Vegan
International
Indonesian
Vegan restaurant est. since 2004. Motto is "eat, read, think." Features Japanese table style with library. Open Mon 8:00am-8:00pm, Wed-Sun 8:00am-8:00pm.
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Jl. Airlangga 14C (at Jl. Taruma), Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, 20112
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- Outdoor seating
- Cash only
- Free Wi-Fi
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Last update on 24 May 2024 by Pandawan
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16 Reviews
First Review by CassieN
theNumberOfTheBeast
Points +4929
THE HOLY GRAIL OF VEGANISM - Edit
FABULOUS! FANTASTIC! FENOMINAL!
Read moreSo happy in my choice to return to Medan to try again to visit Socrates as it was a Tuesday, their day off, on my last visit. Well worth it! Right in the middle of town, this is the first actually vegan restaurant in Medan for 19 years and is a vegan owned operation.
I spent a good two hours chilling here and am looking forward to going back. The owner and I talked at length about vegan activism and the biggest challenge facing vegans today, the corruption of the term vegan to reflect ONLY dietary choices and not the total dispensing and boycotting of all animal exploitation.
To repeat for the millionth time. We both understood refreshingly, that:
NO OPTION SOLD BY A MURDER-KITCHEN IS VEGAN OR FRIENDLY TO ANIMALS.
Murder kitchens never add vegan options because they care about vegans. This is not for us, this is for them. This is for the customers whom vegans would have previously taken to a vegan restaurant.
While they think it's hilarious they can murder our friends and take our money to give us second-rate, diseased and contaminated foods; the main motivation is to keep their meat-customers. Especially to keep them from discovering how delicious and easy it is to eat vegan food.
Selling death is their business. Any vegan complicit in their economy is culpable of every same cruelty inflicted on animals. That's why it's so horrifying that HappyCow allows meat restaurants to list on this website. It's harmful to vegans, it's harmful to vegan businesses and it's harmful to animals. Dining in a murder-morgue is not a vegan activity. Bringing your meat-mouth company to eat vegan food, is the only vegan choice.
It's not good enough to be the .03% of the human population, we must grow that number at every opportunity, immediately and at any cost with utmost urgency-- and whatever we do, we must consider veganism a practice beyond eating, a total boycott of the animal abuse industry as ideated and always intended to be.
Food was amazing. And loved the name. Imagine if Socrates, the founder of Western Philosophy and Ethics had been a pushover and kept his mouth shut? Let's not forget this is the man, who in Plato's Republic called meat-mouths m*therfuскеrs!!
"Indeed it does not shrink, or so it imagines, from intercourse with mother or with anything else at all, man or god or beast. It murders any one at all, and eats any meat at all, without restraint."
Vegans! Support Vegans!
Tiggy
So…what you’re saying is…even if I eat a vegan option at a carnist restaurant…I’m… not really reducing the amount of slaughter…because they don’t really sell any less flesh…and in fact…they just want me there so I don’t take their a friend who might be one of their flesh-eating customers to a vegan restaurant somewhere else…? I’m actually….HELPING them sell murdered animal?!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! 🥹😟😳😨😔😱
Read moretheNumberOfTheBeast
Heads up, this is how the death machines and their vile operators defeat veganism. Corrupting it into a diet/lifestyle and not a formal protest and total boycott. Just shows you, it doesn't take brains to eat "like a vegan", but apparently to read the definition and behave as an actual vegan, ya gotta be freakin' Socrates!
Read moreGuest
Pandawan
Points +637
Excellent! Loved it. - Edit
Food was absolutely outstanding. Ambience could be really good, on a busier night.
Read moreLoved the ‘library’ setting amongst the National Geographics etc.
Got really annoyed that, despite asking the owner for dishes to be served separately, and checking to ensure he was clear in that, we were completely ignored and they came out together.
Pros: Range on offer, Taste
Cons: Owner wonders about not being useful, Ignored request of dishes to be sent out.
Guest
LauraR2912
Points +435
Great food. - Edit
I ordered what was recommended to me which was a curry with tofu and rice. Far too much food for lunchtime but very tasty.
Read moreLovely place.
Updated from previous review on 2023-11-17
Guest
SquirrelDi
Points +4740
Eat, read, and relax - Edit
Delicious authentic asian food, amazing hosts and super cool space. Loved everything, from the deco to the book shelves, the super friendly service and the tastiest food so far in North Sumatra. All vegan :)
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-08-31
Guest
burrolaut
Points +78
So glad I found it - Edit
Loved it everybite. Local food and all vegan. I will be back
Read moreGuest
keelyryan
Points +80
Gem of a place - Edit
First meal in Indonesia was here, the woman serving us recommended a few of dishes as we hadn't a clue where to start and all the food was mouth wateringly good. Beautiful premise, we took a stroll around to look at the books and art. Go there, stay there a while, and enjoy!
Read morePros: Great food, Great price , Great service
Guest
VadimJustus
Points +47
Nice and tasty - Edit
Friendly owner and very tasty food.
Read morePros: All vegan
Guest
Julie.Rylie
Points +162
Beautiful restaurant - Edit
This restaurant is absolutely beautiful. It is covered with dozens of books everywhere; beautiful wooden tables made of tropical massive wood; Buddhas; a room for those who prefer to eat on cushions and lower tables; lots of Picasso paintings. Very well decorated.
Read moreThe food is very tasty (although pricy to sumatra but very affordable for european standards).
The owner is a sweetheart that made us feel at home; got us the nexg day in the morning to a typical market and a bit sightseeing. We are planning on going here regularly.
Pros: The place is amazingly beautiful, The food is very good , The staff is very friendly
Cons: A bit expensive but worth every penny
Guest
MaylaNebeská
Points +1810
Best in Medan - Edit
Nice and stylish restaurant with friendly owner and staff. Asian and italian dishes (pasta) in the menu. Food is not “indonesian” spicy.
Read moreGuest
mirandastorm@bigpond.
Points +20
Vegan saviour hidden in Medan - Edit
A beautiful restaurant hidden in the crazy city of Medan. Fully vegan and curated with intention. Unfortunately English isn't spoken too well but it didn't take away from the experience.
Read morePros: Entirely vegan, Beautiful vibe, Great flavours
Cons: Small portions, A little to oily, Not alot of vegetables
Guest
Travisfruity
Points +19
Beautiful Gem in the midst of a wild city - Edit
My favourite place to eat in Medan for sure! They have got many different kinds of dishes on their menu, and it all tastes amazing. I am very glad that I was able to find this place and it is perfect for going somewhere alone, to chill and read a book. But also if you want to meet some friends and share a couple of items off the menu. The staff are so friendly and the owner is a big G! Long Live Socrates.
Read morePros: Excellent food, Beautiful vibe, Friendly Staff
Cons: That there aren't 2 Socrates around
Guest
Albez415
Points +47
Worth a visit - Edit
Amazing space, friendly staff, good Indonesian/Chinese/Thai food, reasonable price.
Read moreGuest
Roevin46
Points +235
Nice change - Edit
The food was good and a welcome change from what I have been eating. The restaurant is nice, clean and cozy but on this visit it was quite warm - a little too much for me. The staff were friendly enough but spoke very little to no english. had 2 main dishes (falafel and tempeh with mushroom I think), 2 desserts (banana fritter) and the total was IDR 139000 including the 10% tax. I'm not an overly big eater but I was still a little hungry afterwards.
Read morePros: Nice decour, Good food, Free wifi
Cons: Not the cheapest, Not much english spoken, Not the largest portions
Guest
AnaBick
Points +347
Good splurge - Edit
Atmosphere: homely and slightly darkened. Very friendly staff – one person spoke exceptionally excellent English. Those who don’t are very friendly and have a good sense of humour. The menu is illustrated so you can order by pointing. There is a bookshelf with some socially-conscious English language books for sale. Beautiful paintings and other artworks and a statue of the Buddha.
Read moreFood we ate: Satay skewers: seared mock chicken with a complex flavour served with an ample serving of peanut satay sauce which tasted fresh and homemade with herby spicy deliciousness. Came with garnish of Indonesian pickles. We also ordered fried tempeh squares with lettuce and a garnish of chilis. It looked like it would taste very spicy but was in fact sweet and savoury. Fresh fruit juices genuinely come without sugar if requested. Best to order fruits that are in season. Many items on the menu weren’t available but there was still a very good range of options. The desserts listed (tiramisu and some chia seed thing) were not available so we were offered a chocolate cupcake and a slice of chocolate cake. These tasted much like they would in Australia – perfectly tasty (and also 100% vegan!) but nothing amazing.
Cost: two mains, two desserts, one fresh juice and four glasses of filtered water cost 172,000r – so a bit expensive but good for a splurge.
Portion sizes: a bit smaller than usual.
Pros: Great food , Nice staff , Romantic atmosphere
Cons: Price , Some items on menu not available
Guest
Heiko
Points +35
Tolles Restaurant - Edit
Das Restaurant hat verschiedene Bereiche auf zwei Ebenen, teils auch mit niedrigen Tischen und Sitzkissen.
Read moreDie Gerichte die ich bis jetzt hatte waren sehr lecker.
Preislich im gehobenen Bereich, jedoch ist die Auswahl an reinen veganen Restaurants in Medan noch nicht groß.
Pros: Essen gut, Schöne Räumlichkeiten, Personal spricht teils Englisch
Cons: Nicht zentral gelegen
Guest
CassieN
Points +146
Simply Wonderful! - Edit
I fell in love with this place the minute I arrived: The smell of food was incredible, books on philosophy, health, spiritualism and a great deal more subjects lining the walls, warm and friendly greetings from the staff and a lovely atmosphere. The food was sensational, the menu is extensive (pictures of dishes included). We were a party of 3 - one vegan, one vegetarian and one meat eater - we all couldnt get enough! Our meat eating friend was stunned out how good the food was and kept ordering more. Ive been back here 2 times since and on every occasion the food was delicious. Couldnt recommend it enough! PS they have amazing vegan ice cream in the freezer for eat in or take out!
Read morePros: Delicious Food, Amazing Library of Books, Friendly Staff
Guest
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