I love this place. Inventive, healthy delicious food. Great prices. Good coffee. Lots of nice places to sit and work, talk, read, hang. Staff is very friendly and helpful. So many great vegan options. Such good prices! Love it. read more

Wonderful vegan options available. Unique menu items with flare. Reasonable pricing. I love seeing them at local events as well

this place is amazing! not only is the food delicious, but after making my sandwich the cook came out of the back and performed a small dance for the restaurant. five stars! read more

It's a nice change of pace and they offer some quirky menu items- I do like their VLT, however, I ordered iced black tea made with kalesia Marsala chai, unsweet with no milk. They brought me a cup of their premade chai that they mix with milk... I could tell there was milk in there by the look and with a sip (milk makes me very sick), and I asked them to please make a new one no milk. Instead the worker just went and got more of the premade saying there was no milk in it. She insisted there was no milk but I knew there was so I threw it away so I wouldn't get sick. Then, I go into Uber Eats and it says point black they mix milk with Kalesia Marsala chai and they premake it. I know the employees don't care about me getting sick from dairy, but I won't be back because I'm not going to be bold faced lied to multiple times. Also for a place that offers so many vegan items it makes me question if any of the employees even ensure there isn't dairy in certain items. read more

1.The food is ok here. 2.The management is RUDE and frantic. I can't enjoy food if I'm served my food with an attitude. Never again! read more

I was visiting with a friend for a music festival and was so glad that he brought me here. I went twice over the week and spent a lot of time there, no one ever said anything about me taking up a table all to myself all day long which was nice because they are not huge. They even let me start a tab which was smart because I bought more things that way. First visit I had an Endless cup of coffee and the best, the best muffin ever. I was told the strawberries are in season in Florida and it is the perfect time to eat them. Later when I got a cup of fruit with my quiche the fruit was perfect all round with same strawberries and tart apples and blackberries and pineapple. I started this review originally because I had read two reviews about problems with their quiche but mine was absolutely perfect- obviously they didn't make their own crust but the fillings were generous and it was well seasoned and not dry. The second time I was served a huge "cup" of Beef Chili and a piece of Cuban Bread. The chili was fantastic with a lot of meat and the bread was really good. They say they get it from a local bakery. I also had a piece of Banana Bread that they make there. It was wonderful- I asked them to heat it up and bring some butter and they did it with speed and no fuss. Refreshingly unpretentious, no-nonsense and knowledgeable employees. Not fake people and they obviously want to focus more on getting their customers served than chit chatting about b.s. which I appreciate as a native New Yorker although the banter I heard from the staff behind the counter was entertainment alone. They seem really clued into their community and look like they are working mightily hard to bring the most fresh products I saw during my stay in Tampa to your table. A neighbor dropped off fresh papaya from her garden and the next day on Facebook I saw they had turned it into a salad special. I do not understand how they make any money with their prices, seeing as they use all sustainable paper products and the quality is so high. not to mention the rather ridiculously large proportions. Maybe they should rethink some of those things. They even give discounts if your bring your own take away boxes. A guy brought in his own tupperware to take home lunch for him and his wife while I was there. Pleasantly slowish with a real sitting at your mom's table vibe in the morning, but as I sat there a gigantic swarm of customers for a straight hour and the phone was ringing off the hook at lunchtime but the staff still knew regulars orders without skipping a beat. I guess that is to be expected in a downtown restaurant though. I did notice for as long as the line was, the food came out almost immediately after customers had paid. read more

One of my favorite places to hang out in when i want to escape from the reality of life. the food is fantastic and i cannot get enough of the atmosphere. read more

Decent food and coffee but terrible service. Took 50 minutes to make my sandwich and they were not busy when I arrived. When I asked they said there was a mix up, yet made no effort to make the sandwich any faster. And I was not the only customer whose order was messed up. Try for afternoon coffee but not reliable for lunch break from office. read more

This place has decent food, but the service is terrible. I only go there because of convenience to my work and because it's a cheap, healthier option than anything else in the area. It seems like every time I go in there, the servers are hiding in the kitchen and I end up standing and waiting for my order to be taken for longer than I should be. By the time I get to place an order I feel like I should be apologizing to the cashier for being hungry. I've sat at my table and watched my food sit for at least 5 minutes before someone comes out of their kitchen hole to give it to me so I can leave. Once, I went in with a friend and was waiting for my food, and we ended up sitting there for 20minutes waiting while my sandwich sat there. At first I thought it was someone else's, then I realized it was mine, waited, and then asked them what was going on. Apparently, their latte machine was down and they were waiting for it to come back online before they would give me my sandwich. However, I didn't order a latte (the friend I was with, who paid separately from me did), AND nobody bothered to communicate the problem to us at all. Im pretty sure the staff is just stoned out of their minds all day. 2 stars for the food being fairly good. read more

If you want a chain restaurant experience, don't go to Cafe Hey.. If you want a Starbucks experience.. don't go to Cafe Hey.. If you want to dine on home made baked goods and the best, most creative soups I've ever had then go to Cafe Hey. If you want downtown Tampa to become a place of amazing creativity and brilliant small businesses then go to Cafe Hey.. Have we gotten so used to chain standards and chain service and chain food that we cannot appreciate a small creative business? If real people creep you out and real homemade food isn't appealing then go grab a bite and a cup of coffee at Starbucks or Panera and support big corporate businesses. Keep doing it until we have a giant mall with a Bennigans and Cheesecake Factory right in the middle of downtown Tampa this way you can go anywhere in the country and not feel like you left home because it's all the same. read more

Menu's on the smaller side but everything they do at Cafe Hey, they do right. They also have ever changing specials. You've gotta love how vegan friendly this place is. Their sandwiches pressed hot on Cuban bread are wonderful and the fact that they serve Buddy Brew coffee makes it even better. I also love how Cafe Hey serves as a showcase space for local artists. My favorite sandwich is the ABBA but I'm sure that may be subject to change over time. read more

It's a cute little café. It's a local coffee/sandwich shop, and to be honest I wasn't that impressed. Part of it may be that I did have high expectations going to this place. I heard a lot of friends talk about it and it came with a lot of recommendations. I ordered a sandwich and a café con leche. To be honest for the price I was not thrilled about the coffee. I'm from Miami, so admittedly I am probably a little spoiled with the quality of coffee at a fraction of the cost. But, I thought that the coffee was really weak and it was primarily just milk. Granted, I probably could have asked for more shots of espresso.... but then I would have pay extra for that, when I feel like it should have been stronger to begin with. The sandwich was lackluster. The bread was good, but overall it was just a sandwich, and one that was somewhat dry. I wouldn't say that I wouldn't ever come back, I might if I was hungry and was in the area, but I wouldn't make that a first stop or option for me. read more

I used to work downtown so this place was very convenient for a quick lunch. It's right next to Oceanic so there's plenty of parking in that same lot. I really like the VLT sandwich (add avocado for $1 more. Totally worth it!) and their organic green tea. I have mine dry pressed to perfection! The sandwiches are big and filling. They also say they carry vegan desserts but anytime I have been in they were out. I'm giving it 3 stars because of the service. Almost every time I've been in there the employees are arguing with each other. During my last visit someone in the back was berating the woman taking my order. It was so uncomfortable. Food takes awhile to prepare (you can call ahead) so just sitting there listening to arguments while you wait is very awkward. Limited seating inside and a few tables outside so if you come at lunch time you might want to get food to go. They also have a vegan brunch every so often but I haven't tried it. read more

I drove by this place a million times before I ever stopped in. Let's be honest its curb appeal is pretty lacking, but don't let the exterior fool you...there is good food inside. I've been there for breakfast and lunch and even though it is tiny inside I've been able to get a seat without too much trouble. I love that they have organic and vegetarian options and have a commitment to using fresh and local foods when they can. It's a funky little arty spot with art on the walls, open mic night etc. I've had the ham and pickle sandwich. I love that it's on the toasted Cuban bread and the salty ham combined with the sweet and vinegary mango chutney and sharp cheddar really wakes up the taste buds. I've also had the VLT, which is vegan bacon, tomato, lettuce and veganaise. Again I love the Cuban bread, but next time I would add some avocado as I just felt like something was lacking. For breakfast I've had the A to Z which is avocado, turkey, provolone, tomato and eggs. I had them put it in a wrap but you can get Cuban bread too. The food I've had is solid, but never knocks my socks off. I often stop in to get some tea as they have an extensive menu. I'm a fan of the naturally sweet rooibos teas, particularly the hawaiian divine and chai. The price is right for what they are doing here. Support Local! read more

Food and service was wonderful except for one thing. Their Vietnamese carrot slaw is literally nothing like a Vietnamese carrot slaw compared to the one you would eat in a banh mi. It's not sweet, plain and dry. I couldn't wrap my head around it. Also I was charged 3 bucks when it wasn't mentioned in their al a carte or by word, I would recommend whatever sand which this is in to take it out! read more

A hidden gem. Great breakfast sandwiches and Cuban coffee. Vegan options and books to browse while you're munching. Good service.

Been here a couple times for their vegan brunch. Sucks they only have it once a month and then they end up running out of menu items, maybe I'll get luckier next month. The vegan dishes I did get to try were really good, the "traitor" Benedict was not as good as it was the previous time I came, less portion amounts, I'm not sure if it was because they were running short on that as well. It sucks because I think its an amazing thing they are doing having this, I hope they continue with it and gets better, I don't know of any other vegan cafes in the area. read more

Great sandwiches and coffe! Funny location, unpleasant music, and the water could use some ice.

Don't judge this book by it's cover. It may look run down, dirty and be located in a sketchy area but the food was good. Had some really good vegan and vegetarian options and a good vegan cookie too. The food was mildly over priced and I would give this place 4 stars if the ambiance was a little better... Solid 3 stars tho read more

My first time there yesterday! Doesn't look like much from the outside but don't let it fool you! Fresh and amazing plus they have an entire iced tea menu, need I say more???!! read more

Amazing food. Amazing staff. Socially conscious. Love it. Healthy food & very modern. The soups are great. The sandwiches were out of this world. Love their modern take of the Cuban Sandwich. I love their Cuban. As far as traditional... I go to West Tampa Sandwich shop. The Cuban sandwich competition in Ybor had some less than stellar choices. read more

Many great vegan food options. VLT is highly reccomended. Buddy Brew roasts for coffee is also a huge plus.

I really wanted to like this place but it kind of sucked in every aspect during my visit. When I arrived, there was already one party waiting for food/drinks and there was only one girl behind the register. She took my order and I sat down and waited. And waited. She took the order of the next guests and I got my food, which was a vegan tuna salad wrap. Very strange squeaky texture and not a lot of flavor. When I finished my food, a dude came through the door who she hugged and thanked for coming in because she was very apparently short staffed. He made the beverages and he actually delivered my drink to the wrong table. Apparently the girl on register just piled the drinks off to the side and waited 20 or so minutes for the dude to come in instead of making them herself, which was just so perplexing. I had a soy latte and it had a weird egg drop soup flavor. That's really the only way I could accurately describe it. The scent from the top was a weird sweaty gym sock smell. I think the whole experience here was just so strange and probably not the norm for this establishment. Needless to say though I won't be rushing back here anytime soon. read more