We went there for Pana Venezuelan Food but ended up trying one of their soup Obe Ata -Ashake pepper soup. Which is brown rice and roasted veggies. We asked them to make it spicy and we also requested for the other 2 soup, which they obliged and gave costco type sample. Obe Epa peanut stew was sweet and tasty. I will call it a dessert soup. Obe Egusi Pumpkin seed stew was also tasted good. But we think we made the right choice ordering the pepper based one, which was tangy, spicy and unique as this dishes are based on west african cusine. Roasted veggies and were all in right mix along with a surpise, it had big chunks of sweet potatoes. Which really heled to savor this dish even more as it cut through the spice and tanginess, beautiful addition. We will try their other items when we get a chance. Good call! read more

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We rarely find peanut stew while out on our travels, so we were pretty stoked to see it here! We ordered that and a side of the plantains. Both were excellent in flavor and quality, and very reasonably priced. Staff was friendly, too. This location is in a food court, which made it fun to grab a few items from other places, and then we sat and enjoyed the live music and people watching. Highly recommend! read more

Veg on the edge is located inside Abbot Square Market that has a plethora of other restaurants. They offer West African vegan fare with fresh ingredients. There are a few tables and chairs in the vicinity as well as outside seating--where live music/events are held from time to time outdoors held by the market. The food is ordered on a device and shortly thereafter the food is ready for pick up. A veggie cheeseburger and plantains were ordered during this visit. The cheeseburger was tasty, it had a vegan cheese slice and vegan mayo. The plantains were wickedly delicious, they were caramelized to perfection with a tender middle. Good food in an inviting space; the vegan cuisine here was absolutely worth a visit and the owner was very kind. The space was clean and restrooms are also available. Abbot Square (a food and beverage establishment), physically connects the market to the Museum Art and History (MAH). read more

Veg On The Edge - Burger and plantains - Vegan Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I was excited to try this place specially coz im a vegetarian. I thought it was strictly ok. The food we got didnt look anything like the pics. Very small portions. There was some rice, beans and faux meat in one and the sqme combo with tofu in other. Everything was a bit too sweet and the spicy sauce we got on the aide helped. Nothing was seasoned tho and was a disappointment. The place is in a food court sort of place and there was good seating on the outside with some live music. read more

Veg On The Edge - Vegan Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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I have been on the hunt for delicious vegan food! I recommend this spot because they had a huge selection on their menu! The tofu was marinated in a delicious curry sauce, I still think about it. read more

Veg On The Edge - Tofu Scramble Taco Plate - Vegan Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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The obe egusi has been a favorite comfort food for years. I am writing this review over a year since l've had it last, as I moved away, and I am craving it & missing it. Flavorful & comforting & hearty & fresh. The owner was so kind when I would order from here regularly as well. Everyone has always packed my orders with care & I feel like the food is made with care as well. I miss this food a lot & think of it often! Definitely try it you want vegan & gf options for comforting healthy food. read more

What an unexpected finding! Was looking for something healthy to make my gut happy for tomorrow's meeting during the business trip. Marinated tofu wrap had a thin layer of wram rice with grilled tofu, sweet red potato (or beet), carrots, and kale with green secret sauce that was herb-y and delicious! I could tell the ingredients were really fresh and well selected. I didn't have any idea what western African cuisine food would look like, but I'd like to try more next time. Plus, the gentleman who made the food was friendly and looked genuinely happy to make foods for customers. Loved the place read more

Veg On The Edge - Marinated Tofu Wrap, comes with green delicious sauce - Vegan Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Amazing hidden vegan spot! We tried the pumpkin and peanut stew, and the peppered plantains- amazing flavors and so fresh!! Can't wait to try the third stew, but they were out. We will definitely come back next time we are in town! read more

This place was amazing! It was actually recommended to me through ChatGPT. I was looking for something healthy and under $20. I am so glad I tried this place. It is located inside of a food hall. The ordering process is easy. We were able to see photos of each item on a tablet, and everything was fresh and made to order. I have never had food like this before, even though it was vegetarian, you wouldn't even miss the meat. I can't wait to return to this place. read more

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The pumpkin stew was tasty but the side salad was just raw kale and the tofu and mushroom I added on didn't seem freshly made.

Really good! Gave us extra sauce and a pretty big portion for just $10! Idk why this place is labeled two $$, it should just be one $. Amazing owner and service. He seems so sweet :) read more

Veg On The Edge - 1 Marinated Tofu Bowl (gf) - Vegan Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

It's been a long time since I've been here but the satisfying memory of Veg On The Edge lives on! Such beautiful, flavourful cuisine from Akindele & his team! Clearly a labor of love! We are the lucky ones who get to feast here! read more

This place was amazing. I came to Santa Cruz on a vacation. I am a vegan that is gluten-free, corn, free, and soy free. So you can imagine trying to find food is hard. The lady working was very nice and was able to figure out a good fit for my diet. And wow, did it taste amazing. I ended up getting a bowl and my friend got a wrap! We both agreed they were very tasty and hit the spot. It was such a relief finding somewhere where I can eat their food!! I will definitely be returning on my next visit!! read more

Went there for the first time today, surely not for the last time! Tried the pumpkin stew...DELICIOUS!! Vegan is the way to go!

This is one of my fav vegan spots in Santa Cruz! It's located in the food court and has inside and outside seating. Their service is also pretty quick. Absolutely love their food especially- try their 'Taste of Africa' dishes: Obe Egusi (pumpkin seed stew) it's soo good that I drive here 50 mins to their curry bowl. It's delicious with greens, rice, stew. My other go-to is their tacos ( esp jackfruit tacos, suya tacos, it's on spicier side or tofu scramble tacos are great). You can add spicy mushrooms to any of their dish and it tastes delicious. The other stew like Obe Epa (peanut stew) and Obe Ata (pepper soup) are great too. The owner, Akindele is amazing person and very kind. If you are in Santa Cruz and looking for plant-based, gluten-free options, give them a try! read more

Veg On The Edge - Tofu Scramble Taco and Obe Epa - Peanut Stew (GF) Jackfruit Taco - Vegan Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

The best vegan food in Santa Cruz and also the most flavorful. Located inside the Abott Square marketplace, its a fairly new vegan place offering wraps, burgers, tacos and stews that are all vegan with tofu, shitake mushrooms and sweet potato as their main ingredients. The Suya which is another term for spiced shitake mushroom is an explosion of spices. The owner was kind to have us taste some of the filling and stews to help decide what to order. There is limited seating inside, but lots outside on the square for bigger groups. Be sure to try this place when visiting Santa Cruz. read more

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Clean atmosphere. Service was friendly, accommodating and quick. Food was wholesome, the peppered plantains were tasty. I'd come back in the near future. read more

Veg On The Edge - Obe Egusi - Pumpkin Seed Stew (gf) with beyond sausage - Vegan Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Veg on the Edge has been a vegan go-to for me for years. I'm not ashamed to say their mushroom suya bowl has appeared in several of my dreams -- it's THAT good. The staff is small and it's so nice to recognize a friendly face every time I visit. The owner of the restaurant knows how to make genuine connections with everyone who comes in. Located in a cute food court attached to a museum in the heart of downtown Santa Cruz with lots of seating and, often, a bustling live music scene. Cannot recommend it enough. One note: given the small staff and emphasis on fresh, made-to-order dishes, it can sometimes take a few extra minutes to get your food. No worries, because there's so much to see while you wait! See their trademark disclosure: "this is not a fast food establishment." read more

We ordered a bunch of stuff from here because we wanted to try it all! We ordered the Obe Ata which was delicious! The suya burger that was cooked perfectly. One suya taco and one veggie taco. The filling for both was fresh and had great spice but I was not a fan of the tortillas. Not sure if they were old but they had a chewy texture so I ended up just making a bowl type thing out of the taco fillings. The French fries were freshly fried. The peppered plantains were a disappointment. They didn't seem freshly fried more like fried and then put in a crock pot or something because they had a slimy texture. Our order took awhile to get but there was only two people working so it was expected. They have a self order kiosk which was nice and definitely helped them since their staffing was light. We will definitely be back to order certain items and try other stuff on the menu! Glad to have experienced this place and love the dining room/food court concept of where it is located! read more

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I love this place! I eat here as much as possible. My favorite dish is Obe Egusi, the pumpkin seed stew with tofu. It is DELICIOUS! I am not vegan, but I love this restaurant and always enjoy this West African dish. I also appreciate that the food is clearly cooked with love. The owner, Akindele, is often there to serve up the food with a lot of warmth and a big smile. As a Santa Cruz local, I give Veg on the Edge my highest recommendation. read more

The food was delicious and filling! Great price and lots of choices! The staff were very kind as well :) read more

Veg On The Edge - Bottom: Marinated Tofu bowl Top: Thai Peanut Bowl (GF) - Vegan Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Ordering was quick and easy on a tablet, and the restaurant is one of many in a great little hub downtown! I was excited to try Veg on the Edge all week and it didn't disappoint! I ordered the Obe Epa peanut stew, and the peanut flavor sure packed a punch! That said, it leaned pretty sweet, so keep in mind if that's not your thing. But it was flavorful and filling, and went really well with the brown rice. I didn't expect much from the salad but it was delicious, and whatever green sauce was on the salad was amazing! The kale was nice and tender, too. I definitely recommend, and I'm looking forward to going back and trying other items! read more

Veg On The Edge - Obe Epa - Peanut Stew (gf) - Vegan Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

10/10 I loved their burger, so yummy and the service was so great! Definitely my new favorite vegan spot! HOMEMADE KETCHUP, FIRE! Also surrounded by other restaurants so if you have non vegan friends who are judgey they can go else where and miss out! Highly recommended if you are in the area read more

My friend and I ordered 2 dishes. Despite being vegetarian they were quite heavy and my dish gave me ... the need to run to the bathroom in the middle of the night. This never happens... I didn't risk eating my leftovers. I had the Thai peanut bowl, I think it was. Was a bit more hopeful for this one during a recent visit to Santa Cruz. read more

Veg On The Edge - Vegan Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Underwhelmed by the food and no-communication, no human contact screen ordering system. They were out of many items when we went, and the veggie burgers we got were undercooked with a stale bun, and swimming in condiments. Overpriced Beyond Meat laziness. Chefs kiss was when a worker was extremely rude to a polite older man who struggled figuring out their screen system. No need to go back, the Billy Goat nearby had tons of vegan options. read more

This place is cracking for SC, solid prices for solid portions. It is very healthy, not too salty and well seasoned. Everytime I come through, I will definitely stop by. The owner is so nice and warm too! I had the peanut stew, pumpkin stew & plantains. You cant miss with these. Its in the market hall across from TJ, you can sit and eat there not too bad either. read more

Never will I ever order (in person) from here again. My veggie burger and side of whatever I ended up with was fine. It was better than fine; it was maybe 3.5 stars and half-delicious. But the service? The service. When I arrived, there were two people working. One person called someone's name, gave the customer her food, and proceeded to talk to the other worker. They were gesticulating at the cook order screen on the wall, and the second worker assured the first worker that he'd be fine. The first worked kept asking whether he was sure, starting packing his stuff up, and left. Someone used the self--serve touchscreen before me, but he was done quickly, so I used it. He had asked the guy why he couldn't add fries to his order, and the guy informed him (and me) that they were out of fries. (Out of fries?) I hate self-service ordering. Why am I paying to put in my own orders? I think customers should get a discount for any work they do for the establishment, whether that's busing, ordering, or checking out. Anyway, the remaining worker was hard at working slinging all these veggie burgers. I watched as he cooked each one, added the specific toppings, and lined them up. He called out the order name when there were three burgers there, but as I waited and waited and waited, he came out with three more and called the same name. Why would he call out an order when only half of it was ready? I assumed this order was for the guy who had ordered in front of me, but no, that guy was busying himself grabbing his utensils and napkins in anticipation of his order. After fifteen minutes with no sign of his food (he asked the worker whether any of the six burgers getting cold were his), he went to another business to order French fries. He brought those back and waited. He left again and returned with a pink lemonade. I waited and couldn't believe what was going on. I was hungry. No, I was hangry, and I couldn't believe that (a) the worker hadn't started working on the order of the guy ahead of me yet and (b) that someone who had ordered six burgers would allow their food to just sit there. (That's a lot of money to waste if you don't have time; I would have demanded my money back if I had had to leave.) Finally, about twenty-seven minutes after ordering his burger, the guy in front of me had his name called. By then, his wife and daughter had already mostly finished the chicken they got from another business, and he was almost done with the huge order of fries that he had ordered from elsewhere AFTER HAVING ALREADY WAITED 15 MINUTES FOR HIS ORDER. His lemonade was long gone, and he had already thrown away the cup. I was about to complain when a woman arrived and asked whether those six burgers were hers. They were! She had waited at least twenty-five minutes for her order, but apparently, she knew what was up, because she didn't even show up until her food had gotten cold. That'll show them, I guess? My food finally came up, and by the time I took it outside to the pleasant patio and courtyard, there were more tables available because the crowd had thinned, so my wait wasn't totally in vain. But twenty-eight minutes between ordering and receiving your food? This is a food stall in one of those food halls that are popular now. There's just no excuse for how long it took. A single employee should probably be able to handle more than three orders (no matter the size) in a half-hour, and this employee had specifically told the other one that he could leave. Why? Maybe if they hadn't forced me to order on the touchscreen, he might have warned me that there was a large order ahead of me and that mine might take a while? I don't know. Maybe the guy would have kept his lips zipped like he did throughout, never once acknowledging me or apologizing for the absurd wait time. With issues like this on a Sunday afternoon--exactly when you expect it to be busy--I can tell you that Veg on the Edge is also on the edge of viability as a business. It should be called Veg While We Put You on Edge, or Evegually. read more

Veg On The Edge - To better serve me, or to reduce your costs? - Vegan Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Yummy food and great service! I love the Abbott square marketplace and it's so fun and cute to sit here together in the middle of all the shops. The tofu bowl was so yummy and I hope to go back and try more items since everything on the menu looked delish!! read more

Veg On The Edge - Marinated Tofu Bowl - Vegan Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

The food is unique and delicious. Try the plantains! And Akindleh (pardon the spelling) who owns it is a wonderful person. It's a vegan place. read more

I came in at lunch time to try Hanloh Thai unfortunately they are only open for dinner. None the less the owner pointed me to Albert square food court for vegetarian options. I was nicely surprised with Veg on the Edge a WestAfrican restaurant. I had the Shiitake Mushroom bowl and it was fresh and deliciously perfect in presentation, taste and amount. He gave me couple of great sauces with. I had never tried WestAfrican meal before and I imagine you may not have either, but I highly recommend it. read more

We loved this place for lunch today! The food all seemed very healthy and was definitely delicious. The guy manning the counter and putting things together was really friendly and the prices were great. The food hall area was pretty nice, and had a variety of seating available. If you don't want to try this unique and delicious West African food, there are a variety of other options in the same food hall read more

The wrap was delicious. It was prepared in a large area of assorted eateries like this one. We sat outside and the weather was perfect (in February). I'll be back. read more

Veg On The Edge - Tofu Scramble Wrap with pumpkin seed dip - Vegan Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Solid food, quick service. I was bummed to see that a few options were unavailable due to being out of stock (vegan quesadillas are so hard to find). Otherwise I really enjoyed it and will come back when in the area next. read more

Delicious and fresh options that are incredibly flavorful and balanced. I love all the sauces!

Whether you're vegan or not, it is the tastiest, and also much more affordable than many there. Best food, people, ambiance - of course the atmosphere is anywhere you want to eat, but the folks serving and supporting this amazing local, healthy eatery are so good. Akindole brings such joy to helping nourish our community! We have gone there since they opened, and have never had one bad experience, only so good. read more

The service is super fast and the food is absolutely delicious! Have you ever tried their sweet potato fries? They are seriously the best I've ever had! And the owner is so friendly and sweet. It's a great place to try a different food flavor. read more

Two words: Absolutely Delicious!! I ordered the Obe Egusi (pumpkin seed stew) with cassava fries, and it was so very yummy and flavorful each and every bite. The kale Brussels sprout salad was an added balance to the stew. Im super bummed this isn't in San Jose, but this place is worth the drive and I'll be back with a friend! What I ask of the customers is to please be patient and understanding if it is a bit of a wait to order and receive your food, as it's just one person managing. Asé read more

Veg On The Edge - Vegan Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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I feel like the taste has changed since my last review or maybe it was just the items I ordered. I visited the downtown location twice. I had a couple wraps and they were kind of bland. Plantains were undercooked in the middle but the sauce was delicious. I had the mushroom suya quesadillas which were just okay. The cheese wasn't melted. Service is great, the owner is friendly and fast. I had the peanut stew a while back and it was just fine. Might just be my personal taste as I am a bit of a sensory seeker when it comes to food and prefer more salt, stronger tasting sauce, etc. But if I have a long day ahead of me this place is good for refueling with reliable vegan food. read more

Everything off the kids menu was out except for the quesadilla. And it was unacceptable. A piece of American cheese inside a tortilla. Asked the worker and he said "Not my problem. Thats how the recipe says how to make it". He had a very bad attitude and didn't even try to apologize. 0 stars read more

Veg On The Edge - Vegan Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I love finding all-vegan places and this place was great. I didn't realize it was in a "food mall" of sorts -- with lots of other food places nearby, but that didn't detract from the experience at all. The menu had some nice variety and I had to ask what a few things were -- but the guy behind the counter (the sole employee, I believe) was super friendly and helpful. We ordered a taco and burger and both were amazing. The fries were fantastic, too. Also, just outside of the interior "food mall" was a beautiful outdoor dining area with a live band just starting to play. read more

Veg On The Edge - Vegan Near Me - Santa Cruz, California