This is a great place whether you want lunch, a snack or just a cup of tea. I have been here with my son who has tea while working on his dissertation, and with my daughter who has lunch while working on our plans! We have never been disappointed. First, the staff is willing to give us suggestions and wait lengthy periods of time while I make up my mind. Second, the tea is delicious, enough to make me love any cafe. Third, the sandwiches are great - we are always pleased with our food. Finally and best of all, there are terrific and affordable dairy free desserts. The location is excellent for us and we can walk or ride bikes there. We find parking for the bikes right outside the front door near the cafe table. We can walk from GH to South Street for some additional shopping and entertains, so location is a plus. read more

Everything is always fresh and quickly prepared. I usually get the greenwich on sourdough. The coconut black iced tea is my favorite iced tea. The pastries are also incredible. Definitely my favorite cafe in philly! read more

Grindcore is where I go when I want to feel I belong. I'm straightedge and vegan. They have an awesome vegan menu with an impressive array of desserts (from vegan treats, a Lehigh valley based company) and the staff is top notch-nice and knowledgable. ...and, you know, the music is always on point. They took a leap years ago in opening a shop that stayed 100% true to its ethos, and it has worked out well, garnering the respect and loyalty of those who share in a pure vegan lifestyle. Thank goodness someone goes all the way here. If you want dairy for your coffee, you can go suck it. This is VG country. read more

Stopped here for a sweet treat and some coffee. It's a cute corner spot. It was hot as hell in there while ordering. But after we got our goods, we went to the back room and it was nice and cool. The iced chai latte was so good. The chocolate covered cannoli was better than some cannolis I've had in the past. So happy I got that. The peanut butter brownie was also good. Bf got the macchiato and said it was good too. Glad we stopped here. read more

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A+ and here's why; bring your doggies, get healthier food, pay good prices, drink bottomless coffee, get a good gri-fi connection. Questionable ethics. The metal and hardcore music is harsh at first, but the point of this place is a coffee shop with hard background music, eventually you will catch some really nice jams; drum-soloy, experimentally, focus enducing music. Helps get work completed. Not too draggy. That's the V. I. P. man. It's what standouts. I'm usually annoyed by coffee shop music, so getting used to this was easy. I liked this a lot in the end, the best things take a bit to absorb. But the metal music will definitely scare you at first if you aren't used to it. The Vegan dillema. Grind carries rice, almond, coconut, and soy milk to plop in your coffee cup. I'm a big fan of the rice, haven't had it in ages. No hemp milk though. I'll forgive. The food is healthy, and just ok so far, this is Grindcore's only weekness. It's a universal Vegan burden. I had the Seiten sandwich and it was filling and tasty but a bit dry, the organic chip brand they carry, Beanfields, are the best organic chips I've chipped up. Coffee wise it might be lacking as well. But I'll have to get back to you on that, 10 more bottomless cups to go. It took me awhile to absorb all the good sense. But it's here. This place lives up to all my expectations. La Colombe (Frankford) and Grindhouse are tied in my books as far as best coffee shops around Philly, but they are two entirely different places. I removed a star because this place IS missing something, honestly it's probably a large amount of small things. The service could be friendlier, the seating could be comfier, the food could be slightly more non-vegan friendly as it's tough to invite people here and have them enjoy the food. read more

Freaking awesome place. We come from nj to get great coffee and awesome desserts here. Not to mention the metal! Freaking love it

My friend and I wanted to catch up after a few years and had tons to talk about. We walked in Chapterhouse off of south street to complete and toal silence. Tons of people sitting silently at their computers. It felt very strange so we opted to go to Grincore House. For some reason, Grindcore House didn't dazzle me the way I wanted it to. The lighting in the back room where there are tables set up to sit and chat or eat was really off. It was dim, but not cozy dim. Dim like unflattering type of light. It reminded me of some weird homemade movie from the 80s. I did appreciate the vegan selections of tofutti cream cheese and sandwiches for prices you would pay anywhere else for mainstream, unhealthy alternatives. I had the mocha coffee. It was very, very dark and no amount of stevia or almond milk, or coconut creamer could save it. Although plus points for having almond milk, coconut creamer, soy creamer, soy milk and coconut milk. Like someone else mentioned, I can never enjoy a cup of coffee out because usually the only nondairy choice is soy. read more

I finally had a chance to go here and give this place a try. After my 1st experience here, I will probably come back again. The staff are incredibly friendly and make you feel welcomed as soon as you walk in. The white chocolate mint latte was awesome and I enjoyed the chocolate chip scones. I am not even vegan and I enjoyed the snacks they had. Maybe next time I will try one of their sandwiches. Also had to add this, but I enjoy that their name reflects the music they play. Nothing better than relaxing while drinking a cup of coffee with grindcore playing in the background. read more

Let me preface by saying I am by no means a "Vegan or Vegetarian" But I do enjoy the sticky cinnamon buns ( when they have them). The Oatmeal raisin cooks are insanely good, Not sure how they go about cooking them all "vegan" but whatever, its good. Im not too huge on coffee so I dont really drink it much, plus I like milk in mine read more

Walking into this corner cafe I heard the lulling music of True Widow. Very pleased with the atmosphere and theme of this restaurant. The art on the wall fit perfectly and is for sale. They offered loads of food and beverage options ranging from donuts, bagels with "cream cheese" to lunch sandwiches, coffees, teas and espresso. Before I ordered my first assumption was vegan options but, was pleasantly surprised it was ALL VEGAN!! I ordered a sesame bagel with organic PB and a vanilla americano- My bagel was super chewy and crunchy and there were gobs of PB delicious and generous. My americano was piping hot and served in a large mug, I was able to choose from soy cream or coconut cream to your typical nut milks. Overall this was one of my favorite stops during my two day trip to Philly and I will absolutely return! I was informed they will be opening a second location soon too. read more

Grindcore House opened up down the street from my house not too long ago. It's a neat little coffeeshop that serves and exclusively vegan menu. I'm a confirmed carnivore, but to each his own. Grindcore is convenient to the Route 29 bus so I've stopped in on my way into work a few times this summer. The staff is always friendly, prompt and helpful. I've only had to wait to be served once, and only because I was behind several other customers. They offer a completely vegan menu. I haven't had any of the food, but the menu has a good selection of vegan versions of standard coffeeshop fare. There are also some gluten-free baked goods. I mostly get an iced coffee when I go in (b/c it's summer and its hot out!). The coffee is fantastic and strong, just the way I like it. I take my coffee black, so the lack of milk isn't a problem for me. The whole vegan/green business part of the operation seems well thought out. They use special takeout cups that are compostable, for instance. They also offer a wide selection of non-dairy milks for your beverage (soy, almond, etc). That's an especially nice touch. The place seems busy for the neighborhood, so I hope it sticks around for a while and I get to enjoy it some more! read more

The chai tea latte is awesome. Sandwiches and bagels here are good, but nothing you couldn't make at home. Grindcore House serves good, simple meals. The restaurant is a comfortable place to dine, read a book, or do some homework. The staff is friendly. Grab a Vegan Treats dessert on your way out! read more

Why has it taken me so long to review Grindcore House? As someone who frequents coffee shops often to work, read and relax Grindcore is my favorite one in all of Philadelphia. Not just because it is purely Vegan but because the staff is friendly, the atmosphere is homey, and the food and drinks are great. Its the kind of coffee shop where you can say "What's a Red Eye?" and they will answer you without being judgmental or condescending. I hate coffee shop snobbery and this place just doesn't have it. It is warm and friendly with yummy sandwiches and some of the best coffee in the city. read more

My roommate and I ventured out to the lovely grindcore house for the first time last sunday. It was even better than I expected! the girl behind the counter was super sweet and answered all of my many questions. they have so many amazing looking vegan sweet treats, but I was in a savory mood so I got a bagel with cream cheese, tomato and avacado. Simple, delicious and cheap! I can't wait to go back again and try the sweet stuff! read more

So, I have to address what is probably the most hated thing about Grindcore: the music. Yes, it's loud. Yes, it's abrasive. Yes, it's an absolute distraction and I can't stand it for more than 15 minutes if I don't have my own earphones in. But let's be real here....the place is NAMED Grindcore. They're telling us before we walk through the door what kind of music to expect. I took off a star because I personally find the music annoying, but hey--they warned us! :) Side note about music: If you come in before about 10am, the music is intentionally a lot calmer. I used to work from my laptop in Grindcore 3-4 days a week for 8 hours a day, and I've heard the Jackson 5 play on more than one occasion! Now on to the wonderful things! The staff here is seriously the friendliest, happiest staff I've ever seen. I always feel comfortable ordering and talking to everyone, and there's always a funny drawing on the tip jar (Bart Simpson and Han Solo have made appearances on the tip jar recently, haha). Super friendly! I actually hate coffee, but I can attest to be tea and tea lattes being fabulous! Especially the earl grey, my absolute favorite. And OMG, if you can make it during the fall when they have special seasonal flavors, get the pumpkin pie tea latte. It takes like liquid pie and is HEAVENLY. My husband is a big coffee drinker, and Grindcore coffee is his favorite! He buys the bags of ReAnimator coffee that they sell, and they're nice enough to grind it for him. He also keeps a can of Folger's at home, but he refers to Grindcore's as "the good stuff," haha. The food is also great! Fresh sandwiches that are always delicious (try the Kropotkin!), the salad is super yummy, and you can get a variety of toasted bagels with vegan cream cheese (Tofutti). They also have Vegan Treats desserts (delivered every Thursday), ABC cookies, and fresh bananas. They have tons of seating, including a few outdoor tables that usually have adorable dogs sitting at them, a couch in their back room, and a counter and high table in the front. The back room where most of the seating is hosts a bookshelf known as The Radical Library, and there's artwork from local artists all over the walls. The artwork does tend to get a little creepy sometimes--bloody skulls, demonic-looking things, strange animals killing things--and that's the only other thing besides the music that would make me take away a star. All in all, friggin' FANTASTIC place, and you really need to go! Just bring headphones if grindcore isn't your thing. :) read more

Whenever I mention to my vegan punk friends that I'm visiting Philly, nine out of ten of them will insist I check out Grindcore House. Finally, this past week, I scoped it out. The pros: Dog friendly Kind staff members Veg options (duh) Kombucha in the drink fridge The cons: Cost; the cafe I worked for in Boston made a similar sandwich to the Greenwich and we charge less-- in BOSTON-- where everything costs more Vegetable quality; my avocado was rather black-spotty Grits in my drip coffee (and a bottomless cup being $3 with no take away option? That's a bit silly) If I have vegan punk friends who are asking me where to go in Philly in the future, I'll be pointing them towards B2 or the Vegan Commissary. Skip over this over-hyped place. read more

While in the neighborhood, I searched yelp for a good local coffee shop in the area. This place was near the top of the list, so I decided to check it out. My whole party tried something from this shop. My mom tried their iced chai tea latte (she LOVED it), my boyfriend tried a regular coffee with soy creamer (loved it), my dad tried a bottle of the organic lemonade they were selling in their refrigerated section (he loved it), and I tried an iced mocha latte with almond milk. My drink was perfect- not too sweet with just the right ratio of chocolate flavor and coffee. I really enjoyed it. I loved the overall atmosphere of this coffee shop as well, although I'm not sure if it's the best place to get work done or study if you are looking for a quiet environment. My favorite part about this place? The incredible selection of milks they had available for coffee. It's a vegan spot, so no dairy milk is available. However, they have every non-dairy option you can think of including: coconut cream, macadamia milk, oat milk, almond milk, soy creamer, soy milk, etc. Overall, a really adorable spot with great coffee! read more

My favorite coffee house! The coffee is wonderfully strong and the staff is lovely. The atmosphere is perfect. I love the book selection and the bulletin board lets me know about events and other random awesomeness. I can (and do!) spend hours and hours here. The sweets and drinks selection are very nice. I do wish they didn't have so much Vegan Treats though. It looks nice but doesn't always taste as good as it looks (kinda dry and super heavy on shortening). The sandwiches and bagels are yummy but I miss the prairie fire (grilled vegan cheese with avocado and tomato) something awful! I really enjoyed all the events they used to hold and hope there will be more soon. read more

Love this spot. Finally I made it over to try!!!! I totally see why this is a vegan staple. A cute little coffee place with all the things vegan!!!!! We tried 2 sammies and one of the dottie's donuts they had. OMFG I can't wait to go back for more. read more

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This neighborhood needed a good coffee shop...and along came Grindcore house. I would recommend the bagels, coffee, music and wifi. Good reading material in the backroom as well. read more

best coffee shop! i'm not vegan but i love EVERYTHING here, and they're always so friendly!! i made this account just to leave a 5 star review because i had such a good experience read more

This place is just awesome. The coffee is really good and REALLY strong. I love getting a bagel with faux margarine spread. They always have Grid or Philadelphia Weekly / City Paper to read and there is some interesting art up usually. They also have free wi-fi that works well. The staff is insanely friendly. They are awesome and always do a great job. I don't really like the literary collection, because I'm not on the far left of the political spectrum, but if that's your thing, you'll like it even more!!! read more

BEST FOR VEGAN CREAM CHEESE a short poem julia says it's best for... bagels and vegan cream cheese i say black coffee read more

Grindcore is a cozy cafe/coffee shop with a good selection of vegan sandwiches, baked goods and loose-leaf teas. I had a cup of oolong tea and a cookie. Both were great. There are couches in a lovely living room-like setting in the back of the cafe; upfront there are some stools, but it seems like most people use the space to just stand around and chat. The cafe doesn't seem to make any of its own baked goods, which is a shame, but at least they offer you a variety of options from different bakers. I also got a whoopie pie from Vegan Treats to go, which was the only thing that didn't live up to my expectations. It was dry and had a metallic flavor to it. Grindcore is located in a weird area of Philadelphia that's either up and coming or decaying rapidly. It's also heavily residential (Grindcore was the only business in the vicinity), though I wouldn't recommend walking around that area too late at night, nor would I recommend leaving your bike unattended for too long. In conclusion, Grindcore is a winner. If only every city had a cool vegan coffee shop such as this one. read more

Such a rad concept. Nice employees, beautiful ambience, all vegan food/drinks and a large variety of sandwiches and breakfast food. I love this place and I have been waiting to visit for almost two years (I don't live in PA). There is plenty of seating and even a small library! The building itself is old and gorgeously historic. I had a mocha and a bagel with cream cheese. I typically don't eat cream cheese because the vegan varieties tend to be too sweet for my liking, but I went for it anyway. I'm glad I did because my mocha wasn't overly sweet like they tend to be everywhere else! Therefore, the sweetness of the cream cheese was offset beautifully by the mocha (which tasted like actual chocolate and coffee, not just sugary syrup!) Their background music is \m/etal, understandably so, but it's soft enough to not get in the way of conversations.I can't wait to go back! read more

Grindcore House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

omg yay for vegan everything! We need more places like this in the world.. glad to have found one in Philly when I go visit my sister. Only complaint is that the staff the day I was in was extremely pretentious and arrogant, which you unfortunately find at vegan places in the city. Coffee stinks too. Just 5 stars for vegan options! read more

Pros: + lots of vegan options + friendly service + very clean and nice looking, considering the crazy music blasting from the speakers :) Con-ish: + lattes are not sweetened at all, which some people may love -- that's why I'm still giving 4 stars. I just added a little sugar... read more

Come here often! Vegan! Hooray! Pet friendly! They have great cappuccino and bagels with cc. Many varieties of bottled juices...good ones though. I must agree with Ann C, I wish they'd have less vegan treats and more entree items. The music is heavy metal, kept low but I couldn't sit there one day inside because of it. I just couldn't take it. read more

Grindcore House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A block walk for me to grab a coffee and the desserts are so good. Outdoor seating for those nice days.

This is one of my favorites places to grab lunch when I'm in the South Philly area. The staff is very friendly. I've had every sandwich except the Carver. They are all fantastic and I try to time my visits there on the Vegan Treats delivery days. Grab a tea or coffee and a sandwich and enjoy the friendly atmosphere there. read more

Grindcore House - Grindcore counter - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Great little cafe! My fiancé and I came on a reccomendation from our AirBNB host and it did not dissapoint. The staff is welcoming and is ready to reccommend their yummy selection of baked goods and coffees. The vibe is so chill and not pretentious at all which is what I fear going to a vegan anything. We ordered the apple cinnamon doughnut, a plain bagel with jalapeño cream cheese, and we both got coffees. Everything was delicious! If you aren't vegan you will still enjoy everything on the menu. Other reviews commented on the music volume but it was honestly so low that it was barely audible. We saw all types of people-lots of moms with young children, hip twenty somethings buying coffee...it's a must try for everyone! read more

Grindcore House - Coffe and apple cinnamon doughnut - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Love coming to this place in my neighborhood. The best dessert spot since it's open late!

Fun vegan coffee shop. Had the Ice Mocha which was tasty and chocolaty. Kropotkin sandwich may have a had seitan, and greens in it. with pesto. It was tasty as well. They also had cannolis, which I had never had and was super fun. Filled with creme, dusted with powdered sugar and sprinkled with chocolate. Dotty's Pistachio and Peanut Butter/Chocolate doughnuts (nuts, pretzels, frosting) were my favorites. They were different. The doughnuts were also more like a sweet bread (or bun) than a doughnut. Super fun and highly recommended. read more

This place is awesome. Even if your not vegan you will love it. Great vegan food in a unique atmosphere. They have more than just coffee shop and sweets, with a complete selection of vegan sandwiches and salads. The food is excellent!!! A must try vegan or not..... coffee roasted fresh and locally.... read more

Grindcore House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

So close to 5 stars! Great little coffee place. Yummy bagel sandwiches. You lost me with the ridiculous loud music at 10am. How can I concentrate with that ? read more

Grindcore House - Everything wheat bagel with jalapeño cream cheese and veggies. Perfecto! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Came here one morning for a sandwich and coffee. Awesome selection of creative vegan sandwiches, and both of us were super impressed with each of ours. They run $6-8, which is very reasonable. Loved the grindcore / metal theme of the place too. Recommended. read more

Great spot to do work at. Bagels And spreads are delicious and the coffee and lattes are good.

Last visit here the staff was a LOT more outgoing and friendly with me. I can't help but feel like when I walk in somewhere with my big belly and beard I give off a "typical South Philly guy" vibe, and that in a place like this where everyone thinks incredibly highly of their alterna-ness, they assume I'm going to be a pain in their ass and treat me like crap from the start. On this particular trip I was queeny as hell from the get-go, and it seemed like their attitudes changed dramatically because of this. I guess that's a good thing. So the better attitude plus the amazingly delicious grapefruit tea (no mint) makes me upgrade by a star. read more

Anytime going up north this is a must stop for me! From the selection of music, zines, local music newspapers, all vegan food and drink options! This place is probably my favorite coffee shop ever! Must go while in philly! read more

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Grindcore House is one of my absolute favorite spots in the city. They have great drinks for any time of the year - like the horchata I just enjoyed - and treats to match any appetite. They are 100% vegan, so the only guilt you could feel is about how many oatmeal pies you eat. The atmosphere is vintage, cozy, and cool, making it a great place to sit and read or work quietly. As the name suggests (and puns beautifully on with their fresh coffee), they usually have some kind of grindcore, noisecore, black metal, or otherwise playing over the sound system...which might sound odd for a coffee shop, but it's usually played at a lower volume so as to complement the relaxed, judgement-free attitude they like to convey. Stop in by yourself or bring some friends; there is plenty of seating in the anarchist library in the back and, when the weather's good, at the tables outside. Follow them on Twitter (@grindcorehouse) to get info on new treats and the occasional change of hours read more