Love this vegan food spot! Delicious recipes made fresh! Jamaican establishment with specialties like Jamaican non-meat patties, Jamaican "RunDung" which is butternut squash and chayote squash simmered in coconut milk & spices. WOW! They also have a fabulous breakfast, which I show below. Tofu scramble, vegan bacon and smoothies are always available! Everything about this place is great, the staff is kind and food is top notch. My only wish is for them to move to a larger space one day with seating. There are some counter-top seats and one patio table outside but not enough for all the customers that swarm the venue. We usually get our food to go and eat it at Elizabeth Park in West Hartford nearby, the perfect spring date idea. If you haven't been here yet, you gotta go, but plan where you are going to eat the food first! read more

See all

Today I tried the African yams, chickpea chole and the bbq tofu. All delicious! I love that it's so close to my office. Friendly service too! It's a cramped space but it's comfortable because they play nice reggae music. There is usually a line but that gives you time to decide from their numerous offerings! read more

See all

Very good vegan food with a fair amount of spice. Chickpeas, tofu, rice- all good. I can't wait to try other things on their menu. I didn't care for their ice cream though. Parking on site. read more

Fire & Spice Vegan Restaurant - Vegetarian Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

If you're vegan or not the food is so good here. Want to eat healthy, this is the place! My favorite is the curry chickpeas and seasoned kale!!! Oh and the variety of homemade patties!! Yum. My favorite is Ackee, Kalaloo!! There's a feeling of being on a Jamaican island when you enter. Service is kind and friendly. read more

"And every time I eat vegetables It makes me think of you And every time I eat vegetables I don't know what to do" (The Ramones) I'm not a vegetarian, but every once in a while I like to check out a vegetarian restaurant to see what their chefs can whip up. I have to say, I loved every minute of my lunchtime visit to Fire and Spice. When I walked in, I was greeted by the soothing sounds of reggae music, and that always seems to put me in a great mood. There were three people in line ahead of me, so the short wait gave me enough time to check out the menu. They offer quite a few inexpensive appetizers, like Samosas, Patties, soup, etc. I started with a $4 Jamaican Pattie filled with "Not Chicken". I believe it was soy based, and it was very good, from the thin flaky crust to the flavorful chicken-like filling. As is traditional in Jamaican Take Out restaurants, their entrees come in 3 item, 5 item, and 8 item sizes for $12.95, $15.95, and $18.95. The available items include  Ital Stew (with Coconut milk, sweet potato, pumpkin, chayote, red/pigeon beans, garlic, scallion, thyme, pimento, allspice, sea salt, Tofu Scramble (with Silken tofu, herbed seasonings, and tomatoes), Jerk Tofu, BBQ Tofu, Chole (a chickpea based Indian style dish), Red Lentil Dahl (stewed with cumin and fresh herbs), Tomato Okra, Wilted Greens, Cabbage Vinaigrette, very cool sounding Jamaican Run Dung (Two squashes sauteed in coconut milk), plus half a dozen more rotated specialties. I went with a 3 item plate and chose Ital Stew, BBQ Tofu, and Tomato Okra. They formed a delicious combination that was very filling. The Ital Stew was quite good, a hearty dish with all of that sweet potato, squash, beans and sauce. The Tofu came with a nice zippy barbecue sauce that I really enjoyed. And the Okra came in full sized okra pods sauteed with, tomatoes, olive/sunflower/coconut oil, and herbs. Service was fantastic! The super friendly young lady was so pleasant and conversational and seemed to know everyone on line in front of me, so they obviously have a lot of repeat customers. But I also saw an obvious downtown office worker there on a lunch run for her office, so their customers are very varied. I parked in a small lot on the right side of the building but saw a lot of spots on both sides of Capitol Avenue too. read more

See all

I love this place, I try and visit about once a week. The food is always great and their smoothies are really good. Service is friendly and quick. Not much of a place for sit down although they have 2-3 stools with somewhat of a bar top/counter facing the windows. Give it a try, you'll love it. read more

Fire & Spice Vegan Restaurant - Chickpeas, Sausage, Run Dung - Vegetarian Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

See all

Love BBQ Tofu, Kale and Garbanzo Beans. They often run out and I wish they would have more especially around dinner time.

Initially, this tiny café was a satellite of the restaurant on Sisson Av, which I loved. The mothership closed so this is now the main event. Same as the Sisson site, you'll find delightful Rasta vibes inside where the food is good, the prices are low & the neighborhood is safe & racially balanced. Half Black, half White & half Hispanic. Here, too, the building's shack-like infrastructure is crumbling. (Blame the landlord, not the café owners.) Do blame the owners for overstating this tiniest of cafés as a restaurant. Visitors to downtown may not be find this worth the trip far afield. You do drive past the glitzy architectural monuments to Hartford's glory as capitol to CT, of curiosity to sightseers. I regularly visit the Wadsworth Atheneum, CT's largest art museum, so ate here often until 2 years ago when G-Monkey opened in West Hartford. Yesterday, I revisited Fire N Spice. Not much has changed. A narrow counter & 2 barstools with bicycle seats allow for eating in its small lobby crowded with people in line for takeout. If you eat indoors, unlike at New England's other vegan Rasta cafés, your meal is served on ceramic dishware with silverware, which is a plus. Seasonally, 1 or 2 tables with chairs lurk outdoors streetside, but your order still is takeout. When not conducive to eating outdoors, if you live afar you must eat in your car. If you must, at least there is ample street parking. As at other vegan Rasta cafés, you choose cafeteria-style from an array of maybe 15 dishes. The Small platter comprises 3 selections, the Medium 5, the Large 8. The menu on the signboard is static. Mock meats & tofu are featured. Tempeh is listed on the signboard but is seldom in stock. As a whole-foods vegan, I shun mock meats, favor tempeh, but will settle for tofu. Of the vegetables, 2 are white potatoes, 1 is sweet potato & 1 is cabbage. Skip the okra, an almost inedible bust here. Everything else is fine, except for some dishes too spicy (Fire!) for my tender palate Check online for listings of ingredients. Stated bluntly, the food is uninspired, almost routine Americanized Rasta vegan café fare. Not Americanized insofar as affordability. You will get your money's worth here. You'd think they would want to boast about their prices, yet prices are listed neither on the signboard nor online. Still, it is mostly akin to home cooking. Little tastes outstanding, not much looks appetizing, but at least most dishes are wholesome, nourishing & truly vegan. In Jamaica, Ital food is natural food, vegan except for fish. Years ago, I toured Kingston & inland Jamaica for an article I wrote for Vegetarian Times about Rastafari and veganism, so about the fish mine is the voice of experience. Still, Fire-N-Spice is way better and probably closer than Lion's Den, Hartford's other Rasta almost-vegetarian (beware the fish) café, so do give Fire-N-Spice a try. Its credit card app does not allow tipping, so be sure to bring cash to tip your always very friendly and accommodating servers. read more

Outstanding vegan food!! With plenty of GF options. Just happened upon this awesome little vegan eatery and couldn't be happier for it!! Super friendly! Excellent food, especially love the African Sweet Potatoes and the Spring rolls! But every thing we had was delicious!! Don't pass it up!! read more

Tiny spot in Hartford with delicious vegan food. The place is set up cafeteria style, where they have small vats of their different dishes, and you can select 3, 5, or 8 to go into your individualized small box. I got the 3 dishes, and I found out the hard way that you can only have 1 meat substitute dish in the 3 dish option. My dishes were fantastic however. In addition to their 3,5, and 8 dish options they also have a wide variety of smoothies, a couple jamacan-esk patties, and vegan ice cream. They do not have cones for their ice cream and they only have 4 flavors, but as far as vegan ice cream goes I thought it was pretty tasty (7/10). Apparently they get it from a Koser place in Brooklyn The downsides to this place are the seating and the service. As far as the seating goes, they have just on small tables outside. In terms of the service, the 3ish people who work here move extremely slowly and have been rude to me every time that I have come read more

This was the first time trying Fire and Spice. We tried the Jamaican Patties and samosas, both were excellent. My wife and I shared the large combination, which gave us the opportunity to try many of the food choices. The food is favorable and fresh. I particularly liked the Jerk Tofu and the potato dishes. I loved supporting a small local business. They seem to be doing well, which is great. We look forward to picking up food here again. read more

Fire & Spice Vegan Restaurant - Large Combination - Vegetarian Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

See all

A yummy vegan restaurant located here in Hartford! The staff here are wonderful every time I stop by. Their food is delicious and reasonably priced and the restaurant always looks clean and well kept. They're located in a busy area but I'm always able to find parking. read more

Food was very flavorful. I tried many items, and everything was really good. Hibiscus ginger drink had the punch from real ingredients. Gouda burrito patti was also flavorful. For entree I went with bbq tofu, jerk tofu, jamaican run dung, pomegranate tempeh and curried seitan. All were well prepared. Masala dosa was small but good. read more

See all

What a special gem of a restaurant. We were driving through town after a wedding and looked up healthy spots. This place came up with near perfect reviews and we quickly discovered why. Our kids enjoyed pattys and a delicious dense vegan cupcake with the most beautiful unique and delicate flavors. We both got a box with 5 different Jamaican sides. Holy smoke was it amazing. Delicious fresh and healthy. But honestly we walked away appreciating how friendly and welcoming the service was most of all. It inspired me to write a review. Good food made even better by warm service. Thank you for saving us from another souless chain restaurant meal and offering us a little slice of heaven in a new city. read more

Fire & Spice Vegan Restaurant - Cupcake discussion - Vegetarian Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

Excellent patties!!! I love the eggplant and lentil patties. They are really friendly. Oh! I almost forgot about the samosas they are delicious. They have vegan ice cream I will try that next time. Definitely check them out. read more

Eat here if you love flavorful and sometimes spicy vegan food. The BBQ tofu is my go-to pick and I highly recommend getting a plantain patty. The patty is flaky and packed with the right amount of sweetness. It's affordable and filling. This is a top locally-owned restaurant that I would recommend to anybody. read more

Fire & Spice Vegan Restaurant - Fire-N-Spice Napkin holder - Vegetarian Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

See all

Amazing vegan meal. Would easily drive an hour again for this incredible food. Everything was delicious. Especially the jerk plantain patty, jerk tofu and tempeh dish. I always have difficulty eating out and zero issues for my body today! The staff were beyond helpful and super delightful. The place was packed and I see why. Worth every minute in the car for this gem. read more

See all

Ordered the platter of 8 for 2 people to split; cabbage and curry chickpeas are to die for! The scotch bonnet pepper sauce was the cherry on top of the food. Wish I could come eat here daily read more

Fire & Spice Vegan Restaurant - Vegetarian Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

Support local businesses that provide us healthy and nourishing food please. I've been once and grabbed a juice and some prepared hot vegetarian food for lunch. Everything was great and inventive. I'll definitely be back. read more

We definitely found a gem in this restaurant! The staff is super friendly and down to earth, there were beautiful reggae tunes playing with bright sunlight coming in through the windows, and the food was deliciously flavorful, filling, clean, and nutritious. We shared a 5-item entree, a dosa, and a lentil patty with the cucumber ginger + hibiscus ginger juices between the 2 of us and left feeling energized and full. All for a reasonable price given the food quality. Absolutely recommend and will come back to this spot! read more

See all

I found one of my new favorite places in Hartford and it's embarrassing how long it's taken me to try it. The lunch deal is amazing, you get so much delicious food. They offer combo options, 3 items for $10 or 5 for 14 or 8 for $17. I went with the medium option because I could not make up my mind on only three. Everything is vegan, and full of so many amazing flavors. I got curry potatoes with chickpeas, red lentils, and whatever else the owner recommended. She was so sweet & helpful in describing what everything was. They were all out of the new pumpkin patties, but I heard all of their jamaican patties are delicious. read more

Fire & Spice Vegan Restaurant - Vegetarian Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

I stopped by here a couple of Wednesday nights ago for dinner by myself. Fire & Spice is located on Capitol Ave and isn't too much to look at. I arrived at around 7 and was the only customer there although with the size of it, I would guess most people do takeout. There is a cooler full of drinks as well as a counter to order your food, a whiteboard menu and then two food bars with three seats each. Finding what options I had for ordering was a little more difficult than I would have liked but I eventually noticed a small sign saying that I could choose 3, 5 or 8 items. As a big eater I went with the 8 items (11.95) large size and proceeded to try and order the jerk Tofu. Sadly there were out of it and so I went with BBQ Tofu instead and also ordered African potatoes, red lentil Dahl, Jamaican run dung, yellow pumpkin rice, curry seitan, cabbage vinaigrette and vegan Mac and cheese. Sadly they were also out of Mac and cheese and so I decided to double up on the BBQ Tofu. If you combined the 2 items that I tried to order that they were out of with the tempeh which the menu noted they were out of, that's a lot. It's especially bad whenever I chose this place especially because I wanted to try their jerk Tofu as so many other yelpers had raved about it. In any case, i took my seat and proceeded to eat my meal. My favorite dishes were the BBQ Tofu and red lentil Dahl. I liked the Tofu due to how it was cooked to a nice and firm texture and also because the BBQ sauce was flavorful. Meanwhile I enjoyed the red Dahl almost entirely due to its spice. The dish which was the biggest surprise for me was the african potatoes. I don't think I have ever had sweet potatoes simmered in pineapple juice before but after trying it I might make it myself. As for the rest of the items, none of them were bad but nothing stood out either. The bottom line for me is that I would head back here again in the future. While I am sad that I didn't get to try the jerk Tofu, I may have found a new place to walk over to for lunch. read more

Fire & Spice Vegan Restaurant - 8 item plate - Vegetarian Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

Omg I've been wanting to come here! The place is tiny but the flavors are huge! The person who served us was very patient with our questions and gave us sample sorrel and cucumber ginger drinks. Soooo yummy' I got the pumpkin rice, bbq tofu, lentil, sweet potato and mushroom with seitan I believe. Hubby got the jerk tofu and garbanzos and didn't even share!!!!! I have to go back and get it to taste lol. I also got the ackee patty and it was yummy! 2 mediums, a patty and a small drink was $39. The music was great on top of it all. I added some videos too. Will soon come back!!!!! read more

So when I first approached there restaurant i realized the ambiance it was really small and quaint. I was excited because there isnt alot of vegan carribean places in Hartford. And from what I have been told by others there food is on point! Be being a picky eater on top of wanting to eat vegan i was sure I was going to be satisfied. Unfortunately that was not the case!!! The quinoa could of been seasoned better, the sweet potatoes where alright, the wilted green could of been "wilted" more, the Jamaican rundown was watery and the most disappointing was the barbecue tofu. I would of been better of buying bbq sauce from the supermarket because i have no clue what that bbq sauce was!! I had also gotten a second medium for my boyfriend "the person that told me about this establishment" and he said there quality has went down ALOT!! That his jerk tofu was overcooked and dry. He ended up throwing away his food!! The service was kind of slow. The lady taking my order was just taking her time, trying not to rush but I feel it wasnt that busy to be moving that slow. So to cap it all off next time I come here ill just order the calaloo patties and/or the lentil patties because everything else for me was below par. read more

Fire & Spice Vegan Restaurant - Meduim Hot Plate - Vegetarian Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

Great place! Good food and good service!!! I brought my mom back the same day to get food for her!

I've found my new happy place. My whole mood changes when I walk into this place. Food is absolutely top notch and the service just as amazing. The Chole blew me away, but I could say the same about every dish. I was kindly given a sample of a banana porridge, too good for words. I wish I lived closer, but this will be my Saturday night meal at work moving forward. read more

Fire & Spice is one of my favorite go-to spots in the Greater Hartford area. I was sad when their Sisson Ave. location closed, but the Capitol Ave. location is great! I highly recommend the five item combo dish, which will get you a good variety. The cabbage vinaigrette, okra, and kale are always so flavorful, and I love the barbecue tofu. The jerk tofu is also delicious but pretty spicy. Don't forget to grab a patty - no flavor will disappoint. And, you can top off your dinner with dessert, either from the small bakery case or the ice cream freezer (I recommend the pistachio). This location also has breakfast. I tried the corncakes (complete with vegan butter and maple syrup), which were unbelievably tasty, along with tofu scramble, kale, quinoa, and "sausage". A hearty but fairly healthy breakfast! There is a little bit of indoor counter seating and outdoor seasonal seating, but I wouldn't plan on dining in with a big group. It's vegan. It's delicious. The staff are awesome. Don't miss this place. read more

Fire & Spice Vegan Restaurant - Breakfast: Tofu scramble, kale, quinoa, and "sausage". All delicious! - Vegetarian Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

See all

Today I got lunch from here delivered with Uber eats. It was AMAZING. Wholesome vegan dishes with amazing flavor and spices. They make dishes from many different parts of the world. I got a patty, but haven't eaten it yet. I will post a picture later. I meant to take a picture of my meal that could've fed two, but I ate it before I got the chance. I recommend trying this is you're around Hartford. The food always gives me clean energy and makes my stomach feel good. Some of my favorites are their African curry pot, jerk tofu, and a dish that has garbanzo beans in a garam masala sauce (I think). I haven't tried anything I didn't like. They make drinks too. read more

Went in here a few times during COVID. Each time I went in, the workers and chef weren't wearing masks at all (chef) or wearing them properly (workers)- wearing it as a chinstrap doesn't really protect from COVID. Another guy peeling something near the sink wasn't wearing a mask, either. It was super disappointing, and, pretty disgusting. Love love love this food, but saw this three separate times. During one time, the chef was animatedly speaking right over a tray of food with a customer (who also wasn't wearing a mask correctly in that tiny shop). Yuck. I was really grossed out. read more

Love this place, love the food. Love the people. Miss when they where on sisson and right down the street from my house but i dont mind making the trip for amazing vegan food. read more

This place is very intimate. The staff is kind and attentive and the food is flavorful and delicious. My first couple of visits I only had Pattie's because that's what I was craving at the time. So far I've had the plantain, pumpkin, and lentil all are delicious. On this visit I added a plate of food to my order and it did not disappoint. The reason I'm not giving 5 stars is because service is always extremely slow and the personally do not like the containers the food is packaged in. I had collard greens and macaroni in my combo and because of the container the juice from the greens drowned my macaroni making it soupy and I don't like that. read more

I'll never stop reviewing this place. Been coming here for 10 years now and not once has the quality ever gone down. That in and of itself is amazing. The price is fair and the food is delicious. Made fresh everyday and has a tremendous amount of flavor. Best restaurant in CT imo. read more

Fire and spice is Amazing every time , always such great customer service . Jerk Tofu is mind blowing.

Incredible gluten free friendly vegan food! Quick service and lots of options. Don't miss the run dun or the dosa!

This was my first time here. The place has character and a comfortable atmosphere! The woman behind the counter and even the repeat customers in the store were very nice and helpful! My friend and I split a "large" which allowed us to choose 8 different items from the menu. We also got some hand patties to try. Wow! It was amazing! My favorites were the jerk plantain hand patty and the Jamaican Run Dung and the Pomegranate Tempeh. It was really hard to stop eating even after I was full. I'm not from the area but I would certainly seek them out again! read more

Fire & Spice Vegan Restaurant - Vegetarian Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

Omg!!!! The vegan chicken patty is to die for! When I first tried its three weeks ago I went back and got 6 frozen ones to eat throughout my week. Chris is the cook he is super nice and makes an effort to get to know his customers. For lunch option I HIGHLY recommend jerk tofu, lentils, chickpea curry, and blanched kale! Perfect flavor. The menu changes daily so allow the server to run through what they are servicing that day. They have two small tables outside for outdoor seating and a little high chair bar on the inside to eat. I recommend you take food to go. Parking is in the front and some parking in the back of the restaurant too. Downside: it is owned and run by a family so service is slow at times. Just be prepared to wait a little longer occasionally. Best vegan Jamaican food I have had! read more

Our experience started out kind of rocky with ordering lunch through their website. When we got there we were informed they weren't serving lunch yet. After talking to them it seemed this was more of a menufy issues and not the owners. They quickly refunded our order & we ordered from the breakfast options instead. Breakfast was good but I look forward to trying their lunch menu! read more

This place was amazingly delicious! Found it on a whim as we were in Hartford. Little place with seating for about 6. The young lady who greeted and helped was incredibly friendly and helpful and so happy and upbeat! Such a joy. Ok, now for the food. Delicious. Incredible. Flavorful. Delightful. Satisfying. How many more adjectives can I think of?? Honestly, every item we had was so good. Don't pass this one by .... we had 2 plates with 5 items each plus 2 patties and 1 samosa, which costs $41. I have some leftover too and am already looking forward to having it later. It might not last the car ride back home. :) read more

Fire & Spice Vegan Restaurant - Ackee, quinoa, seitan sausage, peanut tofu, lentil patties, potato samosa - Vegetarian Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

I don't live very close to Hartford so I don't go out to eat there very often, but I had been here about two or three years previous. I don't know how I remembered the food before other than enjoying it, but the food was so delicious! The callaloo patties are so dang tasty! You have to have one!! I think my favorite, besides the patty was the winter squash stew and the red potato or new potato dish! They have two locations... What are you waiting for.... Go!! read more

Fire & Spice Vegan Restaurant - Rice and peas, mac and cheese, coconut and squash stew, daal, jerk tofu, potato dish.. - Vegetarian Near Me - Hartford, Connecticut

I was driving from New York to Boston and searched for a vegan/vegetarian restaurant. This one was close to I84 and so I decided to jump off and grab a meal. My plan was to heat it up in the microwave later when I arrived. Another reviewer called this a hole in the wall. Yes, it's a simple place. There are some stools you can sit at and eat your meal there. But there's nothing fancy about it. I got five choices for my approximately $15 meal. I had the brown rice with beans, the chickpea curry, the green beans, the broccoli, and the setan, green pepper and onions dish. I reheated in the microwave about three hours later. It was very good and I would go there again. Everything had good flavor. One of the dishes was rather spicy. So I suggest you ask about how hot the dishes if that's of concern. read more