one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches she's ever had. We are both confused why they haven't gone full vegetarian as a few meat dishes sneak in the menu, and we both were also disappointed that the beer selection was limited, but we both consider this the best dining experience we've had in Portland and will definitely be back. PS. Don't confuse this place with Caffe Vita a few doors down which is a coffee house!

We grabbed a quick dinner before running across the street to enjoy the White Album Christmas at Alberta Rose Theater. Vita Cafe was the perfect spot for us vegetarians and our meat lovin' friends. Everything there is always so fresh! My wife and I split a fantastic faux turkey Reuben and the Spinach Salad. Yum! Our friends ordered the beef burger and were delighted with it. It was their first visit to Vita. We, on the other hand, having been coming here since 2003 and are never disappointed. Oh, and we didn't even have to wait for a table this time. The Universe lined up the perfect evening for us, dinner and a show and all on time. Long live the vita Cafe!

My daughter is vegan and going to college in Corvallis. Whenever I visit her we go here to eat. This time I met my Uncle and his girl friend, neither of them are vegan and they enjoyed the "regular food".

Although the vegan food here is not as good as Blossoming Lotus, if you're looking for comfort food look no further. I always enjoy meeting friends here for brunch. Then we love going across the street and shopping at our favorite cat gift shop, Roar.

Honestly I can here because it was open and on the way to my hotel. It had good reviews online, so I thought I would check it out. I’m glad I stopped. The service is great, although they couldn’t take credit cards because the machine was down. Don’t usually carry cash, but I had enough for their special. I had the vegan country breakfast: biscuits, gravy, scrambled tofu, potatoes, veggie sausage. I’d suggest ordering extra gravy, it’s great on the tofu.

I love it when my son/daughter-in-law walk into this restaurant and are greeted by Laini calling them by their first names. She even knows my grandson's name. My grandson (2) says his favorite place to eat is Vita! I would agree. The food was great!

Vita Cafe is another establishment I visited in a short trip to Portland that makes an incredibly strong case for uprooting my life on the east coast and moving to this vegan utopia. Loved all the vegan options.

Vita is a vegan cafe... I'm not vegan. However, I've never had a bad meal yet. Have only been there on weekends and tend to order the "cooks special", created by Alex. Haven't had a bad one yet.

What a great way to satisfy all tastes - vegan and American. Their homemade toast was sensational along with homemade jam I had their porridge which was brown rice. Hazelnuts and currents. A nice wholesome meal

Excellent vegetarian and vegan foods. Very good quality ingredients, fresh made. Interesting menu. Quirky fun atmosphere. Okay service.

The vegan nachos were amazing. The Hazlenut corn cakes were so so. My primary complaint is that they advertised as dog-friendly with outdoor seating. Upon arrival they told us that they weren't putting the tables out because it might rain and didn't make any effort to accommodate us. It wasn't raining and the forecast predicted rain in the late afternoon/evening- we were there in the morning. I got the impression that the staff were just too cool. But it has great vegan and gluten free options with the selections clearly indicating If it is either or both.

I was disappointed in the salmon cakes and the biscuits and gravy, but the rest of the group enjoyed some excellent soups (thai curry) and good salads. I should have stuck to what they do best, which is vegetarian and vegan meals. Coffee and desert made up for it. I had the oatmeal cake--very nice. I would expect the carrot cake to be equally tasty. Good coffee and a wide assortment of teas and other interesting drinks. Very homey and casual, friendly staff and good service.

I wanted a big satisfying breakfast and Vita Cafe did not disappoint. My vegan wife had a very tasty big bowl of rice and berry porridge with hazelnuts and a delicious coconut sauce. I had some big breakfast combo with tempeh bacon, biscuits with a great garlic almond gravy, perfectly cooked home fries and a couple of free range eggs. Zero attitude with a helpful server made us love this place. A perfect first meal in Portland!

The Chik'n fried steak and potatoes are off the hook!!! Mac and cheese to die for! Great selection of vegan food, super impressed! A must go in the Alberta District.

Portland generally is vegan friendly, but this little restaurant stood out. Absolutely delicious food and prices were so reasonable! Wine and beer available, relaxed atmosphere - we waited happily for a table and returned a second day for breakfast which was just as good! Highly recommend that you look for this great little gem on Alberta street

This was my girlfriend and I's first stop for food in Portland and we had an amazing brunch that included delicious corn pancakes and sausage and gravy with their home made bread is amazing! We were only in Portland for about 4 days, but we ate here twice! Dinner was also amazing, I tried the "fish and chips" which you have to right?

There are so many reasons to love this place: the casual, nonjudgmental attitude of staff and diners alike. We saw old couples, young couples, a family celebrating a birthday, a group of pierced, tattooed college students and a group of men in suits, among others. The décor is funky and eclectic, a small but cozy space. The restaurant is committed to using organic, local produce and ethically-raised, hormone free meat, eggs and dairy. They make nearly everything in house, from the tempah to the seitan to the pasta, and it’s reasonably priced with an incredibly varied menu. The staff is helpful and not at all about turning and burning-our server filled our drinks while we talked after the meal and didn’t make us feel rushed to pay and exit as fast as possible. But the best part? The food was DELICIOUS. I had a vegan veggie burger with cheese and caramelized onions and my fiancé had a free range jimbo burger. We were each going to get fries, but our helpful server told us one serving could easily be shared by two people and she was completely right, saving us some cash. Not only did my fiancé say the burger was probably one of the best he’s had in his life, the fries were out of this world good. They were hand cut, kinda thick and clearly made in house. No frozen bags of pre-cuts in this place and we wound up wishing we lived in Portland just so we could return daily for a taste of those fries. We ate at a lot of places in Portland and had some great meals. But this casual little café turned out the best meal we had in the city. Tasty, inexpensive, great service and ethics I can really get behind. As a vegetarian engaged to a meat eater, we don’t often find a restaurant that pleases us both equally. Either I’m forming a meal out of side dishes and appetizers or he’s trying to make the best of a flavored faux meat substitute. Vita Café proved to be a rare exception, offering both vegetarian and humanely-raised meat dishes that left us both satisfied and extremely pleased with our entire experience. http://www.vita-cafe.com

I love it here. I have lived in the neighborhood for 5 years. My boyfriend said, "Don't eat there it's a yuppy vegan joint." So it's the first place I ate when I could. I have eaten here several times. I love it. It has several good things to eat. I love the corn cakes. And bloody marys to die for. Give it a try. He was so wrong.

Went to Vita Café on a Friday afternoon and the service (o.k, there was no service) was terrible. We sat ourselves down and waited for about 10 minutes before a waiter came by with a menu. Then the waiter never came back. After 20 minutes of waiting for someone to get our order, we finally left. I'm sure the food might have been delish.

My family and I came here for dinner and loved it! It had very great food, especially for those of us with gluten and dairy allergies. They had plenty to pick from and the staff were super helpful and friendly! We will definitely return!

Who would think you could coat tofu with a fried chicken batter and deep fry it? The menu said it was Fish n chips, but I think it was more like fried chicken. Along with delicious fries, this kept 2 vegetarians happy. Also we ordered the cheese steak, on a crusty bun. The tempeh and cheese make a good combo. Happy hour menu from 4-6, and 4-closing on Wed. Homey atmosphere and pleasant service.

I've been to Vita Cafe several times and always enjoyed myself. It's really nice to have a place with a good variety for non meat eaters. The Thai coconut soup is delicious. The people there are great also.

Eclectic menu, decor and staff. Great menu options for vegetarians or vegans. Meat also available. Daily specials are the best. Fun drink menu too.

Hard to find vegan food this tasty. Great discounts for kids. We ate there two times in 2 days. Their vegan buffalo "things" and super healthy salad w/nuts seeds and guac, and fake chicken fried steak were great. Desserts were off the charts.

It is definitely that cozy, crazy place for everyone. Vegetarian, vegan or meat eaters will find quality and quantity on their menu. Staff is pleasant and the prices are decent.

Not to be confused with Cafe Vita which is a coffee house two blocks down. The food was very good and in good portions. Beer on tap so dad was happy. Daughter raved about vegan mac'n'cheese. Service was extremely friendly if not attentive. Would definitely go again. Street parking. Very hip neighborhood with lots of restaurants, bars, and coffee houses to choose from.

Went for brunch on a Sunday. Very diverse menu especially for people with diverse dietary needs. You can get eggs and bacon, or you can get that with vegan eggs and vegetarian bacon and gluten free options too. Love that you can go to this place with multiple people with multiple dietary needs.