I was excited when they opened because Olympia has been missing a vegan restaurant for so long. I was impressed when I went in my the selection of food items. At this point, I have been twice, and have ordered a bowl, the mac and cheese, the cauliflower wings and the "chicken" wings. Nothing has disappointed me, and the cauliflower wings are absolutely amazing and delicious (and I dont like cauliflower). Keep up the great work y'all! read more

Incredible food, and very kind staff! The food has yet to disappoint. My friend (not vegan yet but he will be) loved the TBLT, and wants to come back next week! read more

I wish I could eat here every day!! Delicious food, good service, and a menu with something for everyone. My favorite so far is the mac and cheese, seitan ribs, and mashed potatoes and gravy! read more

Chick'n sandwich is delicious! One of the most flavorful meat alternative meals I've had. Vegan food often lacks texture, but this sandwich was amazing. read more

Wow! So yummy I had the pulled "pork" sandwich and my partner had the Cajun "chicken" sandwich and they were both out of this world. Generous portions and well worth the price!! read more

The Wayside Cafe - Vegan Near Me - Olympia, Washington

They had amazing fresh healthy food that is hard to find! Great prices. From pescatarian I could eat almost everything and it was SO yummy. It's my favorite place in Olympia!! The fried cauliflower is a must. read more

Absolutely delicious and the food was fast! Thanks for being the first all vegan restaurant in Oly!! We can't wait to eat there again soon!

I had been wanting to go to this place ever since they opened, it was well worth the wait. The food is really delicious and the workers were so nice. I've only been once but I plan on going again soon! read more

Went there with my friends. Got a French dip and mashed potatoes. Sandwich was super chewy and mashed potatoes had a horrible aftertaste. I didn't eat any of it and brought I back and asked for a refund. They said it wasn't there fault I didn't like it and refused to give me a refund or let me order something else. Worst costumer service ever was straight up rude. DO NOT COME TO THIS ESTABLISHMENT !!! read more

My first time here, great food, speedy service and friendly faces. It was a nice enough day to walk across the way and have lunch in the little park. Will definitely be back. read more

So incredible to have delicious vegan food in Oly! The special dan dan sauce is truly fantastic, and the mac and cheese hits all of the right spots! Thank you Wayside! read more

Amazing vegan diner-style food. Good selection of sauces and condiments as well

My favorite item is the Almost Famous Bowl-I think I could eat that every day. Their gravy is the best tasting I've ever had in a restaurant and I love the rustic potatoes. I have tried other things and enjoyed them but the bowl is my favorite and what I order every time. read more

Yes, it's tasty, creative vegan comfort food, and a good chance to explore new types of food you might want to start buying yourself. And I appreciate how they enough patrons to contribute towards meals they can give to homeless folks. But between the roaring fan and the music that's hard to listen to, we just get the food to go. I admit we're a good bit older than the young people who may be more their target audience, but after a couple years doing well there I can't see why they can't get a fan quiet enough that people can speak without shouting and consider music that's a bit more multi-generational. read more

I had the tahini veggie and rice bowl. It was delicious and the beets were tender, not too crunchy. The price was decent too. I will definitely be back. read more

"chicken" wings is a must try! I want to try everything on the menu! I also had the jalapenos poppers that was a seasonal thing and the cheese was amazing! read more

Open a month, and already a local favorite! I am not the vegan in our family, but loved the Cajun "chicken" sandwich (tofu, fresh creamed corn, house slaw and pickles) with a side of spicy collards! The vegan in our fam enjoyed the Dan Dan bowl (sautéed vegetables in sesame peanut sauce with spicy fried tofu and sesame slaw over red rice)! Tasty, innovative and large servings. Beer and wine available (limited selection). Beet salad was not as amazing, but was still good. Didn't love that the friendly cashier was eating dinner, while ringing up our order. Casual, order at the counter and grab a table, if one is free. Packed on a Tuesday night! read more

Delicious. I initially didn't realize I was at a vegan restaurant, just wanted to try the new place in town. Everything I've eaten here has been exceptional, I dream about the cauliflower wings. read more

So i have to be honest about this place as a whole. The food is pretty good, portions are all over the place, prices are steep. The "wings" are just cauliflower prepared like chicken wings. So $8 for 5-6 pieces of cauliflower and buffalo sauce is absurd. They have a high filler ratio in their meals, lots of rice and lettuce with garnishes of the rest. Which is misleading when you consider how a menu is supposed tp represent the main parts first. I guess they are riding the wave in "new" restaurant while they can but at these prices, it wont last read more

Really great food! We'd read about indifferent service...and we felt that a bit although it seemed like they were understaffed and overworked. The fellow who took our order was nice enough. The other issue was the ambiance: there were blaring fans that made conversation difficult and sent our napkins flying off the table. In general not the most comfortable space, but the delectable food made it well worth the stop (not surprisingly, a number of folks were getting takeout). Will return when we come back to Olympia! read more

So many options and everything was tasty! Their baked good are the best vegan desserts. Good selection of beer and the atmosphere was cute. Service was a decent speed and everyone was helpful. read more

I am always excited to eat at the Wayside! The weekend specials are really so good and I look forward to seeing what new special will be available. I highly recommend bringing everyone you love. My favorite regularly scheduled menu items are the buffalo cauliflower wings. The home made dipping sauce is so delicious!! I also really really love their collard greens and Mac n chz! Order a bunch of stuff and share. You'll love all of it. My meat eater friend got the rib plate and almost wasn't gonna share because she thought it was actual meat HAHA gotcha Savannah ;) read more

Love it! The TBLT is my favorite. I absolutely love the Cauliflower Buffalo Wings and the portion size for the Beans & Rice w/ added collard greens is such a great deal. I'm no vegan but this place makes it so easy and yummy! And Kevin is a rockstar! read more

It's so fabulous to have a vegan restaurant in town, especially one that has tons of gluten free options! It was a more expansive menu than I expected, with "meat" options from tofu, to chickn, to soy curls- I had the Mac n cheeze with soy curls and it was such great comfort food! Will definitely be a frequent patron here! read more

This place is AMAZING!!! We had the 'almost-famous bowl': delicious mashed potatoes, cream corn, and chicken-fried tofu all smothered in rich brown gravy and a cheese sauce. The buffalo cauliflower wings were spicy and tangy... and BRILLIANT. The boysenberry cheesecake was a different texture than expected -- much lighter and fluffier than a dairy cheesecake. However, it was still wonderful! There are so, so many options. This is the perfect choice for new vegans, long-time vegans or vegans with heavily suspicious family members in tow. Enjoy!!! read more

The things that rule about this place are not the things that one would think would rule about a plant-based restaurant: the fried chicken sandwich, Mac and cheese, and ranch. Not to mention the collard greens are real tight. I've just begun my plant-based diet life and I can surely say the Wayside Cafe & Deli has... probably some of the best American cuisine in Olympia meated or otherwise. Five Fatty Seitan Stars. read more

Really amazing vegan cafe in Olympia. I have taken all my non vegan friends here and they all love the food. I have not really had something here I wouldn't order again. read more

Came here with a friend who had never been here before and she didn't enjoy her food so she tried to send it back and get a refund or get something else. The lady who helped her was extremely rude and the owner refused to help her out. I'm very disappointed because I supported this business and have brought tons of friends and family here. This experience was terrible and makes me want to never go there again. Spend your money elsewhere. read more

About eight months ago, I stopped in Olympia for lunch on my way home from visiting family in Everett. Knowing how difficult it can be to find a decent vegan restaurant, I stopped and asked a local pet shop owner if they might know where a good vegan restaurant was. Unbelievably, the woman I spoke to was also vegan! Without hesitating, she gave me directions to The Wayside Cafe and said it was her favorite place to eat. It was in a charming area on Capitol Hill. I ordered one of their fabulous burgers with a side of slaw. Wow! I was blown away by the excellent taste and generous portions! I sat and watched the faces of people around me as they devoured their own hearty, delicious-looking meals. Those faces agreed with my own - this was by far some of the BEST vegan food I've ever eaten!! I am traveling to Everett once again in a few weeks, and not only am I stopping for lunch at The Wayside on the way there, I'll be returning to this place on my way back. Their vegan food is simply heaven sent!! Many thumbs up to the chefs! read more

Yummy, substantial au jus dip with a satisfying, chewy texture. Quick service, reasonable price, and enough food for two meals. Will eat here again! read more

The food at the Wayside was excellent. Two of us got enough to eat for $20. There was no plastic waste (take-out was paper clam-shells). I plan on going back there if and when they get rid of that noisy exhaust fan over the front door. I will change my rating to 5 when that happens. read more

customer service is straight forward and easy peasey, the food rules, and the prices are good! idk i've been waiting for this place to exist! if there are ever any haters out there, they probably just don't know a good thing when they see it. i want this super c h i l l and g o o d olympia biz to survive the hellworld!!! so support them or else. :*) read more

What a great spot! Hands down the best vegan food in Olympia. Most of the menu is already or can be made gluten free for those with gluten sensitivities. Top picks include the rib plate, almost famous bowl, bbq jackfruit sandwich, and cauliflower hot wings. I was especially blown away by the wings, they have the crispiest, tastiest gluten free breading I have ever tasted, and come with a side of yummy homemade ranch. I am an omnivore, and these rival any hot wings I've had in town. The Wayside is not to be missed. read more

idk i can't put into words what this food does to me. everything you order here will make you scream (in a good way.)

Great vegan food! I like the Mac and cheese. The Fried potato ball were the best! The place was clean and the bathroom was as well. The employee working the cashier was quiet and not friendly but approachable. Definitely will be coming back for the food read more

if i could give more than five stars, i would. it's fast, it's incredibly tasty. the fried mashed potato balls are transcendent. i'm the only vegan in my family, but everyone is happy when we eat here. i've had sandwiches, a rice bowl, the mac and cheese, it's all great. i'm so so happy that this restaurant has come to town. i can't say enough good things about it. i look forward to many more trips. read more

I've come in multiple times and absolutely loved the food here. I'm the opposite of a vegan- cheese and meat being my favorite food and I still find myself incredibly happy here. The buffalo cauliflower wings rival any chicken wing I've had to date. This restaurant opened my eyes and showed me being vegan can be delicious. Also Jamie rocks. Great job!! read more

Sooooo yummy. Not a vegan but appreciate any good food!! Perfectly prepared, great sauces, full of flavor. Will be back soon for Mac and cheese with jackfruit!! Who knew!! read more

We had five entrees and all three appetizers; all were generally plain. The tofu was well done and the cauliflower was ok, but we would not eat here again. We did not finish a dish. read more

Yummy food. We had 30minute wait for our food and they ran out of mash potatoes for our bowl, which was a bummer. Mac'n cheese entree bowl felt small. Overall, food was tasty and well priced. read more