“Omg! This is sooooooo amazing, juicy, soft yet textural, has balanced nuanced flavors, and tastes so incredible!” These are perhaps not the operative words you might expect to use to describe a plant based meal from a fast casual restaurant. But, Veggie Grill has evoked such descriptions from “foodies” like my partner in crime whose been vegetarian in the past, presently eats animal proteins, and has top chefs in his family, and me, a plant-based foodie that has experienced momentary lapses in reason that have tempted fallouts to the “other side.”

Veggie Grill is not just a typical fast-food restaurant and it doesn’t serve typical “fake meat replacements” on a bun or bed of leaves. It can tempt the vegan health nut to unlock a latent craving for some childhood favorites (see their cheeseburger) with bar food staples like buffalo wings (to die for – Wait! Nobody perishes in this story!) Each plant based menu item has been created with the skilled creative touch and tender loving care of a team of contemporary minded chefs!

In partnership with JUST, a company whose Michelin-starred chefs leverage cutting-edge innovation to create healthier, more sustainable foods, Veggie Grill has launched its first-ever breakfast item, the All-Day Breakfast Burrito. If a breakfast burrito can be gourmet, this is it!!

This new breakfast item features Just Egg, a cholesterol-free, protein-packed, plant-based product that’s healthier and more sustainable than conventional chicken eggs. And, it’s fluffy. It’s flavorful. And get this – it’s made from the 4,400-year-old mung bean. I mean, not specifically. We’re talking of descendants here.

The burrito is packed with so much more, yet nothing overpowers the pallet. Plus it’s juicy without being wet. You’re sure to crave each ingredient, from home fries, Beyond Meat chorizo, black beans, Daiya cheese, fresh salsa and pica de gallo made from scratch. They grill the peppers daily, no less! The salsa simply takes it over the edge. Seriously? How is this a fast food joint?

Consistently packed with a plethora of curated ingredients down to the last bite, the Veggie Grill All Day Breakfast Burrito might actually be the best vegan burrito in Seattle. I’ve tried my fill. And this one, in so many ways, blows the competition away.

And Veggie Grill doesn’t stop there! We sampled many meals that have now become competitive favorites.

Buffalo Wings (as mentioned above) are so fiery and savory! Again the texture is consistent, somehow soft but firm enough that it’s seams like chicken, but better through and through. Chewy and Gristly don’t live here. And then there is the sauce! Perfection. They have a way with their spices for sure.

A new winner is their Spicy Sicilian Sausage Sandwich. Who doesn’t like a spicy Sicilian? (I can only say that because I am one – well, partially!) In any event, this “poorboy” is delicious! The Beyond Meat sausage is incredibly sumptuous and echoes the flavors of Sicily over a short canyon. The herbs are sensationally present. The peppers and onions are cooked to emphasize their juicy natures. Even the bread is nice and airy, so as to play an even supporting role. Every texture and flavor folds into one another to create a cacophony of loveliness in every single bite.

Oh wait! And then there is the carrot cake. I don’t actually prefer carrot cake. Indeed, I usually loath it. But this light spice cake with just the right hint of carrots and walnuts is topped with an creamy whipped frosting. It can’t be denied. I’m whipped. This is nuts!

And, among other drinks, they have Kambucha, sparkling water made of only fresh pure ingredients, wine, and a whole host of freshly made fruity drinks. My favorite uniquely created Veggie Grill drinks are the cucumber mint limeade and their açaí blackberry refresher. Yum!

What can I say! I’m a fan! Check it out yourself. Anyone I’ve talked to, plant based nosher or otherwise, has given it four thumbs up!

A special thanks to Josh Hollinger, UW Village Veggie Grill Manager, and Chef Franco Sierra, for their awesome hospitality and enthusiasm for what they are creating!