The Wayside Cafe

201

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5 years ago

It was ok! I only tired the cauliflower wings but I didn't really like it, I would go back and try something different next time though. Great customer and fast service. read more

The Wayside Cafe - Vegan Food! So excited to try it. - Vegan Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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M N.

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3 years ago

Max n cheese was good as was the sugar cookie. The dip sandwich with soy curls tasted burnt and I didn't finish. Disappointing for sure read more

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Tony T.

309

1579

3681

6 years ago

Came for lunch and really enjoyed this place. It's is vegan and plant based restaurant with kitschy decor. You can have either healthy vegan or junk food vegan and I opted for junk food. The red chili jackfruit sandwich was very good. If you didn't know, you could not tell there was no meat. The mac and cheese was good and the combo was very filling. Does lettuce make everything somewhat less junk-foody? They have soups, salads, sandwiches, entrees and bites along with dessert. I didn't have room for dessert but would like to try that next time. Menu is pretty large and you have a wide variety of tastes to choose from. read more

The Wayside Cafe - Red chili jackfruit sandwich with mac & cheese - Vegan Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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Retro J.

0

2

1

2 years ago

Just incredible flavorful food, and no animals harmed in the making!!! Service is exceptional, and the ambience is cool, calm and convivial! If I lived closer, I would live there!!! ;) read more

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Amanda B.

43

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4 years ago

Had myself a nice little day in Oly and decided to grab a bite here. I'm so glad I did! First off they have a pay it forward program you can donate to which is awesome. That aside the food was great as well! It was very clean when I walked in and they're still encouraging masks which is a plus. I ordered the tofu sandwich special which was honestly so crispy I was tempted to ask them how they do it because mine never comes out that good! The bun it was on was really fresh and bouncy and all the flavors together were really delicious. I got a giant rice krispy treat for later in my evening and no regrets there either! Everything was very tasty, the staff were kind and the place was clean. Next time if it's warmer out I'll enjoy their outdoor seating, but no question I will be back. read more

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Daren D.

904

1978

1104

7 years ago

Ok, ya'll, call me w/e you want but when I first pulled up here, I thought of the following keywords: Rydell High, Saved by the Bell, Baywatch and 90's Seattle...in the best way, possible! Is it the interior design? Was it the name? Was it *gasp* both the interior design AND the name? Probably. I think also just the fun whimsical nature of the owners' social media posts. Located right near downtown on the main road across a nice park for outside park stroll noms, the space is quirky yet comfortably cozy. During summer, it's definitely quite warm and a bit stuffy (as you'll see/hear the fan on high up front) but hopefully your meal and good vibes will void that. The rotating art seems to highlight just local awesome work. I really quite like the paint style they went with: just nice horizontal contrast with dark pastel blue, white, black and woodsy furnishings. Their offerings are a super rounded combo of healthy & junky plant-based vegan grub! I don't really like junk vegan food but just looking at their's it's mainly just breaded/fried choice of gluten/protein (I think things like tofu and seitan patties, etc) with the rather proper & healthier accompaniments of lettuce/greens/onions/tomatoes (burger) and similar plus w/e side (entree/rice bowl). I love the big daddy salad with tahini dressing and sometimes they can add the DELISH marinated soy curls to it. Oh. Oh, yeah. My current other favorite is their occasional [Indian inspired] butter chikn special that's totally - and I quote - "Hold the damn phone!" worthy. You can ride this burger or bowl style; I've had both but definitely get the bowl for less mess. =) The burger is a beast of saucy goopy mess that beckons your fingers be licked up the wazoo. The rice bowl is just perfect. Mix some of the saucy soy curls with the cabbage and rice and holy goosebumps! I'm not a huge BBQ fan anymore but the other sandwiches/offerings with jackfruit, etc are pretty damn tasty. The desserts are great for that itch but OK to me. Staff is generally friendly and chill; they can seem a bit edgy when I start asking too many questions (regardless of line). Most of the time I see Fern and she's cool. I followed them since their early kickstarter days and very happy to see their future unfold. read more

The Wayside Cafe - BBQ soy curl bowl with black pepper on top. So good. - Vegan Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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Tony A.

90

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7 years ago

Three pairs of out of towners (one couple from Seattle, another from Portland, a third from central Washington) met for a vegan lunch in Olympia. The couple from central Washington (both vegans) seemed reasonably content, going with the mac & cheeze and BBQ jackfruit. The Portlanders (omnivores, but always happy to eat tasty, well-prepared vegan food) opted for the dan dan and tahini bowls and were less than satisfied. The Seattleites (one vegan, the other flexitarian) ordered cajun chicken sandwiches and potato balls. They finished the potato balls but said their sandwiches tasted like cardboard. Minimal service. Pricey. Uninviting ambiance. While we applaud Wayside Cafe's efforts to serve plant-based food in Olympia, the six of us left more impressed with the intention than with the execution. read more

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Erin N.

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3 years ago

delicious comfort vegan food - the almost famous bowl and chicken sandwich are just amazing. read more

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Kellie K.

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3 years ago

Came here with my family this evening. The potato balls, Mac and cheese, tahini bowl and Cajun burger were all delicious. The problem I had was that my six year old son and I ordered side salads...get this...it was JUST lettuce. Yes. Just leafs of plain lettuce with salad dressing in a little disposable cup. I was not impressed nor was my salad-loving child. Salad one star, other food 4 stars. read more

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Spencer N.

0

1

0

3 years ago

Delicious vegan food. It's a great place to try your first vegan meal. The service was fast and the menu had good variety without being overwhelming. read more

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Rebecca W.

32

9

1

3 years ago

This used to be a great place to eat. Went there tonight and the service was terrible - sorry I gave the nonsmiling rude person at the front a tip - and the place was so smoky we had to get our food to go. Unfortunately the food was so lousy I didn't eat most of it. There are plenty of great vegan, gluten free options available in downtown Olympia. We will never come here again. read more

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Catherine G.

2

176

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2 years ago

We had a wonderful meal here when traveling through Washington! Delicious vegan food and ample portions. Also some yummy bakery items too. Very happy we ate here! read more

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Mmmmichael C.

17

70

8

3 years ago

Taco Tuesday is the best place around for vegan tacos. Brookies hella good too. Actually everything I've had has been excellent and the portions could feed 2. Service has that detached Olympia vibe. read more

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Keith T.

Elite 23

640

223

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7 years ago

Great vibe, Great location, Great food! Stopped here while touring Olympia... my wife and I wanted a good coffee and our daughter was looking for some good vegan dessert options... and this spot did not disappoint on either front. We had the drip coffee with coconut milk and it was bold and quite flavorful. Then of course we didn't want our daughter to have to consume her desserts ALL BY HERSELF... so we picked up a few "pity" pastries to accompany her. First off, none of the vegan desserts TASTED like we we were eating VEGAN DESSERTS. I say that for those that don't know how flavorful and scrumptious well made vegan treats can be.... and everything we picked here was EXTRA scrumptious. Second, the selection was AMAZING. Most places have one or two choices... if you are lucky. This place had a veritable cornucopia of sweet selections... and I say this only because i like using multi-syllabic words to make my prose seem much more significant than it really is... whereas if I followed Mrs Fusselle's sage advice from 3rd Grade, I should have probably used more simple verbiage and expressions that would strike right at the center of the intended meaning... I think she said it slightly differently, but 3rd grade was so long ago, who can tell for sure?!?!?! And finally, the vibe was RIGHT ON... Olympia is a fun, quirky city to begin with and this seems to be the epicenter from which all of that exudes. There was a table in the back, dressed up like the Mad Hatter's Tea Party from Alice in Wonderland carrying on quite a lively conversation and thoroughly enjoying themselves as well as the libations on tap. Our only complaint about this place, was not their fault... it was ours. We came here for dessert instead of dessert AND lunch. Once we arrived and smelled the smells and saw the beautiful creations and perused the menu, we felt quite sad that we had just eaten lunch at another fantastic establishment down the street... it just wasn't THIS FABULOUS. This was our last stop before heading up to Seattle for the rest of our trip, but we will definitely find another reason to visit the Pacific Northwest's coolest city and will plop our booties down in one of their comfy seats and gorge ourselves on these creative, plant based lunch options. Until then... you should check it out today... and tomorrow... and the following Tuesday. read more

The Wayside Cafe - Can't believe they are VEGAN Cinnamon Rolls. YUM! - Vegan Near Me - Olympia, Washington

The Wayside Cafe - Crispy, sweet and oh so flavorful! - Vegan Near Me - Olympia, Washington

The Wayside Cafe - WOW... just wow! Had to double check after our first bite to make sure that this was REALLY VEGAN... LOL - Vegan Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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Kelvin Y.

0

956

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7 years ago

We were looking for. Vegan restaurant on our way from PDX to Lynnwood, Washington today. The Wayside Cafe & Deli fit the bill. We had the Nacho special with Soycurls. a Bargain for $11 plus $2 for protein (we chose the Soycurls). Great dish, super generous portion. We also had the "Ribs" (made with Seitan) served with mashed Potatoes with Gravy, Collard Greens and Mac and Cheese. The "Ribs" were delicious, the Collard Greens had the requisite smoked flavor, the gravy was perfect with the Mashed potatoes and the Mac and Cheese were excellent! It's interesting to note that: I recently had a similar (real) Pork Rib plate with the same trimmings at Reverend BBQ in SW PDX. I equally enjoyed both the plates at Reverend and at Wayside. Service was fast, friendly and efficient. read more

The Wayside Cafe - Great Kombucha from Bellingham, Washington. Taste great with the food. - Vegan Near Me - Olympia, Washington

The Wayside Cafe - Barbecue Rib Plate. The "Ribs" made with Seitan was excellent! The Collard Greens had the requisite smoked flavor. - Vegan Near Me - Olympia, Washington

The Wayside Cafe - Nachos- excellent! - Vegan Near Me - Olympia, Washington

The Wayside Cafe - Nachos - Vegan Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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Rachel C.

Elite 19

145

114

101

7 years ago

Wayside advertises itself as a vegan junk food Mecca, and it certainly satisfies the label! But be warned: given the focus on junk/comfort food made vegan, you won't find a plethora of healthy options here. What a good feeling to order from a menu and not have to think twice about whether your food is vegan or not! I ordered the buffalo cauliflower wings (best I've ever had!!! Omg YUM!!), mac and cheese with red chili jackfruit (pretty good and weirdly better leftover and reheated?), and the sesame slaw (not flavortown at all, would not recommend). If I could redo my order, I'd skip the jackfruit in the mac and cheese and instead get tempeh bacon my main takeaway...the buffalo wings are a must and I'd order them every day if I could, but at $8/order, my wallet tells me no! So overall, it's awesome to have an entirely vegan restaurant with unique and tasty options and I can't stop dreaming about the cauliflower wings. In my eyes, the main drawback is the lack of actually healthy food, which could be improved with more variety in veggie side options! It's also worth noting that the employees are super helpful and friendly! 10/10 for service read more

The Wayside Cafe - Cauliflower buffalo wings (MMM), mac and cheese with red chili jackfruit, and sesame slaw - Vegan Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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Stephanie M.

54

14

20

7 years ago

It was just perfect weather to try something new!! My husband is vegan and I'm not. I wanted to surprise him and see I'm open to his world. I decided to try this place out. The restaurant is wonderful it's also a good vibe walking in. We ordered and sat down. Our food didn't take that long. I paid about 45 bucks for the potato balls and the two sandwiches(the Norma),cinnamon roll,two drinks. My husband loved his,ate it straight up. I'm not a vegan and I can honestly say I didn't notice the difference. The food was good and again i couldn't tell the difference. Couple things I hated was I couldn't find parking so I had to pay 6 bucks at the hotel behind them(not the restaurants fault just the location sucks). I guess you can say I'm picky. The music was loud I couldn't hear myself think nor hear my husband read more

The Wayside Cafe - Potato Ball - Vegan Near Me - Olympia, Washington

The Wayside Cafe - The Norma with Mac and Cheesw - Vegan Near Me - Olympia, Washington

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Jess O.

0

19

1

2 years ago

Delicious food, friendly staff, and a nice setting! Wonderful gluten free options too. The milkshakes are tapioca-based and a must try for those who are able! read more

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Trenton Q.

80

16

3

2 years ago

We stumbled into this place this afternoon and it instantly became a favorite. We got the pulled jackfruit sandwich with Mac n cheese, buffalo chikn wings and a peanut butter shake... everything was perfect and delicious. read more

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Kelsey D.

3

11

0

2 years ago

My husband and I found this place 5 years ago searching for something vegetarian while traveling through. My husband has recalled how good this food was many times over the years and every time we had been passing through was on a Sunday when they were closed. Today we passed by on a Saturday and we found their new location which is so much nicer, we've had two children since and they loved the Mac and cheese! It was just as good as we had remembered. I stopped myself several times while ordering because I didn't have to omit the meat. Truly a breath of fresh air! Outstanding taste! Thank you! read more

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Erin C.

626

13

8

8 years ago

Decided to try this place out. This is what I noticed: Servings are large. You get a good bang for your buck. I ordered the rib plate. The Mac n cheese tasted pretty close to the real thing. The mashed potatoes were ok- but that's preference because I like mine super creamy and I've only been vegan for 3 months so I'm still adjusting. Ribs and greens were amazing. No waitstaff. But I like that. It's a small restaurant, only a few employees and it hasn't been open long. Expect to put your order in and wait for your name to be called. I will definitely be back and will review other dishes. read more

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rick d.

0

64

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5 years ago

I want to like this place more, but it's barely ever open and the menu is very unhealthy despite being vegan. I can't find anything I can eat on the menu. I like it's spirit and the people working there are cool and friendly. read more

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Will M.

117

77

34

8 years ago

My friend and I were at a store in Olympia and they were talking about this place and how good it was. We had noticed it driving in to Olympia for the first time in months and it caught our eye. This place has well earned all the good reviews so far and here is another one! Usually when you go to vegan/vegetarian places they ask you to spend a lot for the privilege of eating ok food with smaller portions of meat analogs that might make you wish you were eating the "real" thing. Not here. The portions are generous, the flavors are towards comfort food and the prices are fair. I had the BBQ curls with broccoli and slaw over red rice. I love to eat and believe my "to go" container is my belly. I devoured my bowl but couldn't quite get to the bottom. The bbq flavor was a good smokey sweet one, the sauce over the rice and the rest went over well with me. My lunch partner had bbq tofu "ribs" that I got to have a bite of and enjoyed it. I got too full before I could have more. I also got to taste the creamed corn which was seriously as good as what my German/Polish grandmother would make. The collard greens rivaled what you might find in a serious soul food place but better for you. This place is well suited for Olympia and I think that's part of their grand design. If you get the gestalt of Olympia, you'll know what I mean. There are some beginning growing pains here like running out of mashed potatoes and needing more clean forks. My sense is that they are caught a little off guard by their quick success. Evidently there can be a 20 minute wait for food when they are really busy. All this speaks to the positive response from the local community because of what they are already doing. I am looking forward to coming back next time I am in town! read more

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Page 2 of 7

500 Capitol St
Olympia, WA 98501
Directions
(360) 350-0233
Call Now
Order Takeout or Delivery
Start Order
Visit Website
https://www.thewaysidecafe.com

Full menu

Hours

What time does The Wayside Cafe open?

The Wayside Cafe opens at 12:00 PM on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

What time does The Wayside Cafe close?

The Wayside Cafe is closed on Monday.The Wayside Cafe closes at 3:00 PM on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.The Wayside Cafe closes at 7:00 PM on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Mon ClosedTue-Thu 12:00 PM - 3:00 PMFri-Sun 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Payment methods

Does The Wayside Cafe take credit cards?

Yes, The Wayside Cafe takes credit cards.

Food & Alcohol

Does The Wayside Cafe have catering options?

No, The Wayside Cafe does not have catering options.

Does The Wayside Cafe serve alcohol?

Yes, The Wayside Cafe serves alcohol. Beer & Wine Only

Indoor Amenities

Does The Wayside Cafe allow dogs?

Yes, The Wayside Cafe allows dogs.

Does The Wayside Cafe have TVs?

No, The Wayside Cafe does not have TVs.

Outdoor Amenities

Does The Wayside Cafe have outdoor seating?

Yes, The Wayside Cafe has outdoor seating options.

Does The Wayside Cafe have parking?

Yes, The Wayside Cafe has parking options. Street Parking, Validated Parking

Other Amenities

Is The Wayside Cafe wheelchair accessible?

No, The Wayside Cafe is not wheelchair accessible.

Does The Wayside Cafe have free WiFi?

Yes, The Wayside Cafe has free WiFi.

From the Business

Specialties

We have lots of options for people with all kinds of dietary needs including vegan, gluten and soy free options. Have a exciting and fun specials every weekend, and tacos every Tuesday! We also have a variety of fresh baked good made in house! Cakes, cookies, cheezecakes, and so much more! We also have dairy-free milkshakes!

More Info

Health Score

Olympia Baking Company

4.6(57 reviews)

1.0 mi

A dedicated GF bakery? Yes please. I finally got a chance to visit this bakery in my most recent…read morevisit to see family. Scones were on the larger scale compared to other GF baked items. Scones tasted good and were better than expected. Location is small but that was not an issue, since we took our items to go. Price is fair for being gluten free. The owner was the one who greeted and served us and was pleasant. He answered my questions and was polite.

Well people who like or need gluten free eating..this is a pretty yummy option. And the owner…read moreWillis is very nice. He stayed a little bit late one afternoon to allow me time to drive and pick up an order. I appreciate him.

Vegan berry filled scone and pineapple/mango filled scone

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Gluten free bacon biscuit and split pea soup!

The Owl's Nest coffee + pastries

4.5(115 reviews)

0.1 mi

The Owl's Nest is a fantastic café with great food, excellent coffee, and one of the most spacious…read morecoffee shop interiors I've come across. We ordered the avocado toast, chickpea sandwich, and coffee, and everything was delicious. The food was fresh, satisfying, and paired perfectly with the excellent coffee, making it an ideal spot for breakfast or lunch. Service was quick and friendly, and our order arrived promptly. The atmosphere is the real standout. The café has a huge indoor space with multiple seating areas, each featuring its own unique décor and vibe, so there's something for everyone--whether you're catching up with friends, getting some work done, or simply enjoying a quiet coffee break. If you're in the area, The Owl's Nest is a café I'd highly recommend.

Stopped here for a breakfast. Ordered: 12 oz of Earl Grey,…read more16 oz of Latte, Lavender Scone, Sundried Tomato Scone, Maple Pecan Scone, Panini Sandwich. Total $61 including a tip. We somehow spaced it that the cafe served only plant based food and only realized it after we took couple of bites because the food had unpleasant aftertaste. The pros: 1. Appreciate the support for LGBTQ 2. Appreciate the idea of "plant based" food 3. Nice atmosphere The cons: 1. The 12 oz cup of tea and the 16 oz cup of latte were served in the 12 oz mugs. We paid for a 16 oz latte. 2. Early Grey was of poor quality. Not much flavor. 3. The scones tasted ok, but not like true traditional scones. I presume it is because they are plant based. 4. Shortly after eating a sundried tomato scone I started feeling nauseated and developed a headache which lasted for several hours after. I do not have food allergies, I do though react poorly to heavily processed food. Knowing my body very well this makes me wonder about the quality of ingredients used. Plant based food is a very noble idea and is better for health and environment when in its natural form (olive oil, veggies, whole grains, etc.), but unfortunately some products are often very heavily processed (plant based butter, cheese, etc.). I have no idea what those scones were made of. I will not eat other scones after this experience. 5. I took a bite of hubby's panini. It had an unpleasant aftertaste. 6. We paid for 3 scones. The cashier gave us only two. I thought that the third one would be brought out shortly with the rest of the order so I let the cashier to attend to the line behind us. When the 3rd scone wasn't brought out I approached the counter to ask about it. Another person that was standing there asked me if I paid for it.......Seeing so much suspicion on their face I told the person that I would like to wait for the cashier to see if she would remember me placing an order. To which that person responded - I believe you......This was not a pleasant experience and this is not sound customer service if you ask me. Instead of taking responsibility and checking their system, they made me feel like I was trying to get free food. A professional business should always prioritize making the customer feel heard and valued, rather than putting them on the defensive. The OK: Coffee was just ok. I personally wouldn't come back for it. Overall this is not my cup of tea. I wouldn't come back.

Owl's Nest Cafe on Capitol Way!

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Good Morning!

Nineveh Assyrian

4.8(76 reviews)

0.1 mi

I had one of the best meals in Olympia at Nineveh. From the moment we entered we were treated very…read morewell, by I think may have been the owner. I had the Apricot Sangria, and it was refreshing and not sweet. We had the Halloumi and watermelon appetizer, so flavorful and beautiful. I had the Mahi Mahi and everything on the plate was seasoned well and very appetizing. My friend had the chicken davaneta and I will definitely have that on my next trip as it was moist and very flavorful. I wish we had room for desert but I will have to leave room next time as I am sure this will become one of my favorites in downtown Oly.

Tahini pie was really tasty Service is attentive…read moreAmbiance is comfortable Maybe over priced

Front door

Pomegranate chicken wings - IG @bougiefoodieboi

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Sabish

Hash

4.0(538 reviews)

1.1 mi

... Where do I even begin? The 3lb cinnamon roll? The…read morewaffles, the brisket??? Don't worry I took so many photos. Hash by FAR is the best breakfast place in WA. By FAR. Now I was influenced by all the tik tok videos I'd seen of this place.i thought ooo this place looks good! I wasn't prepared. Not at all. My husband and I went around10:30 on a Friday and checked in at the front, signed our name up and waited for maybe 3 minutes. Got seated very very fast and started spying on the tables around us, you know " a fact finding mission" Need to see what others are ordering and saying. They have a large menu and a really good variety of breakfast and sides as well. This was great for me because I wanted a waffle. A big waffle with butter and syrup.... Plus to try something more adventurous. They brought us out a sweet cornbread with I think Marion Berry butter. So so good. I ordered the Beechers brisket hash and the side waffle. Chris ordered the strawberry agave mimosa and the BBB. Food came out within 10 minutes and was hot and smelled Devine. Look at the photos. I mean, what else needs to be said? Everything, every single thing was phenomenal. There was no weak dish. Hashbrowns were cooked to perfection, brisket melted in your mouth. The hollandaise sauce plentiful and delicious. The waffle was huge. They actually asked how I wanted my eggs and listened! Best over hard eggs! I love that the syrup is on the table because I covered that waffle in syrup and when they give you those little mini things of syrup it kills the vibe. So River of delicious maple syrup aplenty, I do appreciate the little containers of butter as I can't be trusted with butter and waffles I'd have gained 20 pounds from the butter alone. Smart guys very smart. Our sever was fantastic, they were busy busy but he took the time to listen to us try to express how impressed we were. We were mid food coma at this point. I don't think we were forming words, just excited food nosies. Now, the 3 pound cinnamon roll. We took this bad boy to go. My husband is big on cinnamon rolls and considers himself essentially an all knowing cinnamon bun being. 10/10 they are sweet fluffy and smothered in frosting. ( I am unfortunately allergic to cinnamon but he assures me it was the best) Prices, honestly I thought it was going to be way more expensive. The plating of the food alone looks expensive. The food was so good I forgot we did eventually have to pay the check. But when it came my flabbers were gasted. $60 for 2 very large breakfasts, a side waffle that wasn't a side at all it was huge Belgium waffle a mimosa and the 3pound $14 by itself fyi cinnamon roll. We took probably half our food home and had dinner and breakfast the next day. It was tons of food. I even joked to my Husband that I might not leave this review because I don't wanna make it busier than it is so we could keep it quiet so we could come back all the time. This place is worth waiting for. It will be a regular stop for us moving forward. If you are reading this, do yourself a favor and just go just go and experience it for yourself. It will not disappoint.

Excellent in every way! On tour in PNW I stumbled upon HASH and highly recommend it…read more The Acme of scrambles, the epitome of hash that exquisite jumble of ingredients presented in a symphony of breakfast melodies. I had the Alaskan Salmon hash. Flavorful grilled wild-caught salmon with peppers, onions and crunchy hasbrowns and a hollandaise sauce to keep you going all day (or on a 6 hour drive to my next gig!) Excellent strong coffee, a wonderful, friendly staff and what look like amazing cinnamon rolls (I just couldn't l). When in Olympia, WA get YOUR Hash on!

Front of the house

Coffee

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Outside in front of the building

Left Bank Pastry

4.4(364 reviews)

1.3 mi

I'd love to give this place zero stars because it made me overeat x 3. I stopped by to grab a…read morecanèle (they didn't have any when I was there). Instead I got some other delicious things. And I ate them all. Two would have been somewhat reasonable, 3 was not. I had two croissant based items and they were simply incredible. Total for the three things was $15. Very very reasonable. Go here, you will not regret it. No regerts!

Wonderful staff and super pastries and coffee/tea. Top shelf…read more However this place is SO noisy!!!! Its impossible to have a casual conversation. I've taken a couple stars off from my initial review for ambiance.

Canelé bought yesterday (6/24/25)

(6/23/25)

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Dining in...

Uptown Grill

4.5(519 reviews)

0.0 mi

i love this place it has best food please contact me here…read moreowner i'm looking for job i can do anything in restaurant very professional. i can cook, prep cook and wash dishes serve customers i have over 5 years of experience working in restaurant and i didnt find your website so that is why i'm applying thru here. you can contact me thru my email igor240528@gmail.com

This is a very nice little spot off the main road. The food was good and very friendly service. We…read moreordered the burger and fish n chips. The burger was too thick but tasted good. The fish was perfect!

Warm Northwest Blackberry Pie

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S'more

Row

3.9(254 reviews)

0.2 mi

Service staff were quick and very nice. We both had Fish and…read moreChips and agreed it was good -- not outstanding but still enjoyable. The indoor space is nice, but always a little loud no matter how many patrons there are. The outdoor area is wonderful - just need good weather.

Terrible service Ignored for over an hour while several…read moregroups who came in after us got seated and served Cold, soggy fish and chips Got attitude when lodging complaint rating: worse than zero

Restaurant

Home made chips and dips-huge portions of house made dips-yum!

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Cascadia Grill

4.3(657 reviews)

0.1 mi

Best variety for our crowd! We had a vegan in our group who was surprised to have many choices and…read morewe were all very happy with all the food we got. Our server David was a great server, full of information and great recommendations. Although I suspect we would have enjoyed anything on this menu. Kudos to the chef! Only issue we have is that we don't live in Washington to eat there more often. We were traveling through. We will NOT forget his experience though and we will be back!

It's a cute diner without that cheap diner feel. I ordered the steak frites, which came as one…read morethick piece of steak with quite a bit of fat. I was a little confused by the cut--it felt like a larger piece with a small section still attached, almost like a chicken breast cut into uneven portions. I ordered it medium-well; the edges were cooked that way, but the center leaned more toward medium-rare. The fries were okay, but a bit cold and sad, honestly . The Diet Coke was flat. On the positive side, the service was super nice and attentive, the bathroom was very clean, and the overall vibe was pleasant. Because of the great service, I'm still giving them 5 stars. I'd definitely come back if I'm in the area and try something else on the menu.

Inside

The one and only garlic steak

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Peanut Butter Stout! The glass is half full (in need of refill)

The Lucky Lunchbox

4.3(154 reviews)

1.4 mi

Driving from Seattle to Portland with a deadline means a lot of hectic traffic, so when hangry…read morestarted to hit I found Lucky Lunchbox and it was perfect. Ordered online, it was ready when I got there 20min later and there was even a public toilet. Perfect pitstop, when you have no time to slow down. Quality ingredients, sandwiches made to order, and kind service. It was a clean little joint and busy. Partners had the smoky turkey and I had the spicy chickpea--exactly what we needed. We'll be back!

Really good sandwiches. It's a cool little place. Orders come out fast. There is no seating other…read morethan a few tiny tables out front, but it's a covered area. Seems to be a pretty popular place to swing in and grab something for lunch really quick. Clean looking establishment. You can watch them make your food right in front of you and they'll bring it out to you if you want to sit outside. I guess the tables outside could be just a bit bigger. Great place though! Before we drove away I noticed the lady who took our order was already out cleaning our table.

Sausage and cheddar breakfast sandwhich

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Just Cuz Cafe

4.7(174 reviews)

3.5 mi

Came down from Tacoma, really nice little place but with enough seating inside…read more Not a long wait, I killed the sandwich as soon as I parked back home. Was worth the drive! Can't wait to go back.

A coworker of mine recommended I try Just Cuz Cafe for their coffee so I stopped by this morning…read morefrom a quick treat. I ordered the banana latte and chocolate muffin. I really enjoyed the latte as the syrups are made in house and it had a true banana flavor and didn't taste fake. I also loved having a warm muffin to go with it. I have only 4 stars because the ambiance wasn't all there but overall the service and food was pretty good. I would definitely return to try some other items.

10/11/25

Beef Banh Mi and House Coffee. Guaranteed to make your day better.

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Strawberry Matcha Latte & Matcha Latte

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7 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Ralph D.

0

37

0

5 years ago

I'm a vegan who lives downtown and have eaten at this cafe many times since it first opened on Capitol way, and now on the corner of fifth ave. I've found the food consistently good but, unfortunately, in most cases, the various counter persons taking my order to be at best minimally welcoming and friendly, and at worst as unwelcoming and just place your damn order unfriendly as some fast food chain worker. I'm almost at my tipping point and ready to abandon this cafe completely. read more

Oliver F.

164

8

1

8 years ago

So excited that great vegan food finally has come to olympia! Excited to try everything on the menu! Local, supportive of other businesses, owned by badasses- awesome! read more

Nathan L.

0

1

0

6 years ago

The food here is incredible and a prefect vegan twist on American comfort food. Everything on the menu is great but I recommend the Buffalo Setan Wings. read more

Robert B.

0

6

1

2 years ago

An Olympia gem. I never tired of the tahini bowl and the smores cookies. And they have vegan soft serve! And great beer.

S A.

1

32

2

7 years ago

Awesome healthy vegan food. We were passing through and found this place. Glad we found this place.

Sophie D.

0

1

0

8 years ago

So delicious! You get a lot for your money (big portions) and friendly staff

Mark S.

27

6

6 years ago

Awesome taste! this is my new favorite! I really love it!

The Wayside Cafe - vegan - Updated September 2026

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The Park Side Café

4.0

(89 reviews)

Amazing food, great staff, cool ambience. What more could you want? I am not vegan however their…read moremenu is all vegan but you'd barely know it! Their baked goods are cold and yummy and their food is unique but tasty. I recommend this place if you're looking for something new to try! They have a rooftop dining area where the staff bring you your food! And they are all very nice. Apparently everything is made from scratch too! Would come again!

I can't believe I've never been here before it's my new favorite spot, it's in such a beautiful and…read morecool building and has a great ambience and vibe and lots of space, including a really beautiful rooftop terrace. they had a lot of options to choose from and a lot of stuff looked good but ultimately I got biscuits and gravy and the breakfast bowl and both were really well priced and affordable, and the latte had extremely fluffy foam which I love. The food was delicious!Ultimately it was the cheapest meal out ive had for 2 people in a long time in such a nice spot, Id love to come back soon.

Soul Cafe

4.2

(43 reviews)

This is my favorite place. They have delicious food, a charming, relaxed ambiance, and beautiful…read moremusic performances as well as poetry and other cultural activities. It's a wonderful addition to our community with a very healing vibe.

Cool cafe with pretty mid food…read more The ambiance inside is really relaxing; plenty of comfortable seating with plenty of plants around to make a warm and inviting space. The cafe is attached to a store, but that doesn't really affect the cafe all that much. The tablecloths used have a tendency to slide around very easily. We got the tempe blt panini and tempeh Ruben panini with their fries. The fries and ketchup were the best tasting item. You can add extras to the sandwiches, but that gets pretty pricey pretty fast. I added on avocado for $2, which was left off my sandwich so be sure to check that your food is correct. They did give me a small cup of avocado when I went up to the front, but I unfortunately did not notice it was missing until I had already eaten half of my sandwich. The food itself was a bit greasy. Not too overwhelming, but enough that it affected the meal. The sandwiches are pretty small, but filling enough for a lunch sized portion. Beyond food, everything else is self service (water, napkins, utensils). Not bad unless you have limited mobility, then it will be difficult to maneuver around the tables to the small cramped corner that everything else is located. When a gentleman asked the staff if they would bring him a fork (needed assistance walking), the staff only pointed again where the utensils were located before walking away.

Le Voyeur

3.8

(151 reviews)

Finally had the pleasure to visit the all vegan Le Voyeur in downtown Olympia. In addition to…read morehosting shows and events on a regular basis, they have a hearty regular menu of burgers, hot dogs, sammiches, wings and fries and on some weekends .. they run absolutely drool worthy specials. We were visiting a dear vegan friend in Olympia last night which served as the perfect occasion to visit Le Voyeur for the first time (although our friend had been there before). I was super excited to try their weekend special, Kimchi Melt, consisting of Kimchi, bacun, caramelized onions, gochujang mayo, impossible patty and melted cheez on grilled sourdough. The sammich was a beautiful mess and a fork was a definite necessity to devour everything that dropped down to the plate. Admittedly, my picture did not begin to do this sammich justice so I'm including a picture of their FB post as well. I'm not sure what type of bacun they used for their sammiches but it was amazing, great flavor and texture, really adds a lot to the meal. In addition, their garlic fries were yummy ... can't really go wrong with those! Their Carolina BBQ Wings were nothing short of amazing, a great chew and flavor as they pull apart from the center sugarcane center ("bone") and can be ordered with a choice of either Ranch or Bleu Cheez dressing. There's a quite a few super compelling choices for all vegan establishments when stopping by Olympia. This definitely needs to be on your list and is the only one that you'll find open late night.

Awesome comfort food - the best gf buns in the business make eating your sausage awesome real…read moretreat! Staff is so cool. They have cool art nights and are super inclusive. The garlic fries are the best in any town!!

Sidewalk Cafe

4.4

(93 reviews)

Such a yummy and cozy little cafe…read more I was originally going in for a simple egg and cheese sandwich of some sort but when I saw an avocado bagel with micro greens and cream cheese I had to! It didn't disappoint, the ingredients were all fresh.

$25 for a sandwich, water, and tip. Seemed a bit pricey but it's a solid sandwich and great…read moreservice. I split the sando with my sister and it was filling. The employee even threw in a free bag of chips the bread was a bit too hard but I'd def come back to try some other options. We sat outside and the sandwich was out in about 5 minutes. Really kind staff.

Heyday Cafe

3.8

(28 reviews)

After 30 years, still making the coffee and morning experience tons of fun! They also serve Dancing…read moreGoats coffee but if you're heading to the Olympia Farmers Market anyway, then save your Dancing Goats experience for another day and come and support this fun coffee kiosk at the market. LOTS of food options, too, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle inspired entrees. They may not have a creative coffee menu but they cover are the basic espresso drinks and have lots of flavor choices.

We tried their wraps here and it was decent. They had a long line but it moved quickly. It seems…read morepopular The wraps was good and it came with a side of potato salad. Its a good place to stop by if you're in the farmers market as they have other food options like sandwiches.

5th On 4th Sandwiches

4.3

(261 reviews)

This place is a must stop if you're hungry in Olympia! The staff is always super nice & the food is…read moreconsistently excellent. It's hard to find a place with both a good main dish and a good french fry, but these guys do both well. I recommend their Ruben, or their Club Sandwich. They are HUGE and so delicious!!!! They have a drive through, and both indoor & outdoor seating. It's pretty basic inside, but they have a nice clean restroom.

Great sandwiches! We were on the road and the sandwiches were perfect. Service good. Not much…read moreambiance but who cares?

The Nom Nom Deli

4.0

(113 reviews)

I really hate to leave bad reviews especially when the service was good. But the bahn mi sandwiches…read morewe got were the worst i've ever had. The pork wasn't grilled, it tasted like it was microwaved, there was no flavor at all, the veggies were limp, there was no jalapeño or anything and no Vietnamese mayo, the only good part was the bread. We ordered three sandwiches, one for each of us and one for our son. We just shared the 1, and gave most of that to our dog. We brought the other 2 home. My son took a bite and couldn't eat any more of it. And he eats everything lol I absolutely hate wasting food and money like this. I was really, really looking forward to a bahn mi sandwich. I'm having oral surgery in a week and won't be able to eat them for a very, very long time, maybe never again. We live in Aberdeen and were in town for a doctor's appointment, and our usual spot is closed on Thursdays. So I found this place on yelp. Huge disappointment. And I'm bummed that I have to leave this review because the service was great. The gentleman at the counter, who took our order and cooked our food was super friendly and nice. And maybe the other food there is good, but if you're looking for a bahn mi, go somewhere else. It was literally the worst we've had.

I ordered the pork bahn mi and was so excited to try this place. It has to be among my worst bahn…read moremi ever. It was not grilled pork or at least didn't resemble pork. It was bits of meat. I am very disappointed and won't go back.

Toast Mi

4.5

(57 reviews)

Yummy! A cute little banh mi spot in Lacey. The staff is super friendly and helpful, and the…read moreservice is fast. We've driven by so many times and finally stopped in for lunch -- safe to say we'll be back. We ordered two house specials (two meats + fried egg). I got the pork and tofu, and my boyfriend got the beef and pork. Heads up, the marinade can be on the sweeter side (according to my bf), so if that's not your thing, it might not be your go-to. But i really liked the balance of sweetness with the spice of the jalapeños. The bread was the standout for me. A lot of banh mi places have bread that's too hard, but theirs was perfectly crisp and easy to bite into. Can't wait to try more of the menu

3/5 stars but I would rate 2.5 if I had the option. Although this wasn't the best bahn mi I've had…read morethe flavor profile was decent. I'm disappointed that the French bread barely had any crunch to my sandwich although I saw them "toast" it, it was more warmed up than toasted. Any real Vietnamese bahn mi would pride themselves on homemade bread and this definitely was not homemade. I didn't get the best taste of the pate but instead the mayo has a cilantro twist to its flavor. I don't think I would go out of my way to seek this sandwich out again. I think the boba is a better option here.

T’s Cafe and Espresso

4.6

(47 reviews)

Great casual spot, superior brekky food, latte was solid, drip coffee was strong, and the decor was…read moreunique and charming. Sat at a table by the window with large purple plush high backed chair. Overall would highly recommend

Our group of 13 came from Shelton and wanted to make a stop for breakfast before going to Pike…read morePlace! We appreciated the old school Americana vibes and that it was very easy to park. The huge portions were delicious and comforting. We tried the squatch, which was "Homemade fry bread topped with a trace of Alfredo sauce, 3 eggs scrambled with bell peppers, onion & mushrooms. 1/2 LB chicken fried steak stacked on top of that with a dollop of more Alfredo sauce." The wagon wheel was described as "Our famous cinnamon roll prepped as french toast stuffed with ham, bacon, crispy hash brown and American cheese." Overall my family loved the interesting twists on brunch classics- definitely add pepper and hot sauce to add some brightness and spice if you like. We also had a slice of coconut cream pie which was solid. Service was pretty effective and efficient. Definitely recommend stopping by if you are in the area!!!

Hash

4.0

(538 reviews)