Souley (and Wholly) Vegan

Brunch: it’s not just about tofu scrambles and hash browns anymore.  At Souley Vegan in Jack London Square in Oakland, they’re servin’ up classic, cheap, Southern-style soul food that’s strictly vegan (do I sound like Guy Fieri yet?).

For $10, you can get a whopping plate of food which includes three items of your choice.  But you should only order this combo platter if you’re about to break a fast or if you’ve just come out of hibernation, because it really is a large portion.  You could also order a la carte and supplement it with $2 add-ons, like sausages or cornbread.  I strongly recommend the BBQ tofu and agave-sweetened yams.  I’ve heard some call the tofu “the best [they’ve] ever had” and really, truly mean it.  Anyway, it’s pretty damn cheap.  Our bill for two came out to $18, and we didn’t need to eat again ’til dinner.

Don’t expect any frills on Souley Vegan, for it is frill-less.  There isn’t actually a “traditional” waitstaff; you order at the counter as soon as you enter, and they eventually bring you your plate.  The decor is minimal, and the dining room area feels gratuitously spacious.  It kind of reminds me of my middle school’s cafeteria, but in a positive, super nostalgic sense.  Plus, they were showing episodes of Soul Train on TV for our amusement (which most definitely did not hearken back to my middle school days).  Oh, and the staff was really friendly and warm, like they valued our patronage for real.

It should be said that Souley Vegan also serves lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, 11am to 9pm, but Sunday brunch is their latest addition.  You can peep the full menu here.  Now go get your soul on.

Thanks to Anitza V. for the pic.

Brunch at Souley Vegan
301 Broadway [Oakland]
Sundays 10am to 2pm