Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Ovo
American
Pizza
Take-out
Mexican
Bakery
Catering
Breakfast
Originally known as Longbranch Coffeehouse, this vegetarian restaurant offers a full menu of breakfast, lunch, and dinner along with coffee, tea, juice and smoothies. Causal dining. Open Wed-Sun 7:30am-3:00pm.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
-
100 E Jackson St, Carbondale, Illinois, USA, 62901
-
Loading...
-
- Accepts credit cards
-
-
Last update on 26 Jul 2023 by AustinSimms
Update business info -
Are you the owner?
Claim this business
-
-
18 Reviews
First Review by thestickwoman
HeatherFlett
Points +53
No longer vegetarian - Edit
No longer vegetarian. And although they have categories on their menu for veg or vegan, they were inaccurate. Food was ok but we hoped it would be better.
Read moreGuest
ConfessionsOfAVegan
Points +87
We used to love this place... - Edit
But then we learned that even though the food was great, the Longbranch Café and its manager are being sued for unfair labor practices, including wage violations, according to a lawsuit filed by the The U.S. Secretary of Labor. As ethical vegans, we couldn't support a business that is rooted in exploitation of its workers.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2021-07-19
Pros: Great food
Cons: Unethical business practices
Guest
Batgir1
Points +36
Breakfast Food - Edit
I have been eating here for at least fifteen years. The food is always wonderful. Family friendly and very nice staff. The desserts are so good I bring containers to take some back with me.
Read morePros: Desserts!, Breakfast until 2 pm!, Prices are lower than others veg restaurants
Cons: They close at 3 pm, Order evening meal before 2 pm
Guest
TiffanyT.
Points +66
Good vegetarian place, less good for vegans - Edit
Although Longbranch is strictly vegetarian, the vegan options are less plentiful than advertised. When they list an item as having a vegan option available, it is just the normal item without the cheese/egg/etc, there are no vegan substitutes. This makes some of the meals very bland and unexciting as as the vegan version.
Read moreThe best of the vegan options (in my opinion) is the beans and rice (without sour cream). Not a lot of quantity for the price ($14), but the best option.
We've also had the tacos, which as the vegan version are just cooked onions and peppers on a soft taco- not my favorite.
They do have non-dairy milks, which means that you can get a nice coffee drink vegan, and the vegan options in their dessert case are good (although a bit on the sweet side for my palate).
There are not a ton of vegan options in Carbondale.
Pros: good vegan pastry options
Cons: no vegan substitutions for egg/dairy
Guest
GretchenShelly
Points +136
Bakery and more - Edit
Nice variety of options, friendly staff, clean and environmentally responsible.
Read morePros: Vegan options, Organic too
Guest
Squirrel606
Points +28
Social media posts are misleading - Edit
They nearly always tag every picture post with vegan, even if the picture is obviously not vegan (something topped with a fried egg, for example). Often they don’t even tag it vegetarian, only vegan. After several years of asking if the item is actually vegan and they reply no, they don’t seem to be stopping or caring about this misleading practice.
Read moreThey need more options especially for breakfast, but are doing better with often including protein instead of always charging $4 for adding tofu.
Bakery items are also highly limited, but they do always have cupcakes.
Guest
amcalx1
Points +264
Good - Edit
It wasn’t bad for the price. Just with they had more vegan options. It’s very slim for the breakfast menu.
Read moreGuest
BetsyW11
Points +65
Wonderful experience! - Edit
We were camping nearby and stopped through Carbondale for a meal - so happy we did so! The food and fresh juices were outstanding and the owner even brought out a wooden rocking horse to entertain my four year old. We enjoyed it so much, we went when again on our return trip home.
Read moreGuest
LindaVegan2014
Points +30
Nice!! - Edit
Great find!! Lovely staff. Excellent food.
Read morePros: Nice vegan options
Cons: None
Guest
courtpline
Points +1182
Not very vegan-friendly - Edit
I like the restaurant, but I'm really disappointed with their vegan options. Their homemade burger patty and homemade sausage patties aren't vegan, and they don't even have a vegan cheese substitute. If they did, probably 90% of their menu could be made vegan instead of the few options they currently have. With all of the vegan substitutes out there, I'm not sure why they don't already do this.
Read moreThe last time I was there, I ordered the portabella sandwich with avocado, but they were out of avocado. Then the server told me their bun isn't vegan, and so I got a mushroom cap in between two slices of bread. Very disappointing.
Updated from previous review on 2017-10-16
Pros: Excellent coffee, at least 1 vegan dessert, nice atmosphere
Cons: no vegan cheese, burger and sausage aren't vegan
Guest
tdvegguy
Points +45
we were turned away at the door at 6:45pm - Edit
Not sure why but the server kicked us out as we were entering at 6:45 pm saying that they were closed...it wasn't busy. Rather peeved after driving 30 min to get there.
Read moreGuest
Nagemireille
Points +98
Great find, great food! - Edit
I was stopping through Carbondale for a wedding, and per usual, I checked Happy Cow to see if there happened to be any vegan-friendly places to eat nearby. To my pleasant surprise, I found Longbranch Cafe which is less than five minutes away from the hotel I stayed at! The atmosphere inside is really cute and original, and the cafe is located in a historical area of town. The menu labels dishes that are vegetarian, vegan, etc. I picked a vegetable medley type dish that came with a ball of brown rice and some super tasty ginger sauce on the side, and it was delicious! For dessert, I ordered a vegan vanilla cupcake which was super moist and flavorful. I highly recommend this place!
Read morePros: great atmosphere, healthy, "light" tasting food (a.k.a food that doe, lots of vegan choices
Guest
JesseIves
Points +133
wonderful cafe - Edit
When visiting my wifes brother and his family outside Carbondale this seemed like the only option. Looking over the menu online I wasn't that impressed, but I'm glad I went here, and we went twice! The red curry at dinner was great, and less questionable than some Thai places I have been to. The cupcake for dessert was a great finish. We went back for breakfast and I got a fairly simple tofu scramble, Mexican or Southwestern type dish that was very satisfying. Sometimes the only option doesn't mean it's a bad choice. Look forward to visiting the in-laws again.
Read morePros: all vegetarian
Guest
Adam Felcyn
Points +16
Underwhelming Vegan Experience - Edit
I've eaten here three times now, and I can't complain about the food I've ordered. I had a vegan calzone, a tofu scramble, and another time I just had some pastries that I was told were vegan.
Read moreMy problem is with the lack of vegan options. I would guess that at least 80% of the menu is not vegan. For some odd reason, eggs and/or dairy are used in just about everything. In this day and age, when egg replacer, plant milks, and vegan cooking techniques are widespread and available with just a Google search, I don't understand why a vegetarian restaurant would still be using dairy and eggs if they were trying to appeal to all vegetarians. Veganism is growing faster than ovolactovegetarianism is in the U.S. For example, ovolactovegetarians don't mind eating vegan sausage as opposed to veggie sausage with eggs, so why choose veggie sausage when you know vegans won't even want it? There are already few vegetarians in the U.S., and then they largely ignore a large section of them. What a brilliant business strategy.
Also, all three times I've been there the servers were perplexed when I asked about what desserts or side dishes were vegan since it's not clearly marked anywhere. That just gets annoying. I could go to any restaurant in Southern Illinois and go through the routine of asking about dairy or eggs and getting a confused look from their employees that don't regularly cater to vegetarians. The whole reason I go to vegetarian restaurants is because I'm expecting a knowledgeable staff that goes the extra mile to understand modern vegetarian dining.
If they catered to vegans more, I'd probably be there once a week rather than once every two months.
Updated from previous review on Saturday March 07, 2015
Pros: Good Coffee
Cons: Limited Vegan Selection, Unknowledgeable staff
Guest
MikeSwiston
Points +198
Great menu, great food - Edit
We ate here twice on a recent trip to the area. The menu is great, they have a good variety and lots of choices. The food was very good, they serve really good coffee too. The cafe was about half full both times we went but the food seemed to come out very quickly. In terms of vegetarian food, Longbranch Cafe is better than anything in St. Louis.
Read morePros: great food, great menu, great coffee
Guest
Sun Green
Points +23
Best Vegetarian Food in Carbondale - Edit
I love this place, and I want to point out that some of these reviews are old enough to be outdated. There is, for example, no smoking anymore. They also SERVE BREAKFAST ALL DAY, which is a recent change.
Read moreSpeaking of breakfast, the biscuits and gravy are AMAZING. (sorry vegans they have dairy). But there are lots of vegan options so don't let that deter you, this is definitely the best place for vegans in Carbondale because they are 100% vegetarian and all vegan options are clearly marked.
The coffee is fair trade, always, and they have lots of yummy lattes. Try Will's Cuban, it's totally addicting. There are also vegan options in the dessert case which is made by Longbranch bakers, never bought from out of the restaurant.
Another perk is that the restaurant is kid-friendly, and they have a kids menu. I've noticed a lot of kids like the nachos! (And I do too, it's good for an unhealthy day without being, you know, grossly unhealthy).
If you buy a coffee from Longbranch, you can get a free cookie next door at the health food store with your receipt!
Pros: 100% Vegetarian, breakfast all day, family friendly
Cons: Can be hectic/busy on the weekends
Guest
·X·
Points +23204
A Pebble/Rock In My Food Changed My Opinion...LOL! - Edit
Pebble [rock] in my food... The fact that happened has turned me off to this place (I really give this place 2.5 cows) -- but hey, this is the only options for the Vegans/Vegetarians down there. Below is my pre-pebble review however:
Read moreSince 01.01.08, all of Illinois establishments have gone smoke free; therefore, the smoking issue has been rectified here. I think this place is a cute artsy looking coffee place [and restaurant]. They had quite a few Vegan options; however, I was there at 5PM and they will not serve breakfast items after 4PM. How disappointing, because all four of us at the table wanted something off of the breakfast menu and my friend who has Celiac Disease [allergic to gluten] had to resort to chips and salsa. I ordered the Vegan calzone and I was very impressed, there wasn't Vegan cheese in it, but it was still delicious. Also, everyone liked what they got [someone got a veggie wrap with hummus].
TofuGirl83
Often times in dried beans and grains there are small pebbles that don't get sorted out in the factory and can be overlooked when they are being cooked. So even though it is alarming when you find a pebble in your food, at least take comfort in the fact that they are probably cooking their own beans and grains instead of using salt and preservative laden canned foods.
Read moreGuest
thestickwoman
Points +24
I enjoyed the food... - Edit
but I agree the cigarette smoke was awful. I don't understand why a restaurant that caters to a health-conscious crowd would allow that. Especially since they have outdoor space that would have suited the smokers just as well. I had the white pizza which was good but not very filling. My companion had the portabella sandwich and enjoyed it. She also had the ambrosia tea and reported it was very good. She was a little shocked at the presence of a basket of free condoms in the restroom, however. Parents may not want to explain that to their little ones, but this establishment obviously catered to a college crowd.
Read morePros: good variety, interesting facility, good desserts
Cons: smokers, slow drink refills, small portions
Sun Green
*Readers* Please note that there is a strict non-smoking policy at Longbranch as of now, 2011. There is still an outdoor seating area. The condoms are free as part of an HIV/AIDS awareness and safety campaign and shouldn't be seen as overtly risque or suggestive. This restaurant is very family-friendly, many community members bring their children here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner often.
Read moreGuest
For Members
Why was my review removed? Guidelines for writing a review View our privacy policyFor Business Owners
Claim this business See inaccurate information? Submit an update here Link to this page from your site See an unfair review? View full terms & conditionsThis page has been viewed 8680 times.