Since moving to Minneapolis this is my most-frequented restaurant. The food is inexpensive and delicious (especially the vegan fluffy pancakes with chocolate chips...and their blueberry muffins), the staff is friendly, there's a nice outdoor seating area, and even when it's busy it's never too loud. There's a "free room" near the back where you can take and leave things (clothing, books, etc.) as you wish. Overall, it's a nice, cozy brunch spot. Highly recommended for vegans and nonvegans alike! read more

The Seward has been my favorite breakfast spot in Minneapolis for almost twenty years. I try to branch out, but nothing ever beats my favorite: super tofu earth (hash browned potatoes and onions topped with seasoned tofu) with two pieces of toast and soy cheese. Vegans can feel so comfortable with this menu, and the politics of this coop are fantastic. The soy chai is spicy and not too sweet. And this time I got side dishes of kale (cooked perfectly) and tempeh (delicious!). If you go on a weekend for brunch like I usually do, grab a table quickly. If it it warm enough, I love to sit outside. Then relax until the greasy goodness arrives. read more

Love this place. I've come here for breakfast a few times and should tell you it's great. I am in love with how vegetarian friendly it is. They have vegan sausage and lots of fresh vegetables. I love the red/green earth specials. They are decently priced, $8.50 for a huge plate of deliciousness! I've also had the vegan sausage with the biscuits and gravy, and though it isn't my favorite, it is super light and awesome! They have hippie coffee as I call it, black and super duper strong. I get the shakes after 2 cups and I am a daily coffee drinker! Now, it's gotten even better by adding lunch, dinner, beer, wine, and music! Also they now except credit cards which up until lately wasn't the case. Nic and I had to try the wild rice burger, topped with cheese curds, topped with mushrooms! I mean are you kidding me, nothing sounds better. We also had to try the vegan brat because I had never had one and ended up getting the Chicago style. Both entrees were super! I love love loved the brat, it had so many flavors, yes it did fall apart a little, but for the most part it held it's shape. The only thing wrong was we thought the bun was just a little too big, I'm not one to be happy on plain bread bites. They both came with coleslaw and they were two different kinds. There is a cream based one and the other vinegar based. I've been starting to like vinegar based coleslaws better, but the creamy one reigned supreme in this case. Paired with a Hamm's, this meal was about $20 and super filling and delicious! I will be back to try some other food out as well as see where they have the music play because I cannot figure that one out, the space just seems like it wouldn't be able to support bands, but I've been wrong before! Only word of caution, they had run out of a few beers when we went, but they have never done this before, so I'm sure they will figure out the amount of booze and food they will need to order quickly because they have been in business for a long time and know how to fix these things! Also the staff is super chill. Gotta love it. read more

having been in the industry as a cook, server, manager, and patron to other places... ...i can safely say that this spot is... ...for certain people. i have called in orders to be picked up, and waited over an hour when the time told to me was 20 or so minutes. multiple times. and on top of that, i had to deal with some of the shortest tempered, belittling types of folks i've never met before. it's unbelievable. their food is pretty good, don't get me wrong. but in all honesty, i gave them a few chances, and they keep f***ing it up. they have the opportunity to be great, but with the lack of...hell, everything, it's not a spot to go to. seriously. the holiday gas station, across the street, is almost better and definitely quicker. read more

Apparently I wasn't hipster enough to eat at this place. I must not have had enough tattoos. Terrible, borderline arrogant, service. The woman who started ringing up our order suddenly got a sour look on her face. She turned to the "barista" guy and asked if he had almond extract. He replied that he thought he had it in the basement, but didn't go look. So she rang up the extra $0.50 for the shot of almond. Ten minutes later the barista shouted out our coffee orders. I went up and grabbed them, he ignored me. Five minutes later he came to the table and informed me that he couldn't find any almond extract. Neat. Thanks for letting me know after the fact, and after we've already paid. I realize it's $0.50, but it's the principal. As for the food, meh. Don't go out of your way. It was okay. Apparently the dudes behind us had the right sized gauges in their ears, as they got their food before us. read more

WARNING both times I've been here there has been a cook with a sleeveless shirt on, so unless you want hipster sweat and armpit hairs in your food, I advise not to eat here read more

If your favorite color, mood, feeling is green, you will love the Seward Cafe. It's a hip paradise with bottomless tea and coffee for just $2. Food service is very slow, but you probably like to take it easy anyway. Time is but a concoction of the businessman, right? Ordering is simple, you write down what you want to eat and drink (don't need to write down order if you're only getting drinks) and they'll call your name out 30 minutes later on a booming microphone. There's a general alien theme to the place. Both the homemade chai and hot ginger brew I would recommend (both on sweet side). Lots of seating (sunny little wooden booths!), allies and wifi here. read more

I've been going to the Seward Cafe for over 20 years. It's always had good food; the service has typically been friendly. In fact, it's a place I used to bring out of town guests to experience local, organic co-op food. However, the past 6 months the food quality has deteriorated. Additionally, the service has been definitely less friendly. On one visit I went to the window to check on my order as I thought they had called my name. I was there for all of 20 seconds before a staff person abruptly told me that they don't like people hanging out at the window. When my order was ready it was partially burnt and very greasy (hashbrowns). As I mentioned before, the food quality seems to have gone down; I've also been quite disappointed in the staff who seem to rarely smile and seem annoyed most of the time. read more

Had horrible service here, everyone was extremely rude! The guy making coffee sprayed steaming hot water all over me and didn't even bother to apologize. I didn't feel much of a tip was deserved after no apology from the burn & we could hear the kitchen staff saying our food wouldn't be very good since our tip wasn't very good & they were not kidding. It was cold mush that was not worth a dime. Never going back here again!! read more

The Seward Cafe is like eating at your friend's house. I mean, except that you hand your friend a slip of paper with your order and name on it and then wait to hear your name called so you can go pick your food up from the window. Oh and plus you exchange some money. But BESIDES all that, it's the kind of casual place inviting you to just hang out and relax...maybe play one of the games they have available or even bring your own activity to enjoy while you wait for a delicious meal or sip on a smoothie. I always feel content when I am here. While I've tried plenty of their lunch & dinner vegan fare, I believe Seward Cafe is most successful with their breakfast food. The best by far is the B&G Deluxe (Biscuits and Gravy) which comes with "two biscuits with steamed broccoli, grilled mushrooms & garlic, topped with cashew-mushroom gravy, tomatoes & scallions." It distinguishes itself over the regular B&G by having the broccoli, grilled mushrooms, and garlic - and a 1/2 order is typically all I need, but the dense and generously-sized biscuits hold up surprisingly well as leftovers so sometimes I'll order the full just to have another meal later. The price difference is pretty minimal between the 1/2 or the full, and either way it's cheap! The tasty, creamy cashew-mushroom gravy is further improved with a few splashes (or maybe a few more) of hot sauce from the little seasoning carousel by the silverware/water. I also like to sprinkle on nutritional yeast for a boost of vitamins to the traditional comfort food, but even as-is it's already a huge step-up from the meat and dairy laden versions at other eateries! Seward also has a bakery display case near the register with rotating vegan and non-vegan bars, cookies, cupcakes, thick hunks of bread, etc. When waiting in line to place your order, it is almost impossible not to succumb to the temptation of a vegan chocolate cupcake with peanut butter icing or a slice of vegan banana bread. Coffee includes free refills - unless you're getting a fancier drink like a latte (which they also do well here). Smoothies and milkshakes (including vegan milkshakes) are a fun alternative if you want something fancy but aren't into coffee. They also have beer and wine which includes a few different "breakfast" beverages like mimosas ranging from traditional to exotic and cheap beer like Hamms mixed with a bit of cold press! Drinks can be more expensive than they're worth but if you come during happy hour, they're a bit more affordable. Sometimes it's actually *better* to come during their happy hour anyway (3-6 or 10-midnight) because, especially on the weekend, finding a seat can be challenging. Plus, you can order breakfast until 4:30PM so it's the best of both worlds! If you *do* come during peak hours, be sure to check for seating on the awesome patio out back. Guarded by a tall wooden fence and filled with various wooden tables and chairs / benches, it's the perfect place to lounge with friends. The patio is smoker-friendly, has speakers so you can still listen for your order, and is a fun little woodsy retreat right in the heart of the city. My writing and sketching group has spent a lot of time out there working on projects and enjoying good food, drink, and company. I've heard others complain about the food being bland here, but I think that is partially the unfortunate reality of an over-salted, processed-food society. That, and they don't know how to order. Stick to breakfast, doctor it up with the self-serve fresh garlic cloves, nutritional yeast, or hot sauce, and enjoy a cooperative restaurant that strives to bring you more mindful food while also practicing sustainable methods like locally-sourcing and composting. What's not to love? read more

After going vegan, I had this fear that I would no longer be able to enjoy a nice, filling breakfast out (I can't cook in the mornings... it just ain't gonna happen). Thankfully I stumbled into the Seward one day while spending more time in Minneapolis than I had intended. Hot damn, the atmosphere and staff are wonderful and welcoming! The food is absolutely divine (the tofu mock-muffin! Yeah!), and the coffee is good and strong without being gross. Did I mention that the price alone is worth it? read more

this place made me feel homeless. As if I was unemployed and would never get a job ever again and this is the only place I will ever afford, I will not have money to buy a bus ticket or cut my hair, this place made me feel poor and not happier to be a vegan eating organic or locally grown food. This place is hazardous for self esteem and inspirational energies. read more

I don't disregard others liking the place, but this joint is not for me. I understand the whole organic/vegan/etc thing, but I find the Seward to be annoying and dirty. The food doesn't stack up overall. Maybe if they would make sure utensils are clean and you didn't feel like you were at someone's house when eating there, it wouldn't be so bad. I guess I'm not aligned with their vision. read more

Great greasy-spoon vegan options (but my omni family was well fed too)! The soy latte gets top marks and I wish I came during dinner for their creative alcoholic drinks. It's divey with the 60s decor, paint by numbers dog paintings and "worn in" feel...but so good. The unpretentious vibe and entirely vegan bakery case won me over immediately. read more

Expensive, bad vegan food. Horrible service. How long has this joke been in business?

I'm in love with this little breakfast/lunch place in the Seward neighborhood. It's one of the few places I've found in Mpls to get unreconstructed 70's Moosewood Cafe-style hippie chow: Bean and brown rice (with sprouts, of course!), whole grain pancakes, seitan tacos, old-school burritos. (Hard Times Cafe also fulfils this role, but Seward Cafe also serves meat, if you're into that). I can't get enough of the green salsa, which appears to consist entirely of jalapenos and onions, and is incredible on everything. (On the other hand, the "red salsa" I put on my beans one day turned out to be strawberry jam. Oops.) I'm a doctor, and I am usually neither crusty, tattooed, nor excessively pierced. I still get great service there. If you order something that takes longer to cook, like the excellent hash browns, it'll take a while to come out -- they make every order fresh. Worth the wait, but if you're in a hurry, get rice instead. Recommended dishes: Black beans and rice with cheese (stupendously cheap and amazingly good). Super green earth, with fried potatoes and black beans instead of eggs. Or, it's good with eggs too. I'll be honest, I don't really order anything else. Sooooo good. read more

Excellent joint for some vegan biscuits and gravy! Totally down for the DIY ticket/co-op restaurant. I would totally rock this joint if I'm ever in Minneapolis again! read more

All of my love to the Seward Cafe. There aren't enough stars to give. It isn't so much that it's a 90s-style place as that you are actually in the 90s when you're there...except they somehow have an iPad for the register and a plug for their social media scrawled on one of the chalk boards. The food is beyond delicious, and filling in a homemade way. There's a great bulletin board, and an area for self-published (mostly radical) literature alongside the newspapers. The gender-neutral restrooms are tagged and written all over, so make sure you bring a sharpie. read more

Whenever I go to Seward Cafe, my friends and I always make jokes about how we aren't dirty enough to work there. Bearing that in mind, its still a great restaurant. The earth dishes are a typical hashbrown and egg breakfast meal, which you can add stuff to your liking. It used to be a bang for your buck, until they raised prices... stupid food crisis and retarded corn based ethanol. Anyway, the buckwheat pancakes with bananas and chocolate chips are like heaven and overall portions are large. If you order something for yourself and don't want leftovers go with the half. Oh, and no cell phones inside. The patio backyard is definitely the place to eat when the weather is not bitter cold. Also, in reference to all the articles saying they only have way leftist papers - whenever I sit at the counter by the food window waiting for food there is always a strib, not once have I seen a leftist or satirical paper there. read more

From the radical nature of the place to the tasty treats, this is one of my favorite stops in my old stomping ground of the West Bank off the U of MN campus. "Green Earth" is a favorite, just really good spuds made into yummy hash browns covered in just the right amount of white cheese with only the freshest broccoli thrown in. Add one basted egg (get any egg for $1) and I'm in heaven. The 1/2 order of the "Earth" is totally enough, it comes with a side of fresh, buttered toast as well. Licking my chops again just thinking of the place read more

I come here and I feel like I'm back at summer camp, except that in place of frosted flakes and imitation scrambled eggs, I'm munching on a fresh local fair that I'd be delighted to have for breakfast every day of my life. The employees are friendly and the little kitchen turns out magic. I'm not a vegan, but the fluffy vegan pancake is still the best on the menu. Also loved the omelette (I got the one w/ vegan sausage, green peppers, and onions and loved it). Soak it in--you'll feel like you are home! read more

Not sure why so many people rave about this place, service is crap every time I've gone and place is noisy. Place is entirely self serve except for the kitchen. Food is ok I guess but nothing to write home about. Only real thing that is good about the place I can see is their use of organic. That said the place does seem to be consistent. read more

I want to love Seward Café. I really do. It's a funky little spot with a cool atmosphere and an awesome cast of customers. But it's all about the food for me. I was hardcore craving some hashbrowns and ordered the Super Red Green Earth. After waiting over a half hour and getting pooped on three times by baby birds (did not detract stars for that- made a real great story :P) I was presented with a plate completely smothered in melted, saucy white cheese. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge cheese-lover, but I could not discern any other ingredients on the plate, and my craving for hashbrowns was not indulged. I have a lot of die-hard Seward Café loving friends, and I'm willing to give it another shot, but I'll be avoiding the breakfast menu for a while. read more

The Seward, for longer than any other local restaurants, has sourced their produce from local farms. They don't make a big deal of this for some reason. But it's also collectively-run, which means that everyone working there has a say in how the business works. It's more fair than these fancy breakfast places that treat their workers like crap. So, that's one more reason to go there. Solid veggie food, plus they have a few "happy" meat options. read more

Funny how a person can wake up one morning and crave these three things, all specifically from the Seward: 1. granola pancakes 2. topped with tahini and maple syrup 3. washed down with their addicting cold press, aka Luther's Boots Thanks, fun&funky Seward peeps for making my morning! read more

This place is super cute. We get the hash brown supreme because it's great. Their tea flavors, which change on a daily basis, are really good too and have cute names too. They make their own bakeries and their fruit jams are delicious! Put their jam on your toast. dammit, their jam is amazing. (PS. They now accept credit cards). Great food and really good prices. read more

I'm on a review spree right now. The Vegan Fluffy pancake & the biscuits and gravy are my favorite!

At the least provocation my boyfriend drags anyone and everyone to the Seward Cafe so that he can snarf a plate of their (deservedly legendary and awesomely vegetarian) biscuits and gravy. And I am happy to back him up every time because that means I get to have some, too. It's a wonderful place to take out-of-town guests as the menu can fit any taste-- omnivore, vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian, hipster, traditionalist, pancake aficionado, sausage gourmet, and so on. There is endless coffee, a relaxed atmosphere and a little corner to keep the kiddies occupied while the adults appreciate the Uber Hipster Art all over the walls. I dig the bejesus out of the amazing eatery these hippies have created and sustained at the Seward Cafe. Rock on, crazy hippies. Rock right on. read more

This place surprised me! I took a friend who's visiting from Florida here and who's a vegetarian. We absolutely loved the place, the food, the vibe, and the staff! It is first come first seated. The staff were friendly enough to help us look for an open seating since it was our first time there. It's very hipster. The food was great! The portion was not too small or too big, just perfect. I love how the place is environmentally friendly and recycling. I would recommend this place to anyone! read more

I am a fan! This place has a wide range of neat dishes requiring skill and vegan/vegetarian craftiness. They offer the best pancakes in the whole area, I'm convinced. I love the variety of cool teas, and the way you smell them when you enter. The best thing to smell is warm food and hot tea when you run in from a snow storm. I'm really into the deluxe hash browns with 2 over med eggs laid on top (add $2). This dish is satisfying and perfectly oily and starchy. I like to get the bottomless coffee or tea to accompany and eating this while sitting outside with the paper makes me feel one with the universe. The outside seating is super zen, complete with curious birds and beautiful flowers. It's mostly fenced in, so you can forget the fact that you are on Franklin with all the cars. I like that the hours are within a certain, steady range because it takes a special sort of planning to get up early enough to break fast with my guy before class rather than relying on it to be around forever with tired workers and tired foods like some other more endurance-focused restaurants. Bring your family, bring your friends, bring a date, bring your children and your grandparents. They'll all love it. They have reading material, a free room of used stuff, awesome rotations of local art, and REALLY TASTY baked goods. Try the spicy green salsa, too: you won't regret it. This is a self-service restaurant and they call your name out, so be listening. I like bringing my dishes to the bus tubs myself, so I can see where my food/paper/compost waste goes and my non-compostable waste goes. It's important for us as consumers to see that, and to be intimate with our food and products! read more

What an awesome place to meet a friend for brunch on a wintery morning! (I assume it's great in the summertime too!) LOVE that the food is organic and local. The people that took my order were very friendly, and when I had a couple questions about the menu (it was my first time there) they were happy to help me out. The coffee is abundant, and very freshly brewed. I went at a busy time of day for brunch, so it was pretty crowded, but after I took one bite of my food, I understood why! Great place. Great people. read more

This was such great vegan french toast, I couldn't believe how thick & tasty it was. I doubt I will get something this good elsewhere. I also got hash browns & it was like wow, really good stuff. I also had a smoothie which was yummy too. I liked the fact this place is big. My friend had an omelette that just melted in her mouth. Sitting outside was really nice as well. Having to do everything yourself (busing & getting order) not such a big deal to me. I don't get the no cell phone policy though. read more

I love this great Minneapolis dive. Terrific breakfast and pastries and chai tea. Friendly staff. It is serve yourself. You write your own ticket and give it to the cashier and wait for your name to be called for your order. Bathrooms are filled with graffiti, so join in the fun and graba piece of chalk. Very inexpensive. I got a super red earth, a cookie, and a chai tea all for less than $10. Will be stopping in there more often. read more

This place bums me out a bit. I wanted to love it, but the food is so boring. I can steam vegetables and make a pot of brown rice at home. However, when I steam vegetables, I put a tasty sauce on them. Their sauces are intensely boring. I've eaten here three times and all three times I've been unimpressed. This place is not a good example of how good vegan and vegetarian food can be. Please try some new sauces or spicing! I give them three stars only because I appreciate what they are trying to do. read more

I love it here. This is one of my favorite places to go for breakfast. I wish I lived a little bit closer to it. It is definitely worth the drive though! read more

ok, so normally I am a bit of a food snob... one of those guys who likes top notch, raw, vegan... you know, one of those guys. Hella picky. Now there is a lot on the menu here I wont eat... with that being said, its still a relatively healthy spot with stellar vibes and even a garden out back! They have a free clothes section for those in need, beautiful patio, and amazingly kind people. Its really all about the vibes here... they still use some ingredients I dont align with, however, this place is worth mentioning, and giving 4 out of 5. Thanks Swewer. read more

A solid breakfast joint, very homey. the food is good and wholesome. Worth coming back for. It gets crowded.

Chipotle squash omelet special and tahini almond cookie. I was very satisfied with my food and the hipster vibe of this eatery.

Homemade salsa is the best I've had! The tacos are great, as well as the non dairy root beer float. I've tried all of the meat options here and most of the vegan options with my bestfriend, and it's all great! I'll never get sick of this place. The fresh bakery items are amazing as well, just all around a fantastic place, highly recommended! read more

Best veggie burger I've ever had . Although it was a daily special(Jalapeno Burger), I'm guessing all of their handmade veggie patties are really good. Breakfast is good too; I like that they serve a side of sprouts rather than a side of hashbrowns. Their patio is my favorite, their baked goods are awesome, and they have tons of great beverages to choose from, i.e. great teas, ginger beers, etc etc. read more