Vegan
American
Take-out
Soul Food

Washington DC vegan cafe near Takoma Metro station. It's connected to the Senbeb health food shop. Very small place that's mostly take-out with a few tables for seating. Sample menu items include faux meat sandwiches, raw food, biscuits n' gravy, mac n' cheese, cornbread, and greens. Vegan brunch on Sunday. Confirmed open May 2020. Black-owned. Open Mon-Sat 11:00am-6:00pm, Sun 10:00am-3:00pm.


Venue map for Senbeb Cafe
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20 Reviews

First Review by bduboff

Saltycakes

Points +288

Vegan
06 May 2023

Great service Great food

The lady at this place made me feel like I was at my grandma's kitchen! She was very sweet. She immediately gave us a rewards punch card which I plan to keep using. You get to choose a main dish and two complements, plus cornbread or biscuits. The food was very good and they have a nice selection. The mac n cheeze could've used a bit more salt but still the consistency and taste was well done. There was no place to sit and eat which would've been nice since I wanted to keep talking to the lady about the food and the restaurant. They also had a board promoting other businesses and events which had really good suggestions.
Overall I loved the place and the experience.

Pros: Good food, Decent price, Rewards card.

Cons: Only take out

MaryLouBurke

Points +102

Vegetarian
10 Oct 2022

Nice Experience

I loved the location and the brunch menu. Everything here is vegan, including the omelette. The potatoes especially tasted great. The next time I am in this part of D.C. I’ll come back for more the next time I visit this part of D.C.

Updated from previous review on 2022-10-09

Pros: Pleasant customer service, Nice ambiance and music., Black-owned business

Cons: Mostly take out

Yahmeesh

Points +246

Vegan
07 Apr 2021

Awesome!

I spent 30 minutes trying to figure out what the crab cakes and sweet potatoes were made out of; phenomenal. Everything I ate was extraordinary.

HeatherLSD

Points +52

Vegan
14 Mar 2021

Crab cakes!

This was my first time here, and we only tried a couple things, but the crab cakes are BOMB! Their desserts are good too. I personally didn’t care for the chicken and waffles much. I would like to try several of their other items.

Wallace89

Points +23

Vegetarian
16 Oct 2020

Sandwiches are good

I like alot of there food but the mac isn't so good

Pros: Great sandwiches

Cons: Mac and cheese isn't so great

soibeens

Points +36

Vegan
19 Jul 2020

Love Senbeb!

Loved going here when I lived in Petworth. African American woman owned business!

Pros: Delicious vegan comfort food , The best vegan breakfast

LeahFlake

Points +32

Vegan
14 Dec 2019

Senbeb is a must-try for DC vegans!

This is one of my favorite spots in DC. Their yams, plantains, mac and cheese, “chicken”, and veggies are all amazing - so are the sandwiches, and the little cakes and pasta salads in their fridge are convenient if you’re just stopping by quickly. The grocery store next door is also a nice place to check out. It takes around 15-20 mins for them to prepare your order, and you can take it home or eat at one of the few tables there (there’s usually space). Don’t forget to get extra hot sauce!

Pros: Excellent food, Not crowded, Convenient options

JackieP

Points +379

Vegan
30 Aug 2019

Best vegan restaurant in America

This is my favorite place ever. They serve tofu skin, which is the best vegan protein. Vegan chicken and waffles is on point. I'd go to DC just to eat there.

Pros: Unique yummy food, Super local

Cons: Needs more locations!

Mangia_Athena

Points +66

Vegan
06 Apr 2019

Delicious!

My boyfriend and I ordered from here on Friday! Our food was great. He opted for the Cajun fried “chicken” and I had the crispy portobello mushrooms! We both had the Mac and cheese and plantains for our sides. Although we were sad they didn’t have any cornbread left this food hit all the spots. The tangy sauce for the “chicken” was delicious!

Pros: Variety of options, Great sides

Nechelle

Points +13

Vegetarian
01 Aug 2018

10/10 would recommend

I finally had the chance to check this café out especially after hearing about how good their food was. I would highly recommend their steak and cheese. I would definitely be coming back to try their other options.

Pros: Outstanding Food.

Cons: The distance (for me personally).

FruitfullyThriving

Points +20

Vegan
06 Sep 2017

Wonderful! Absolutely delicious & sooo very friendly!

We highly recommend the Mac & Cheese! 👌🏼✨

Pros: Amazingly delicious menu, Genuinely friendly and knowledgeable owners , Reasonable Prices!

Cons: None!

Karen P

Points +76

Vegan
17 Aug 2017

Delicious but Slow

Food is excellent but service can be exceedingly slow.

Pros: Yummy food, most of the soul variety.

Cons: The service can be so slow, it keeps us away., The place is tiny and can be crowded.

DesiJay

Points +20

Vegan
09 Jun 2017

Delicious!

The staff is friendly and the food is excellent. It's a small place and it's attached to a health food store! The jerk "chicken" is to die for!

Pros: Friendly staff

LeonardD.Knight

Points +18

Vegan
07 Jun 2017

superb

This place has the most magnificently delicious vegan steak and cheese in the DMV area. It's not even close. The "Philly steak" at Hip City Veg is the only thing that even comes close in the area. Definitely here here.

ButikiGirl

Points +222

Vegan
17 May 2014

Outstanding food, Great Prices, Amazing staff!

Wow, was this place amazing. I travel to DC several times a year but this time I was going to the Smithsonian with a friend that was visiting me. He’s a science teacher and wanted to see a few exhibits, so we planned a day trip. I let him choose the restaurant since he was visiting. To be honest, this is not a place I would have ever tried on my own but I am so glad he picked this one. The food is very affordable and outstanding. I asked the counter person (who was amazingly nice and knowledgeable) choose her favorites for me to try. I ended up with a stew (which I would have never chosen but it was phenomenal), collard greens (my first time ever trying them and they were delicious), and crispy tofu skins (like what fried chicken would be like). Wow, everything was phenomenal. My friend picked out corn bread and a ‘chicken’ and broccoli dish. He loved his food as well. I crave this place, can’t wait to go back to DC.

Pros: Outstanding Food, Cheap price, Fantastic staff

cookiem

Points +5888

Vegan
09 Mar 2014

Vegan Sanctuary

Wow, am I glad that this place is all vegan or what?! They have specials that change up their menu, so even though the menu is small, it's nice to keep going back.

The prices for some items are moderate, while others are a super deal.

Brunch is a hot commodity here, and they can become very busy. Vegan omelets made with tofu-base are alright, as are the home fries, but the biscuits, grits and pancakes are awesome. The biscuits might be the BEST vegan biscuits around… just saying!! I think the pancakes are a really good deal, and the waffle special (with chick'n) too was a great price point.

It's refreshing to see that many will come out for the lunch at this out of the way location. Foot traffic could be higher, but maybe it's got some from the local high school nearby. They definitely have a lot of regulars that support them, so become one, too! They are really nice, accommodating and patient.

Sandwiches with plenty of awesome vegan sides should do the trick for any lunch appetite. The dessert varies, but it's definitely a plus that they will feature local bakers, as well as some from Vegan Treats.

Although not the best place for sitting and eating, and they do use plastic disposable goods for service, the vegan-ness is to be supported - go! Yum!

Pros: 100% vegan brunch, Vegan Treats desserts

Cons: Plastic service ware, Seating limited

Pattidc

Points +16

Vegan
02 Mar 2014

excellent brunch

Passing through town we stopped in for lunch. So happy to find that the whole menu was home cooked, fresh, and vegan. I got the cheesy veggie omelet. So delicious. Also tried the kale salad and the carrot cake. Everything was superb.

nlukas51

Points +243

Vegetarian
28 May 2013

Worthwhile detour

On my way from the Philadelphia area to central VA, I randomly selected a (veg/vegan) place for lunch. Could not have been happier with my pick, despite the fact that there were no recent reviews and that it was a bit out of my way. All I can say, if you are anywhere even remotely close, you should check it out (and go hungry). The food was amazingly good (vegan & organic, as well as cooked and raw choices) and the folks were super nice. I had the bbq tofu over brown rice with collards, plantains, and cornbread (yum). I will most certainly go back if and when I am in the area again. Also conveniently located next door is a health food market, which looked very inviting.

Pros: healthy food choices, Good price, Super nice people

Cons: Too far from Philly :)

MizzB

Points +3833

Vegan
13 May 2012

Vegan goodness even non-vegans loved

Recently had takeout from Senbeb Cafe, an all-vegan restaurant adjacent to the Senbeb Natural Food Co-op, in NW Washington, DC, just inside the district line from Takoma Park, MD.
Extensive vegan menu posted on overhead board, with a very affordable special of the day for $13.00, that included the entree, three sides, and a choice of breads.
I visited with two non-vegan, non-vegetarian cousins, who lived nearby, yet had not been to the restaurant. They were a bit skeptical about my choice of eatery, yet since I offered to treat them to dinner, they went along with my choosing Senbeb.
It was my first visit to the restaurant as well, so I asked the counter person what she would recommend to show them just how amazingly good vegan food can be.
She recommended that day's special, the jerk chicken, with sides of seasoned rice, sauteed kale, and plaintains, with cornbread. They loved it, though my 80-year old cousin, a native southerner at heart who loves his greens, thought the kale could have used some "spicing up." He thought the "jerk tofu" was really chicken, and said so repeatedly.
His daughter said a bit of hot sauce and vinegar fixed her kale to her liking. She saw the mac and cheese I ordered as an extra side, and got her one, too. She thought it tasted as good as any mac and cheese she had ever had, saying it must be "regular cheese;" and said the same as her dad about the jerk "chicken." Both enjoyed the cornbread.
I had the vegan salmon croquettes - very moist and tasty, with sides of kale (yes, I added a touch of hot sauce since Tabasco sauce was not available), sweet potatoes, mac and cheese and cornbread.
All very satisfying, and highly recommended, even by the non-vegans.

Pros: excellent food, good value, convenient location

Cons: limited hours, small for dining in

bduboff

Points +1445

Vegan
08 Apr 2012

THE BEST VEG PLACE IN DC.

Wow! We've eaten at most every V place in the city except for the few food carts and this is possibly the best one going. In terms of atmosphere, it's nothing, but if food matters then Senbeb rocks. They are in a quite residential area in NW and have only 4-5 tables. Ordering is done at the counter and it seems like it's mostly a take out place. We ordered lunch which was so good we got 2 more entrees for take out. The menu is a quirky mix of soul and chinese and american - all of which is superb. In fact their chinese dishes are better than most of the veg chinese places we've been to and (according to my wife who is Taiwanese) as good as anything she's been served in Taiwan. We had the crispy tofu sandwich, chicken curry, black-eyed pea soup, southern fried chicken, beef and broccoli, kale, green beens, cole slaw, and raw pecan pie - all fantastic!! Parking is easy on the street. No website but they seemed busy. Yum Yum Yum - go check out and support Senbeb Cafe.

Pros: Vegan, Superb Food, Easy Parking

Cons: No Website, decor, not yet franchised




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