Grown
West End
Grown is a vegan café/restaurant in the heart of West End, serving plant-based dishes (along with some meat dishes) that even the most committed carnivore would cross town for.
Found on the ground floor of a residential building on Buchanan Street, a short stroll from Davies Park, Grown provides indoor and outdoor dining. An open kitchen overlooks the café which has an organic feel - forest green tiles and counters constructed with strand board.
The all-day menu offers breakfast-style fare like house made hashbrowns with roasted tomatoes, avocado and wilted spinach, scrambled tofu with sautéed Asian mushrooms and sesame cheese on multi-grain sourdough, and brioche French toast with seasonal berries, pepper ice-cream and caramel sauce.
Otherwise, there's grilled cos with watercress hummus, black garlic and crispy buckwheat, roasted eggplant with burghul wheat tabouli, black olive tapenade and herb salad, and creamy polenta with French lentils, fried shallots and fresh herbs.
Coffee on pour is roasted locally by Dramanti Artisan Roasters. This house blend is served alongside rotating single origins from the likes of Parallel Roasters, Cleanskin Coffee and Sunday's Coffee. Besides coffee, customers can order organic teas, coco shakes, smoothies and fresh juices.
Need to know - Everything on the menu is plant-based including drinks which are made with your choice of bonsoy, almond or coconut milk.
The menu may have changed since our visit.
By Deb Lidster