Black Leaf Vegan Cafe

I was greeted at the door by a young man with locs. Food was fresh and hot. First time eating from an vegan place and first time eating here and I was SO IMPRESSED! Atmosphere was serene and cozy. A great place to go out with friends, study, etc. Women’s Bathroom was nice, very cleaned and soap smelled divine. I ate and as I left from the restaurant, the same cashier male with locs told me to have a nice day using my name—he remembered my name? I thought that was great customer service and a great reflection on how this business honors their customers. I will be back and I highly recommend this place!!

I ordered the SEC bagel; where SEC is plant substitute Sausage, plant substitute Egg, and plant substitute Cheese. By the taste and texture, I don't think anybody would guess this was vegan, rather than the normal animal products. Vegan or not, the SEC bagel was very delicious, and surely better than any fast food breakfast sandwich you could get, at minimum. It's somewhat more expensive than I'd like, but otherwise 5/5 across categories. The "cafe" has a very nice interior, is connected to the 9 on Canal apartment building, and is a short walk east from the Canal Walk. (I mainly tried here because they helped cater an annual Keep Indianapolis Beautiful event, with one of their food trucks.)

We are new to vegan foods and this was outstanding! It was a punch of different flavors and spices that I didn’t miss the meat. I tried their specialty nachos and my husband had the “chicken” and dressing with Mac and cheese, again just unbelievable! Staff was friendly and courteous, owner gave us a smoothie on the house since we admitted to being newbies

They have a very nice and attentive staff. The atmosphere is grown, clean, and pleasant. The food is outstanding. I have had the jackfruit slider and the loaded nachos, so far. They are both great choices, but I think the slider was my favorite, if I had to choose. Also make sure to try their coffee, or the house made cider. They are both excellent. Not to mention that they are the only vegan Cafe in Indy open on Mondays.

Bruhh!!!! So I found this place because I was out downtown and NEEDED something healthy! I HAVE NEVER tried vegan food but I started a Daniel fast and need to stop somewhere quick cuz my STOMACH WAS HUNGRY!!! Went there not expecting too much and also restricted on menu because of fast BUT I the crab something and it was good!!! My date had a taco something (I’m sorry y’all I just remember what it look like) and it smelled/and looked so good I started digging in her plate. Oops!! Idk if I slipped on my fast but I think God was happy to see the smile on face lol. Definitely Going back and I’m not even Vegan. I might be after this 😂 If you reading GOOONE HEAD, STOP PLAYING! AND GOO!!!

You know, it's not every day you find a vegan joint that nails it, but this place? Total HOME RUN. I went for their Original Burger, and let me tell you, it’s in a league of its own. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill plant-based patty that tries to imitate meat. Nah, this one’s unapologetically vegan and juicy in its unique way. It comes smothered in this drool-worthy teriyaki BBQ sauce that’s just...wow! And let’s not forget about those fries—absolute perfection. Crispy, golden, and seasoned to hit all the right notes. But the awesomeness doesn’t stop at the food. What struck a chord with me was learning that Black Leaf Vegan is a family-owned, African-American-run business. Supporting them felt like I was backing a cause that matters, which is close to me as an underrepresented, and that was pretty empowering. The people here? Top-notch. Our server, Fundi, was like the warm vibe friend you didn't know you needed—super attentive, full of great recommendations, and just an all-around joy. Another staffer even tipped us off about where not to park, saving us from the nightmare of a towed car. The vibe is warm and welcoming; It’s a no-brainer—I'm returning, and you should hit it up, too. If you want food that fills your belly and feeds your soul, Black Leaf Vegan is where it's at.

We were happily greeted by the owner and then a wonderful staff. My kids loved the nachos, I had the amazing crab cake and my husband enjoyed the jackfruit sandwich. It was a wonderful start to our visit from Chicago. We are a vegan family and were super happy to be able to dine at Black Leaf Vegan. Go and you will be happy you did!