Strange location (medical plaza) but amazing food! Everything is vegan and agave is used instead of sugar in smoothies. Enter, order on the kiosk, take a seat till your order appears. There's beautiful art on the walls. I had the mushroom caprese melt and my friend had the garden kraut mushroom Reuben. Both were served warm on perfectly crunchy house made spelt sourdough. I had the delightful potato salad, and my friend had the ginger Napa slaw. Portion sizes were appropriate for a filling lunch. Prices not bad considering the healthiness of the food and that a side is included (around $15 for a sandwich and side). Staff was helpful with the questions we had, accessible even though there was a kiosk to take our order. Check this spot out! read more

The Hungry Caterpillar - Caprese sandwich with potato salad - Vegan Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

JUNE 10 2025 ***Menu rotates based on locally sourced items. ALSO location is changing soon** Now, with that out-of-the-way, my review: this is a beautiful all vegan eatery, with lush interior colors and vibrant HEALTHY PLANT-BASED menu choices. The pictures included with my review are current as of the posted date. SMOOTHIES/ SANDWICHES/ DESSERTS/ FRESH JUICE & TEAS/ KID MENU/ HUMMUS/ PASTA SALAD/ FERMENTED PRODUCE are all available on the digital menu (see pics) My daughters and I are on a multi-day road trip, we stopped in for brunch. We enjoyed pasta salad from the pantry (i.e. grab and go fridge) and staff made avocado toast for my girls which is not currently on the menu, but was offered when they noted surprise over the outdated menu expectations. The pasta salad is phenomenally flavorful. It hit my taste buds like an electric current!! Homemade bread and mashed avocado never disappoints but theirs is next level. Staff is so sweet, kind and understanding. I hope this place thrives in its new location because it absolutely deserves to. My only advice to Hungry Caterpillar is "Live Long And PROSPER!!" Yes: 100% VEGAN YES: family friendly read more

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This plant based cafe has a health focused menu offering many kinds of mushrooms (lions mane, oyster, black pearl), avocado, black beans, quinoa, and jackfruit in the forms of burgers, tacos, sandwiches, or wraps. They also have a small kids menu, cookies, fresh juices/smoothies, and coffee/tea. I tried the lions mane tacos ($15) which were very generously loaded with toppings and tasted great. Plenty of parking and seating available. It can be easy to miss though, since the sign for the cafe is small, and the cafe is actually within a medical establishment. read more

The Hungry Caterpillar - Lions mane tacos ($15) - Vegan Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

It's not the fanciest looking place - it is inside a doctor office complex. But the food is awesome! You grab a seat, scan the QR code, order and pay online, then they bring the food to your table. The sandwiches come with a side, and there are lots of choices! My friends and I each picked a different sandwich and a different side. All of us loved our fresh and healthy meals, and all of us took home half. So two meals for the price of one! Everything is reusable or compostable, no plastic in site! I love their thoughtfulness and their mission to bring healthy food to the community. We will definitely go back! read more

The Hungry Caterpillar - Vegan BBQ sandwich with grape leaves - Vegan Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Hidden in an unassuming medical shopping center, this vegan café is one of the best spots in Jacksonville. Ordering occurs on a tablet and sent to the kitchen. Staff called me by name to confirm sides for my order and hand walked my order to me when ready. All the staff were friendly and helpful. On this visit I tried the Bean Cheeseburger, Jax Philly Mushroom Cheesesteak, and Cashew Mac n Cheese. Each entree came with a side. All items were delicious and hearty portions! The creamy cashew Mac n Cheese was my favorite! read more

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I wish I would've taken a picture, but it was so delicious I devoured it before I could lol. The hungry caterpillar tends to frequently change their menu around and fortunately for me they had their Ruben Sandwich in stock. So fresh. So delicious. The mushrooms were cooked so perfectly you wouldn't believe you weren't eating meat. It was just perfectly balanced. To the way they sliced the pickle, to the crunch of the sauerkraut, to the freshness of their homemade bread. Yum. 10/10 you should give this place a try!!! read more

Food is amazingly delicious and ever so fresh. Owner and staff are friendly and professional. They can answer all of your vegan and/or menu item questions without hesitation. Chef specials change daily so one can always find a great dish to choose from besides their regular menu. My fav dessert are the chocolate chip cookies, grab one while you can when you visit. Always service with a smile! Upon ordering at the counter kiosk, simply relax and wait in their dining area for your food/beverages to be brought to your table. Plenty of parking in the shopping plaza lot. The cafe is conveniently located off Atlantic Blvd near Beach Blvd. Looking forward to my next visit to enjoy the Vegan Cafe dining experience! read more

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Excellent vegan food!! A bit pricey but nice size portions. The cafe was clean with lots of room. I will definitely go back!

VCJ is a nice little water that's tucked inside medical plaza strip mall. They share space with a pain management office and Panama pharmacy. It was a unique setup, but was nice as they sat off to the side offering quick pick up meal service. The service is quick + pleasant. The staff were welcoming and were easily available to answer questions. The restaurant has a good mix of soups, sandwiches, & wraps. I tried the mac & cheese which was SO good and the mushroom cheesesteak that was on point! The food was plentiful and one entré could feed two people easily. They have a good variety of sugar free drinks and vegan desserts. They had a few merch items as well. They have an indoor eating area, but the tables were a bit small for two people. All in all a great place to eat, so stop by. Final note, they'll have a hanging banner outside their door. So if you drive by the plaza looking for the marquee, they don't have one yet. read more

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This restaurant was my first Vegan restaurant experience. The location isn't what I would have expected as it is in the same building as a medical business. The space they have for the restaurant is clean and it has a comfortable atmosphere with beautiful art. I ordered at a kiosk and someone was available to answer my questions. I ordered the Garden Kraut Mushroom Ruben on spelt sourdough bread. I took the options to add sprouts. I chose the side of Ginger Napa Salad. I also ordered the classic smoothie. The food was amazing. I was pleasantly surprised being that I'm not familiar with an all vegan menu. I am looking forward to returning again and bringing my carnivorous husband with me to enjoy the experience. read more

Oh my gosh, love the Vegan and Vegetarian spots opening in the area. This is a solid choice if you have food allergies or just want delicious healthy food. First off, they have a small sign, so you need to keep a sharp eye out for the location. It shares space with a pharmacy and their sign is huge. Once you get there, you will understand what I mean. But you want to hear about the food: Rueben - ROCKSTAR status, immediate hall of famer. Delicious delicious delicious. Potato salad - a stellar side item. Slider (Special) - good but did not compare to the Reuben. Nice hint of hot with sweet chili sauce. Sesame Slaw - another stellar side, liked this better than the potato salad, but both are good. The food was very complex with hints of spices, pickled onions and just really attention to detail. The FLAVOR PROFILES really were well planned out and the tastes blended so well together. Just enough crunch, just enough sauce, just enough heat. I need to go back to get thru some more of the menu because I want to try: - Black Bean Cheese Burger - Toasted Avocado Sandwich - Plantain Jerk Sandwich Like I said good solid choice for VEGAN and VEGETARIAN food. Super friendly staff, lots of really good choices. Parking is a little iffy, so you may need to walk, not a lot, but you may not be able to park right out front. read more

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Omg so delicious!! The mushroom lentil curry shepherds pie thing is amazing !!! I had the Mac & cheese too !! Holy cow that was good

Oh man, nothing but great things to say about this gem. It really is a gem and it really is kinda hidden, but that's cool with me First off, walking in I could smell the deliciousness. It's in the corner of an open-air type multi-business medical center. It has its own entrance but is not closed off. They have kiosks for easy ordering and the written menu on the wall. I asked about options for creamer and the guy behind the counter was really pleasant and went right away to hook up my coffee. Now one thing I don't remember is seeing options for the side item that comes with the meal. I was expecting chips or something but was pleasantly surprised to get potato salad. Now, in the black culture, if you miss on the potato salad, we have no problem letting it be known! And while this wasn't the traditional, southern potato salad (yellow, eggs, relish, paprika), it was actually good. It has that hint of vinegar like you'd find in a German potato salad, but it wasn't overpowering at all. I had the tacos. Lion's mane mushrooms and black beans were the hearty elements and the sauce (I think the menu said chipotle something) was good. The tortilla was soft, the presentation was nice and neat and it was all so fresh Oh, I also liked that everything was eco friendly, from the coffee cup and lid to the utensils. I ate half of my three tacos, a little of my potato salad and was satisfied until about 4 hours later, so I'd say it was filling just as much as it was tasty. I'm excited to go back and try something different read more

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Heart broken that Chef Matt's always deliciously fresh lunch options will be sunsetting this weekend. I'll miss trying & sending pics of unique healthy creations to my health conscious friends. I'm relieved he'll continue the journey reimagined with breakfast/brunch at least so I can still make it an intentional regular stop for myself & friends. I'm certain his hard work & always friendly interaction will continue his five star track record. read more

The Hungry Caterpillar - No Fried Fish Sandwich - Breaded eggplant/Pickled cucumber & Cubanelles/Sea lettuce/Greens/Tomato/Sprouted Bun/Tartar Sauce - Vegan Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Such amazing food!! I went three days in a row because I had to try more than one thing! This is a true vegan gem in jax. The location is unexpected but once you're inside it's nicely decorated. All staff I interacted with were super nice and service was quick! The chef has a semi-rotating menu so there's always new food to try. I highly recommend making the trip here and trying some amazing vegan food! read more

We stopped here because my father was visiting from California and is a vegan and I have celiac disease. The food was AMAZING! Even our kids loved the vegan food. The chefs are great at what they do, they offer great service and were able to answer all of our questions! We highly recommend this restaurant if you want great gluten free or vegan food! read more

The Hungry Caterpillar - My daughter eating at the window bar! - Vegan Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

Found a gem in Jax! @vegancafejax Man it's hard to find vegan food with depth sometimes but they got it. Me and my sister in law stopped in for lunch after the thumbs up on Yelp reviews. Peach Habanero Jackfruit Wrap was a hit. Fresh and bomb My sister in law hit up the Caprese Grilled Cheese with homemade tomato soup. Not pictured: Mushroom Philly marinated in a Sweet Chili sauce for later .....First smell you get when you walk in . Appreciate your gracious service and ingenuity in the kitchen Chef! Amazing My food journey has shifted...I'm a more conscious foodie now....on the lookout for the foods full of flavor with none of the guilt. Lucked out today Update:Jax "Philly" Mushroom Cheesesteak makes you scream "Broooooooo" after the first bite. Genius edible creation read more

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They knocked it out of the park in terms of the quality and quantity of delicious food and their customer service. I was impressed it was inside a "strip mall" with an open inside area which also housed a pharmacy, some type of medical clinic and a nail place. All medical facilities need a place like this (I work in hospitals)! Healthy and tasty food! We were driving through Jacksonville to central Florida and as fairly new vegans we were concerned about eating on the road. What a treat to not only find vegan food but some of the best vegan food I have had! We got the Mac n Cheese (SO good), the jackfruit barbecue sandwich and the mushroom Reuben sandwich-sandwiches also had a side of amazing potato salad (I do not say this lightly as I am super picky about my potato salad but it was some of the best I have had from a restaurant). We share everything, we both took a bite of the Reuben, looked at each other, and said (at the same time) "that is the BEST Reuben I have ever had" (my fiancé is a Reuben connoisseur). We immediately went back and got another one! No sharing THIS sandwich, I need my own! The barbecue sandwich was good, a little sweeter tasting than I like, but still tasty-just overshadowed by the AMAZING Reuben. I also got the sweet orange and black tea and it was so good, I wish I had gotten two. A lot of their ingredients are made in house and it shows. I must say I am really bummed there is not a Vegan Cafe Charlotte! It would do so great here! If you are going to or through Jacksonville, check this place out-even if you are not vegan, I do not think you will be disappointed! read more

The Hungry Caterpillar - Mushroom Reuben and potato salad (excuse the poor picture quality) - Vegan Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

I love seeing all vegan restaurants pop up everywhere I turn! I travel for work so I also appreciate when they use delivery services. I ordered Vegan Cafe Jax through a delivery app and the presentation and packaging were awesome. They use fairly sustainable packaging with minimal plastic and my food came intact (also thanks to the driver). The plantain jerk sandwich was really good! It had great flavor and included super healthy ingredients. The downside to this one for me was the bun they chose. I feel like a small upgrade would really have brought this meal to life! The sauce that they used on the sandwich was very delicious and you can tell a great chef by the small additions they make to step up an entree. I also enjoyed the lentil salad (served cold) and would recommend it for a side. It looked simple but it was very tasty and a great pairing to the sandwich. The mac and cheese was a miss for me. Although the flavor was alright, the mac and cheese came dry. A little more sauce and moisture would've helped. This could've been a batch that just came out a little different or in part of my aforementioned food delivery, so I wasn't eating it for probably 30 min or so after it was prepared in my to go boxes. Definitely can't wait until I'm in town again to try what else they are cooking up! read more

The Hungry Caterpillar - Plantain Jerk Sandwich, Chilled Lentil Salad, Mac N Cheese Bowl - Vegan Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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I tried their food at vegfest and wow-yummy!!! Definitely going to come in person. I had the chili mac and cheese and it was sooo good! The cherry chocolate cupcake was super moist and had a pitted cherry at the bottom!! Yumyumyummm read more

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Matt's food is absolutely delicious!! Everything I've ever eaten of his is 5 star!!! A super talented chef, for sure! A selfish wish of mine... I wish he was still open till 8 so I could get there to eat at night more often. Sooooo yummy!! read more

Amazing food. They have raw and raw vegan options that are incredible. I definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone looking to eat clean and feel great. The portion sizes are huge. I definite must go in Jacksonville. read more

Great food and awesome chefs! Vegan Cafe Jax is located in the little med hub in the area. It was confusing to find at first but we're so glad we found it! So happy to see more locally-owned vegan spots popping up in Jax. I'd suggest checking their Instagram to check out their weekly specials! I love that they change up the menu in this way so there's always something new to try. We loved their take on Vegan Crunchwraps! Please bring this back VCJ. :) Vegan or not, I definitely suggest you check this place out for some quality food! read more

We really liked the black bean burger and the Philly mushroom cheesesteak. Excellent. The sides (potato salad and sesame salad) were very salty tho. Would def recommend. read more

The Hungry Caterpillar - Philly mushroom cheesesteak. - Vegan Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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The best vegan food I've had to date!! Chef Matt is incredibly good at what he does with the flavor profiles! There's always a new dish to enjoy! Hence the rotating menu. Anyone looking for a vegan option or just to enjoy good quality food this is the place to try! Also the portions are filling! read more

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Was in town visiting and picked this place because it was vegan. Service was friendly but the ordering was a bit confusing. Didn't realize it was a full self-service ordering off the kiosks and that the staff delivers your food to the table. The lady next to me was as confused ordering at the kiosk and I had to help her through the process I had just figured out. The food was okay. Seemed to be a miss on the flavor but the veggies did taste fresh. I only ate half of the wrap because it didn't do it for me. Not my favorite but I suggest you try it for yourself. read more

First time in this place but wow! The food is great. I am not vegan but my kids are. I was amazed with flavors the taste and variety. The staff is very pleasant. Even though the place is a cafe it's clean and inviting. Bravo and thank you to the chef and all staff. Thumbs up read more

If your ready to be blown away with flavor be prepared. You don't have to be vegan to love the food but if your not plant based it will definitely have you reconsidering you food options. Please stop by and treat yourself! read more

The Hungry Caterpillar - The Rueben - Vegan Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

This cafe is Amazing!!! I've been a customer for about 3 weeks now and have eaten many fabulous meals and I promise you, you will be blown away by the fresh gourmet food coming out of this place. These guys... i mean these Classically trained Amazing Chef's are serving lunches that are crazy! One of today's specials was a Watermelon rice noodle bowl that is so fresh and hydrating You can feel your body healing as your eating it! A lime compressed (infused) watermelon/pickled lotus root (I kid you not), scallion, red and nappa cabbage, rice noodles & poke dressing oil... seriously I'm not kidding! They also have a portobello mushroom Caprese melt today which looked excellent. Last week I had a "crabby" cake sandwich made with the delicious super healthy Lions mane mushrooms and on another day the spring pot roast with shiitake mushrooms and Jack fruit with peas, roasted potatoes and carrots in a brown gravy! Everything is vegan, And I promise it's all Amazing and fresh and good for you and your soul! Enjoy read more

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It's VEGAN?!!!! 1st time I ate here I couldn't believe how amazing it was!!!! So I went back & brought my kids. They never like vegan restaurants. Too bland. They both LOVED it! This place is Fabulous! Thank U, Chef! I can't wait to put your Heirloom Pepper Peach Hot Sauce on everything!!!! read more

The Hungry Caterpillar - Jax Mushroom Au jus on Gluten Free Sub Roll - Vegan Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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If you haven't tried Vegan Cafe Jax you should! I know for some vegan food is a stretch, however their food is delicious. The staff is incredibly helpful if you have questions, or need advice on what to try. We have been there twice in the past few weeks, and I'm looking forward to the next visit. We tried the Oyster Mushroom Jerk Burrito - Marinated Oyster Mushrooms, Plantains, Pineapple Mango Chutney, Cabbage, Avocado, Seasoned Brown Rice, Picked Peppers, Jerk Sauce, Spinach Tortilla - absolutely amazing. We also tried the Jax Mushroom Au Jus - Marinated mushrooms, Cashew cheese melt, Caramelized onion, Pickled peppers, Horseradish cream sauce, Au Jus - this tasted like a cheesesteak sammy... Their veggie pizza was also fantastic. The pizza is extremely filling. I was surprised how good the pizza was the next day cold! Their desserts are pretty amazing as well. We tried the banana bread, and you could not tell it was vegan. read more

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Highly recommend stopping here and getting the Jax "Philly" Mushroom Cheesesteak with potato salad on the side. I've tried lots of vegan Philly cheesesteaks and this is by far the best one yet. read more

The Hungry Caterpillar - Vegan Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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Perfect for Brunch, Lunch or a light dinner. 100% Vegan and I was happy to see RAW, OIL-FREE, GLUTEN-FREE options since I'm transitioning to raw vegan! Very friendly service and healthy, clean and light food. The smoothies are a must. read more

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I recently tried this place and was pretty happy with my experience. I'm a vegan of 2 years and love trying new vegan restaurants and foods. I got the black bean burger with a side of Mac n cheese. The burger was amazing. Absolutely loved it. I tend to feel like vegan burgers always need sauce, but this burger was great as is. I was very impressed. However, the mac n cheese was a big miss for me. The flavor was more of a tomato cheese pasta. Which wasn't bad but not what I was wanting. I think if the tomato was taken out and replaced with more nutritional yeast and some other good seasonings it would be an absolute hit. I hope to see this restaurant keep growing! I love the eco friendly to-go packaging and of course the good eats. Definitely give this place a try! :) read more

Love Vegan Jax Cafe! My compliments to the chef. I was introduced to the cafe from my health training facility. Went twice and both times had different salads. Both were so good! Keep up the quality! Thanks read more

Amazingly delicious homemade plant based food!! This is the real deal! We stopped in on a road trip, and it was well worth it. We had the vegano cubano panini, mushroom quesadilla, Tex mex salad, and bbq mushroom burger. For dessert, we had the aquafaba blondies, which were sweetened with date paste. Also had some organic coffee and soursop juice. I cannot recommend this place enough. I hope everyone shows them love - a place like this is a true gem!! We live in Fort Lauderdale, and I'm already thinking about when we'll stop in again on our next drive up. The chef took the time to speak with us when we inquired about the Synergy program, and the rest of the staff was super friendly and accommodating. Loved it! read more

I order an Umami bowl, peanut butter cookie and a chocolate chip cookie. Each item tasted amazing. The cookies were so soft and the umami bowl was very generous in size and filling. The flavor combination was amazing. read more

The Hungry Caterpillar - Umami bowl - Vegan Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

In Jacksonville for the weekend to see a comedian and was tired of all the bad food offered everywhere so we tried this place. Incredible! Easy to order and the food items were well put together and super fresh. The only criticism is that they need a bigger more noticeable sign but I'm sure that will come because the place was full when we went for lunch today so business must be good. read more

My vegan son is visiting, and I wanted to take him out for a vegan meal. I figured I would choke something down while he enjoyed himself. Boy, was I wrong! This was some of the best food I've had! The crab cakes were so tasty and flavorful. My son is raving about his TWO meals he scarfed down! Wow, just wow!!! I highly recommend this incredible eatery to everyone! read more

The Hungry Caterpillar - Oyster mushroom mixed bean crunch wrap. - Vegan Near Me - Jacksonville, Florida

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The best vegan burger I've had! It was bursting with flavor - lentils and mushrooms goodness topped with a great sauce