Democracy Food: Drink: Atmosphere: Price: all together 15/20 stars The vibe of this place is beautiful and I love the drinks. me and my friend went here and it was very relaxing and just like a good place to talk and catch up we love love loved the drinks much variety however the food was just okay it was a bit bland and a bit pricey but honestly I would just come back for the drinks and atmosphere cuz it's that good! It's dimly lit and the people that served us were very nice I love it! read more

Came here with a vegan friend for dinner. We had the fried cauliflower, which were coated in a thick layer of batter and deliciously sweet and spicy sauce. Definitely did not taste like chicken but still tasty. The big mac burger was however, phenomenal. It tasted exactly like a big mac and was covered in special sauce, lettuce, and vegan meat crumbles. It was quite expensive at $15, and was not particularly large, but I would get it again because it truly was so delicious. The smores desert cake we had was much too sweet, but still fun to share with a friend. Atmosphere was nice, with board games as well. The staff was very friendly and I would recommend this place for any plant based enthusiasts. The only issue is that it is quite expensive for the serving sizes. read more

Democracy - Big Mac burger pizza. Amazing - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

A very average coffee shop. Good place to sit and rest. It's quite dark inside though. read more

Ate here tonight and the best way to describe the food is non-offensive. It didn't have much taste, like they were afraid to use spice for flavour. We were a party of 8, but our (family of 3) dishes were the chilli, Mac and cheeze, burrito bowl and all were pretty bland. We won't be coming back, but if you're into vegan food, you may enjoy it. Ambiance was neat - a large olen door to Locke Street at night. It was cool, although it was slightly dampened by idiots on Harleys revving their bikes punctuated our meal once in a while. That's not on the restaurant though. The service was great; our server was fantastic, bringing coffees and making sure we had everything we needed. It's just sad about the food. We can't recommend the food at all, but come for everything else. read more

I did not actually eat there, as Democracy has changed its menu and no longer serves the hot meals; HOWEVER the baked goods were fresh and tasty, and the staff directed me to a nearby restaurant which had exactly what I wanted for lunch. That qualifies as service above and beyond their obligation read more

Came with a fellow conference goer since he has been and raved about their offerings. Plus since its all vegan!!! I had their asparagus mushroom which came with their soup and then shared the cauliflower wings with the Apple bbq sauce. The "wings" were delicious and crispy til the last night. The batter was a bit thick but the sauce made it! Their crepe was great and the sauce inside complimented the soft crepes and veggies. The soup left lots to the imagination, bland and just tasted like water with chunks of boiled veggies. Unfortunate since vegan soup options and recipes are plentiful! Service was great and we grabbed 2 morning glory muffin to go and they made for perfect breakfast to go ^_^ Will definitely we back! read more

Disappointing! My daughter and I had talked about Democracy a number of times, but never managed to get there. She and a friend stopped in one night but couldn't get a table because it was so busy. Finally, on a January Sunday afternoon, we managed to get a table for a late lunch. The café has a hipster décor, with small tables and hard wooden chairs. The walls have been painted with chalkboard paint and the floor is concrete. You grab a table and then head to the counter to order your meal. The menu looked promising. We chose the Tempting Tempeh sandwich (marinated tempeh, caramelized onions, butternut squash, kale and mayo) and one of the "featured" sandwiches, a Veggie Panini. We also ordered two side salads: Kale and Mango as well as a "featured" Southwest Quinoa salad. We had tap water to drink. When our food finally arrived, we eagerly divided our sandwiches and swapped half, and then dug in. Here's where disappointment hit: The Veggie Panini consisted of a hard-toasted panini bread smeared with avocado and melted Daiya cheese along with a slice of tomato. The bread was rock-hard; the flavour was meh. I would have expected some roasted peppers, onions, maybe some mushrooms, but only a pathetic slice of tomato defined it as a "veggie" sandwich. The Tempting Tempeh sandwich was quite slippery with mayo, onions and squash and it slid apart with each attempt to bite it. It was really messy to eat (hint: don't order this on a first date!). Again, the taste was a let-down. The salads were okay, although the quinoa salad was fairly bland. It could certainly have used some more spice / dressing / something. Overall, the whole meal was pretty flavourless. After all that, according to the signs, we were clearly expected to bus our own table. I can't really comment on the service because there wasn't much. The person behind the counter was pleasant enough and the person who brought our food to the table was also pleasant. That was the extent of our interaction with any staff. We noticed that the young women next to us had not finished their meal (pizza and soup) and they were simply enjoying coffee and chatting the whole time we were there. Others around us were having coffee or tea with muffins or bakery goods. This is probably a good place for just that: coffee and a muffin in an inexpensive trendy décor. But not for lunch --- I recommend that you go somewhere else. read more

Democracy - This was called a "veggie" panini. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

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Good coffee. I just bought a ginger cookie and a pound of coffee to go. Both were excellent

Great food. We have been to this location multiple times and every time having something different to eat. The prices are decent for the amount of food that you get and quite tasty. read more

Democracy - Relaxing treat, just waiting for some food. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

Awesome. Really nice vibe. Super fun energetic staff. Very helpful in many ways. Great suggestions for meals. Flavor from chef was fantastic. I'm not a vegan but the flavor was terrific. Thanks read more

My daughter is a vegetarian and loves this cafe. I enjoyed it tremendously even though i am not vegan/vegetarian. But good food is good food. Her favourite is the vegan fries supreme, I have to agree. The cauliflower-wings were delicious as well. I would recommend trying this casual cafe. Very laid back. The only thing I would suggest is getting wifi for customers. Also I found it a little pricey. But u get what you pay for and it was delicious... so I will be back read more

Democracy - a plate of food and a bowl of fries - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

Lovely restaurant for vegan food! Their nachos are delicious and I was eager to try their bbq and apple garlic cauliflower wings and they were pretty good! However, I was hoping the sauces would be more reminiscent of the classic chicken wing sauces (bbq & honey garlic), but I didn't find them to be too similar in flavour. Although, what blew me away was the cinnamon bun I had. It was incredible!! read more

I have been a regular customer at Democracy for over three years now. They offer a full vegan menu for lunch/dinner, plus many different changing items on their menu board behind cash. Items I've tried include loaded fries and nachos, pulled-jackfruit calzone, bbq cauliflower wings, chickpea-smash sandwich, and loads of other creative things that I've loved every one of! Their prices are a bit on the higher side but decent for the large portion sizes. I always have extra to take home. The location is located on lovely Locke St in Hamilton and during the summer they have a large open wall that lets you sit near the street and experience the lively atmosphere. Aside from the food, they offer amazing drinks and baked goods; and very thankfully don't charge extra for vegan milk substitutes like almond or soy. read more

Wasn't planning on going to Democracy, but it was raining, we were hungry, and they had space. We were a group of 4 and 3/4 ordered the burger and fries. I ordered the black bean burrito bowl. I meant to take a picture but I was so hungry I forgot. Overall experience was okay. Food took awhile to come out, which was a little surprising. Maybe they were understaffed that day? There is a nice little space with a couch that has some books and toys for kids as well as a chalk wall which was nice. The food was overall quite bland and just not very much food. If you are vegan / vegetarian it's a good place to go I am sure. It wouldn't be my first choice if I was in the area again. read more

My favourite place for vegan comfort food in Hamilton. The staff is always super friendly, the decor is laid back and comfortable, and the food is delicious. When I was going to McMaster I would come here every Wednesday night to do my homework over a coffee and some mac and cheese. If you need some suggestions on what to eat, the nachos are always a solid choice. The one thing I know some people will have an issue with is that there's no wifi, so you'll actually have to talk to your family or maybe read a book in the 10 minutes you wait for your food. read more

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There is a casual yet sophisticated ambiance to the place and that is probably the only thing I liked about the place. (Also the walls which drawing chalk can be used to draw/write on) The customer service was somewhat disappointing, my order (just a salad) never arrived until I reminded them about it after almost an hour. The quinoa salad was rather bland. If I ever decide to go back I perhaps have a better chance with desserts and coffee. read more

I have heard some good things about Democracy so my fiance and I decided to stop in. I actually didn't know it was all vegan inspired and GF, but that is ok with me. I tried the Pierogi Pizza and a Chai Latte. My Chai Latte was luke warm, so I drank that quite fast. My Pierogi pizza had a weird flavour it to. Honestly, I chalk it up as the "vegan" flavour. I am not sure what it was, but it was bitter. I got used to the taste once I ate 2 pieces, but I wouldn't order again. YES, I know its vegan but still should taste relatively good no? My fiance ordered the Buffalo Tofu sandwich, which he said was really more or less just a ton of batter on tofu and smothered in a semi-decent buffalo type sauce.Not much flavour really. It didn't come with a side dish or anything like that. He ordered an Americano coffee to drink, had nothing good or bad to say about it. If you are a true vegan, I am sure this place is delicious. But I guess my taste as a non-vegan is tainted. Hahaha. We will likely only come back for the coffee and possibly desserts! Thanks for trying Democracy. read more

Went there with my parents and boyfriend for lunch. We all loved the food. Also really loved the vibe. Felt like it belongs on the west coast. We need more places like this! read more

Democracy - Buffalo tofu sandwich and Moroccan chunky vegetable soup. Cauliflower wings in the background. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

Cozy place with loose leaf tea. Unfortunately no organic dairy milk available... Had the gf morning glory muffin and it was quite delicious. Also tried the gf donut, however it was too sweet for my taste and on the heavy side too. The vibe is casual and chill. Loads of natural light coming through which makes the place feel airy and peaceful. Super friendly staff. Saw many parents or grand parents with kids so makes it a little hectic at times with the kids running around. No wifi available so not a great place to come get some work done but great to come with a book if you're alone. read more

Cute little coffee shop. The soy chai latte was good, no complaints. The all vegan menu has lots of variety, but most things I could probably make myself. The perogie pizza was delicious and satisfying. The carrot pecan cupcake was amazing! I had no issues with service. The server was actually very attentive. I wouldn't go here expecting a fancy meal. It's great for a casual setting to catch up with friends. I'd definitely come back again. read more

Democracy - Perogie pizza - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

Cool Cafe with interesting staff. Espresso was great and love the view from the window ( or sometimes no window read more

Democracy - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Hamilton, Ontario

As a vegetarian i absolutely love this place. Staff are always nice. Food is delicious. Was hooked on veggie chilli...now my wife has got me hooked on the taco salad...mmmmm. plus they serve zevia drink...which i like. And dont get me started on how delicious the hello dolly or hello sailor is....vegan and so yummy. read more

Such a nice treat! The vegan "chicken" wings are out of this world. Their fries are the best in town. We have used Democracy for both dinning and take out and we've never been disappointed. read more

Such a fun cafe, there's always a lot going on and it's always a good atmosphere. This is a perfect date location in my opinion. Drink are nice and strong and the food is great. The iced latte I had was perfect and so sweet. We've had some baked goods as well and they where so fresh and tasty. An all around great cafe read more

Nice seating and plenty of space. Staff is friendly. Service a little slow but overall not bad. Salad was ok, but I did not like the coffee at all! I love my black drip coffees but didn't finish my coffee here read more

Really tasty food and really nice staff. The food is a little on the more expensive side but portions are pretty big and its soooooo tasty. My favourite vegan place. read more

As a Vegan it's great to have a place to go where everything on the menu is fair game. I always get the perogi pizza - delicious and consistently fresh and hot. Have tried a few other menu items (usually I split with my dining mate so we each try each other's dishes) and everything is consistently good. Pricing is about what you'd expect for Vegan food - expensive, but so are all the ingredients that go into vegan food. I know there's significant prep involved. The baked goods are the standouts for me - Democracy is the only place I've ever bought vegan baked goods that taste like "normal" baked goods. If I lived closer, I'd be there every day picking up something delicious. I'm looking forward to going in and trying something from the summer menu! read more

Went here a few times whilst staying in Hamilton over the summer. I really enjoyed the atmosphere, the coffee the food and appreciated the very friendly staff. The lack of wifi means that the place is lively - people talking to each other - instead of being glued to computer screens - which goes to make the cafe really welcoming. When we're next back in Hamilton we shall be there. read more

The staff is stuck up and the coffee tastes like dishwater. I've eaten here a few times when I'm too lazy to walk elsewhere, but I learned my lesson. I can see what they're trying to do and I applaud it (family-friendly, chalkboard walls, open door to Locke), but dude... dishwater coffee, more than once. There's better around, especially for the elevated price. read more

Nice, relaxed, cool place for hanging out with buddies after a tough day at the office Very relaxed attitude. Nice open seating, staff is friendly and not pushy at all when it comes to ordering. Good selection of alcohol. Had the Democracy Lager from Great Lakes Brewery...smooth taste. Decent menu selection (all vegan by the way) Ordered a buffalo tofu sandwich...essentially fried battered tofu heaped with barbecue sauce in a baguette..a little difficult to eat (very big, but tasty) Would definitely recommend going with friends if you work in the area. read more

Went there today with a bunch of friends and their 3- & 4-year-old kids. We'd been once before and just like last time the food was great, the atmosphere was relaxed and the service was good. They've got good beer on tap and their vegan sandwiches are massive, I particularly enjoyed the Hail Seitan which is essentially a vegan Philly cheesesteak - my wife got the Buffalo Tofu sandwich which was also pretty delicious. Between the sandwiches and a quinoa salad (which was great although admittedly a bit underdressed) we didn't have enough room for dessert. Unlike other reviewers here I haven't had trouble with the service there before and I didn't this time either. Our sandwiches took maybe 8-10 minutes to arrive. Having the chalkboard walls & tables was a boon for the kids as they could run around and draw while the parents talked (although I think the running kids annoyed a woman who was nearby on her laptop because she quite pointedly left in a huff - oops) The price can be a bit steep for what you get but compared to other restaurants on Locke it's pretty reasonable, and everything tastes fresh and well made. I'd gladly go back and recommend it to anyone regardless of dietary preference. I know Chuck's is right down the street if you're looking for serious meat, but for some lighter fare and a more relaxed ambiance this is a good spot. read more

No wifi! I wish they were opened that they do not offer any wifi to customers with a sign of any kind or even online. The food options were okay. I ordered the quinoa bowl small portion and not worth the price,nothing thrilled me with the meal. Staff okay. read more

Democracy has the BEST cauliflower wings. Honestly, that alone gives them a 5 star rating. Definitely recommend the sriracha lime sauce! Came here for dinner with some girlfriends on a weeknight and ordered the taco salad - amaaazing. Cool vibe and atmosphere, staff is very friendly. read more

Best GF and Vegan cafe in the city! The GF muffins are fantastic. Really cool atmosphere. I enjoy this place.

My husband and I went for lunch at Democracy this weekend. We were excited to try their vegan menu. We ordered some drinks, the cauliflower wings, smashed chickpea sandwich and Mac and cheese. The food was good, but nothing to write home about. The service was on the slower side. After we finished our meal we realized you have to clean up your own spot which is fine if I was at McDonald's but if I'm being charged $50 for lunch plus tip then I expect to do less work on my part. read more

Best bagels and cream cheese in Hamilton - actually the best cream cheese I can think of anywhere in recent memory. Friendly, relaxed atmosphere, usually easy to find a table if staying in. Coffee is decent, service is friendly but very slow. read more

always such a great meal and experience. my favourite grilled cheese in the world!!!! also the cauliflower wings are to die for

Expensive, great customer service to back it up and organic-friendly. Need I say more? Well, I can't. Okay, went there for breakfast and had a blast with the attractive cashier lady. The end. read more

Came in for lunch today. Had the Fries Supreme and my boyfriend had the Buffalo Tofu Sandwich. We shared the cauliflower wings. Fries were awesome, the cheeze sauce had mustard in it I think which gave it lots of tang. My bf loved his sammy. Cauliflower wings were so GOOD. Had them with the Sweet Apple Garlic Sauce. To be honest I would compare them to chicken balls, as far as the breading goes. But regardless they were super tasty. We also got dessert to go, a cupcake and a smores brownie. Both were delicious. Will say ordering was a bit confusing since we hadn't been there before. They have a menu chalkboard behind the counter but not all menu items are on it. You ask for the full menu and then order at the counter. They give you a number on a stand that you bring to the table and a server brings the food. If you are just getting coffee and dessert or bagel, you just order and get the food at the counter I think. Would recommend for vegan comfort food! read more

Cool little place. Great for a coffee or a pint! Not much bad I can say for these purposes. Good for a meal. You'll love this place as a vegetarian or a vegan. The food isn't knock-your-socks-off amazing, so don't expect that. I can try describe what I mean by saying that it almost has the effect of being so 'normal' that you forget you're eating vegan food, which is nice for some reason even if you are vegan. Additionally, it has really cool options that will keep you satisfied the next time you go back. read more