Elephant + Vine review written by Cassie Sun.
I have always been a breakfast person. At some point in my life, I probably would’ve said breakfast was my favorite meal of the day. Yet, college has made it hard to eat breakfast consistently. Whether it’s scrambling to get to my morning class in Tech all the way from Willard or simply not craving the same dining hall yogurt + granola + banana combo, I find myself skipping my formerly beloved meal more and more.
While I’m not vegetarian or vegan, I’ve tried eating vegetarian for weeks or a month at a time. There are plenty of vegetarian options in the dining halls for lunch and dinner, but breakfast was one area I found it to be lacking in plant-based substitutes. That’s why when Elephant + Vine invited me and my fellow spoonies Grace and David to try their newly launched breakfast, we were beyond excited.
Drinks
Dirty Chai
We started off with an oat milk chai latte, a soy milk chai and a cold brew. The oat milk had hints of cinnamon making it an especially good pairing, and we all agreed we wouldn’t have guessed they were made with alternative milk. We had the sweetest server who gave us a pro-tip to make a dirty chai by mixing the cold brew and the chai. It really leveled up the drink.
Lavender Haze
This fruit smoothie blew our minds. It came as a beautiful dark purple and was the perfect blend of blueberries, banana and lavender. The blueberry aftertaste was strong and sweet, and we would recommend this to any berry fans.
Banana Berry
This one tasted lighter than the other smoothie, but it was still incredibly creamy from the banana. Paired with strawberries and mango, Banana Berry offered a unique twist on the classic strawberry banana smoothie.
Food
Breakfast Burrito
We started off strong with a classic breakfast burrito made with egg, chorizo, black beans, hash browns, cilantro and salsa. We loved how many flavors this burrito packed in and honestly wouldn’t have known it was vegan. The texture of the plant-based egg and chorizo was spot on to the meat version, and amongst all the breakfast burritos I’ve ever had, this one ranked high.
Spicy Egg, Spinach and Avocado Sandwich
This delicious sandwich had spicy mayo, egg, tomato and avocado on a buttered English muffin. This was Grace’s favorite of everything we tried, and for good reason. The English muffin was a perfect base for the punch of spicy, creamy and salty flavors of the sandwich. None of us have high spice tolerances, but we described the sandwich as having “spice with intention,” which is to say we loved how balanced and purposeful each ingredient in the sandwich felt.
Closing thoughts
Besides the delectable foods we tried, the environment of the restaurant was ambient and warm. With friendly staff, good lighting and thoughtful decor, we all thought it could be transformed into the next Colectivo and become a go-to study spot for students looking for a coffee and some breakfast to start their day.
It can feel challenging to pursue veganism or vegetarianism, especially with a restricted college meal plan. But having accessible, convenient vegan options right here in downtown Evanston is a huge plus for anyone who is or is considering going plant-based. Check out Elephant + Vine at 719 Church St!
Photos courtesy of Cassie Sun and @elephantandvine on Instagram.