Herbivore-Berkeley

For years I had a hot & cold relationship with Herbivore after a few poor choices from their menu. Once I figured out what they excelled in (not the Indian wrap nor the macaroni & cheese, don't get the pad thai or the lemon pasta either) we hugged it out and are now loyal customers.

Herbivore does brunch well and they serve it every day from 9am to 2pm. Brunch. Every. Single. Day. 

We always start out with a soy latte but they have multiple kinds of fresh juice to choose from if you're one of those healthy types.

During our most recent visit T didn't want to feel left out so we brought her a bottle. She is a bit of a snob and rejected it.

Here she is requesting fresh squeezed milk.

Pictured above: the combo plate! Basil tofu scramble, house potatoes, & trail mix (coconut, walnut, chocolate chip) pancake with grilled banana (instead of a pancake you can get french toast which is amazing). This option provides you with both the sweet and the savory. Brilliant.

The Southwest plate: veggie tofu scramble, black beans, house potatoes, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and the best fried blueberry cornbread you ever had.

I love that the brunch menu is pretty extensive-a few different scrambles, biscuits & gravy, a breakfast burrito, pancakes, french toast. They also have more lunchier items like an awesome tempeh BLT (always add avocado, always), sweet & savory crepes, etc. I've never been disappointed.

There are other safe items on Herbivore's menu like the nachos, they have a really satisfying side salad, the soups are typically pretty good, and you can't really go wrong with their burgers and sandwiches. 

Another perk-Herbivore has a full liquor license! Amazing bloody marys that we would order if we weren't sleep deprived and in need of caffeine.

Herbivore holds a special place for us as it was the first restaurant we took T to when she was just a week and a half old. She did wonderfully then and is always well behaved there. I like that Herbivore opens at 9am since babies do tend to get up early. Plus, the parking in the area is decent, there's rarely ever a wait, and the tables are spaced out in such a way that it's easy to take your stroller inside and park it next to your table. There are also two large tables out front that we used to sit at when we had Elsie with us-perfect for a fussy baby. They have wooden highchairs if needed to prop your car seat on. I just now realized there's a changing table inside the restroom that's also big enough to take your stroller into if needed. I've breastfed T here multiple times and never felt uncomfortable but I don't expect a problem at a vegan restaurant.

I take back every mean thing I ever said about Herbivore in the past. It's kind of like how you really start appreciating your parents after you have a kid. For instance-I had to go to a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese last week and that shit was rough. I remembered all the times my parents took us there when we were kids and suddenly had a new level of respect for them. This is not to say that Herbivore is the Chuck E. Cheese of vegan food. More like the PF Chang's of vegan food. OK-I'm probably not making much sense but that's because I've been up since 5am today. 

Go to Herbivore in Berkeley for brunch. Or happy hour. Or both.