Bloodroot is an amazing woman owned restaurant that is almost 48 years young…read more Nestled on the edge of the Brewster Cove, the views have always been my favorite part of our visit. We have been lucky enough to have been coming for over 40 years. Earlier this year, one of the founding owners passed away. Sadly, the restaurant is closing in December 2025. Despite yourself a favor and make a reservation now. You will have to wait in line to order, but you will be guaranteed a seat. Come prepared to do your part. Starting with picking up your meal and then by clearing your table when you are through. While dining, be sure to peek at the great collection of vintage pictures that cover the walls. There is so much history in this building. On this visit Mom and I ate well, as always and we left full. I had an amazing Bloodroot (vegetarian) burger and mom tried the "chicken" sandwich. Both came with salads, a pickle and kettle chips. We had an amazing last meal and shared a lot of sweet memories. If only they were closer, we would be here everyday.

Founded in 1977, Bloodroot is nearing its 50th anniversary. It also will be commemorating its…read morelegacy. For this historic restaurant that has created its own recipes both for its menu planning and for its business plan, 50 years is an enviable achievement that marks a milestone. Bloodroot began stirring feminism into food during an era when feminist cafés and bookstores sprang up all across North America. Bloodroot has outlasted them all. And through its four vegetarian cookbooks, Bloodroot has contributed to both the feminist and the vegetarian movements beyond Connecticut's borders. The restaurant has defied convention in many ways, even in its location on a dead-end street of a peaceful residential neighborhood. Its secluded site provides a spacious yard, ample parking, and a waterfront view. Picnic tables in the yard and patio foretell of informal and leisurely dining. Indoors, this historic landmark looks like a museum. The olden furniture may have been sourced from antique shops. Tapestries hang from the rafters. Chandeliers simulate candlelight. An entire wall is decorated with dozens of framed black-and-white vintage photos of females, all looking like the faded portraits of your great-grandmas. Bloodroot is all about Mom. The food, "like mother used to make," is akin to grandma's and mom's home cooking. Not haute cuisine, but not crunchy-granola health foods either. To my disappointment, white flour, white sugar, and white rice rule the day. The mostly conventional fare with an ethnic flair simply omits the meat. Until ten years ago, Bloodroot was stuck in the last century, still clinging to cow's milk products on its menu, thereby supporting a dairy industry that cruelly exploits the females of the species. This feminist collective's transition into veganism was long overdue. I have dined at Bloodroot over thirty times in the past 40-years, during which the building and décor have little changed. Historic indeed. Its menu, however, changes both seasonally and almost daily depending upon what produce is available. On some occasions, I have been treated to memorable meals that rival even the most expensive vegan restaurants of Manhattan. But sometimes the food did not rise above the level of my own home cooking, so I was better off staying home. You just need to choose wisely. One change in décor has occurred in its adjoining bookstore. In the age of Amazon, it has morphed into more of a reading library with comfy couches that encourage you to browse through the books. On one table and one shelf, some used books, mostly pertaining to the subjects of feminism or vegetarianism, can indeed be purchased, but that selection is small compared to the other shelves crowded with books intended only for perusal. While the three earlier Bloodroot cookbooks are out of print, its current volume is in print and so offered for sale. Another change. In the past, you were usually greeted by Selma Miriam, who cofounded Bloodroot with her business and life partner, Noel Furie. But Selma won't be greeting us anymore. She died last February at age 89. Tributes and obits filled Connecticut news media, and she was accorded a lengthy obituary in The New York Times. I would be remiss if not sharing an ill-fated personal anecdote. Under the guise of required membership to some obscure historical society, this feminist collective used to reserve one night a week for admission to women only. On one such members-only night in 1988, a luminary of the animal rights movement and I had arrived right after broadcasting his animal rights talk show on WPKN-FM on which we announced we were heading to Bloodroot right after the show, essentially promoting the restaurant on the noncommercial radio station. Selma knew us both, but cordially turned us away. Despite our begging, she refused to serve us even outside and out of sight. I felt like a Black in Jim Crow South denied a seat at the lunch counter. While I don't recall the woman after whom the historical society was named, it should have been called, The Jim Crow Historical Society. Presently filling roles both at the front and the back of the house, Noel (in my photo, depicted standing) is one busy woman. And Bloodroot is beginning a new chapter in its CookBook of Life. In case you're wondering about the meaning of its sanguinary name that may seem contradictory for a vegetarian restaurant, the bloodroot is a wildflower native to New England whose roots sprout up all around it with flowering shoots. But this iconic Bloodroot in Bridgeport stands alone.

Another fresh, delicious homemade salad. All the veggies one could dream of in one bowl, served up…read morewith class and a smile always from this dedicated Team!

Went here for the first time. Ordered falafel tabouli salad but it had no tabouli. Its a kale salad…read morewith a few quinoa seeds sprinkled in it. I thought they forgot it but they said the quinoa is the tabouli but sorry its not the same thing. So heads up that dish is a falafel kale and chickpea salad. $12 acai smoothie was terrible. Had like 3 sips. I think i will give up with vegan places lol

A true sanctuary for both vegans and celiacs! We stopped at this delicious cafe on our way to New…read moreHaven from the airport. So happy we discovered this amazing cafe. I'm a celiac and vegan, it's incredible to be able to choose from everything on the menu. We happily drove 60 miles a day to eat there and we will be back anytime we're in Connecticut! A customer I ran into drives from out of state for their food. The food is always fresh, made to order and Delicious! If you require organic, vegan, gf they are the destination. We had spectacular service from Christine and the rest of the staff. We had almost everything on the menu, fluffy pancakes, wraps, bowls and pizza. We also took food/dessert to go for later. I almost forgot, it's a beautiful seaside location, Best cafe!!! You have to go.

Had an amazing lunch here on a weekday for a change. Everything was so delicious and the service is…read morealways great. It's always so hard to decide what deserts to bring home.

We decided to go to Love it Vegan before a show at The Warner (it is directly across the street)…read moreand were absolutely thrilled with our meal! My husband and I are not vegan, but I am seriously lactose intolerant and limit animal products for health reasons. We brought my brother-in-law who has a serious dairy allergy. The staff was amazing. You felt welcome the second you sat down. They were so kind to my brother-in-law (who has special needs) and happily explained and accommodated him without a second thought. It's beyond comforting to have an entire menu we don't have to worry will cause an allergic reaction. The food was excellent. As I said, we are not vegan, but we will be returning time and time again. The honey mustard and fries may be my new favorite comfort food. They were perfection! I had the steak and cheese and it was in awe of the flavor AND a great cheese on top. The strawberry cupcake I would get a million more times. Simple and sweet. The restaurant collaborated with JP Farm Sanctuary so you can see the pictures of their animals hanging around the restaurant. There is also local art. Very impressed. This was BEYOND needed in Litchfield County.

2 words: Eat here!…read more We swooped in out of nowhere with a party of 8. What a great find. We had 2 pescatarian/vegans and 6 omnivores + one tree nut allergy. Everyone was so so happy. Delicious juice blends to start. Amazing buffalo cauliflower - our server said it was the best and we agree! Not the soggy, dough-laden stuff you normally get. Crisp and light and wonderful buffalo sauce. Fried oyster mushrooms - great! We had a mix of sandwiches - all great! French fries - so good! Chocolate peanut butter pie - fantastic! My vegan daughter was delighted as were the non- vegans. Also very allergen friendly. And just really the nicest, most helpful and friendly staff. Wish we lived closer!

Best vegan or vegetarian food I have ever had. Their hotdogs are like the real thing. Their…read moreSoulful burger is crazy good. The sauce is amazing with the fried plantains. Very filling burger. Also got to try their shakes. It's like a classic burger joint only good for you too. It says food truck but the restaurant has seating as well.

Ordered (regular) hot dog & cheeseburger, fries & chocolate milkshake for my birthday and…read moreeverything was sooooo good. Will definitely order from here again!! So nice to have a vegan spot that's close by

Though I may prefer their previous location in Northvale which was very cozy, I was happy to see…read moreRoots finally reopened in an inviting space with an art space, plants, books, and a stage area. Though not huge, their menu is plant based with an assortment of brunch/lunch items like bowls, salads and interesting sushi, as well as smoothies and other drinks. If you're open to vegan food and uncommon items in a western diet, you'll enjoy it. The pad thai slaw and sushirito were delicious and well made and everything on the menu was inviting. The teas were lovely and I really enjoyed being able to select a blend of herbs for my tea mug. There was some herbal water available, and a selection of desserts on the counter and in the fridge - chocolatey delights like "snickers" bars. We found a corner next to the stage with two armchairs and a coffee table which was the coziest corner to sit and chat. Though it was Friday afternoon at lunch time and there were several other small groups, it never felt crowded and we were able to stay for a few hours enjoying our tea and meal. Staff were very friendly and accommodating, and non-intrusive. You order at the counter and then sit down, and we were not disturbed at all besides our meal being brought to us when it was ready. Parking is limited but at least they have a lot. It's a short walk into the main part of the town. They also occasionally host events. Looking forward to returning!

So glad they're back! The other day we stopped in for lunch at the new location in Closter NJ. We…read morehad the lentil and chili soups--with peanut butter cups and cheesecake! Everything is vegan--I love it because for me it's less to worry about. Ambiance is comfortable, very similar to how they setup the dining room in their old location--which was earthy and homey. This location has an addition of an art room! For art days--appeared to be an area where adults and children can create art. I didn't venture in. Animals are welcome, some patrons had their dogs. Service was great. The cashier charged us for something we did not order and promptly sent a refund. They didn't have the salads and burritos from the previous menu but the owner told me that the menu items will eventually return. Will definitely come back!

Cool spot for great vegan food, good cocktails and beers. Edgy indie punk music playing adds to the…read moreatmosphere. Highly recommend the shepherds pie, "fish" sandwich, and mac n cheese. Will be back.

Fish sando- crispy tasty yummy would get again! No allergy issues!…read more Mac with homemade cheese- creamy and fun! Would definitely return!

This restaurant was bustling on a Saturday afternoon. They have about seven or eight tables indoors…read moreand a couple tables outside. There were also several picnic benches around the side of the building, but I wasn't clear if they belonged to the restaurant. You order at the register and they call out your name when your food is ready. They have a ton of vegan/vegetarian options, as well as a great breakfast/brunch menu. I ordered the egg and cheese biscuit. The cheddar jalapeño biscuit was delicious. It was buttery and dense. The flavors were mild, but the sandwich was the perfect portion size. I also got a side of the vegan bacon. It was rubbery and tough to chew. Would not recommend. My husband enjoyed the breakfast burrito. We also shared the buffalo cauliflower. The cauliflower pieces were well coated in buffalo sauce and very flavorful. I also got the Don't Kale Me juice. It was tangy, citrusy, and refreshing. The Deep Roots smoothie was also quite tasty. They have free self-serve water and the employees were quick to wipe down tables so they were clean for the next party. Looking forward to coming again!

In search of vegan dishes I searched Yelp in the Hawthorne NY area and it took me to Sleepy Hollow…read moreNY where I scored big time . Going inside Grass Roots Kitchen was a breath of fresh air. The aesthetics put me in the mind of earth day and such beautiful paintings on the wall and flowers and greenery throughout. Grass Roots Kitchen offers have high tops dining as well as, regular dining, and outside dining. The dining area is pretty large, length wise and beautifully attractive. I ordered the egg and cheese biscuit with the help of the cashier, I didn't get her name and it's on the receipt but I threw it out. Even though this was not a vegan dish, who could pass on a collosal cheese biscuit. The egg was a nice accompaniment to this cheese biscuit also. The lady that gave me the biscuits said, wow! That smells nice. I thought she was giving me a compliment on the order until I sniffed the bag. Normally I don't do well with my sense of smell but, boy oh boy! That was a gooooooood smelling biscuit. And the taste, it tastes so good, it makes you want to slap yo momma. (Don't do it, it just makes you want to slap her.) Needless to say, I really enjoyed this cheese biscuit. In hindsight I guess I could have grabbed a hot drink, maybe next time, and there will be a next time because I told the lady that this was my first time and at the restuarant and I'm new in the area. She said she's looking forward to seeing me again. I'm looking forward to more eats and treats or treats and eats. Whatever it is, just ... Inspire more, Yelp more!

Hands down one of my favorite restaurants in Middletown! It is so nice to have a vegan restaurant…read moreso close to home. Ambiance inside is unmatched, the natural oak tables and decor, along with all of the plants creates such a serene and intimate experience! The sweet potato fries are a MUST for an appetizer. The Grilled Setian entree is my favorite on the menu, with the Southern Fried plate coming in a close 2nd. You must try the desserts, the coconut cake is one of the best I've had! Thank you ION for all you do

Perfect Vegan Date Night…read more ION is an amazing restaurant. All vegan foods that are unique and delicious! I love going here with my husband for date nights! I also appreciate that they have yummy mocktails as well as cocktails. The staff is always friendly and kind. The only critique I would have is that when the sun is setting it blinds you in the restaurant, maybe they will install blinds in the future, but my suggestion is to go for lunch or after sundown to avoid this problem. But overall, great atmosphere and awesome vegan food! Pros: Delicious food!, Great atmosphere! Yummy mocktails! Cons: The piercing sunlight that blinds you at sundown

Really great matcha latte!! I wish there was a green and tonic near me in Boston!…read more Customer service was great too! Greeted with a smile upon entrance!

Having recently turned vegan and on the hunt for spots that offer food, I have finally found the…read more'it' place! Went to the Stamford location with my non vegan husband and he enjoyed the food just as much as I did! The menu is full and the offerings are delicious. I had the 'bacon egg and cheese' and asked for it on sourdough. They willingly obliged and made a scrumptious sandwich that was VERY filling! They offer coffees that rank in the top among famous store brands. I am thrilled to have found a place to go without having to make alterations to menu items. It is a relief to know the menu is vegan and healthy by default. Be not afraid non vegan eaters....Green and Tonic will satisfy all appetites. I'm definitely going to return often! Hope you give it a try!