On this nippy day in October, I wanted comfort food. Kaya's Kitchen is a vegan restaurant that offers excellent comfort food as well as some exciting seasonal specials. Upon perusing the menu, I ordered the classic Lentil Loaf. It came accompanied by mashed potatoes and perfectly seasoned sauteed vegetables on the side. Perfection. My better half ordered the Autumn Bowl special, which was equally spectacular. Our server, Tess, constantly checked in on us to ensure we had enough water and asked if we needed any additional items. I had mentioned I preferred extra gravy for my dish, and she made sure my lentil loaf had an abundance of gravy. Everything was exceptional, and it was obviously made with care and love in their kitchen. Their desserts are not made in-house, like their entrees, but they do curate them from a wonderful vegan bakery. From being warmly greeted, seeing familiar classics and new additions, everything was outstanding. The prices are still affordable and in today's economy, a stellar value. read more

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Very very very bad food. We used to come here all time. Long time customers for over 8 years. The food quality has decreased dramatically. The servers and staff are extremely rude and condescending. The most arrogant vegans. read more

Delicious food. Great to be able to order anything on the menu. Owners are very nice.

I used to go to their restaurant in Princeton and was really upset when they closed. On our way down to visit the Christmas Village in Smithville we stopped in here for lunch. We both had the chicken sandwich and it was really tasty. I got mine with potato salad and my sister got hers with french fries. We both finished it and ordered some of their chicken salad to go as we are both obsessed with it. Took home 6 containers worth- I'd call that obsessed :) Would definitly come back as they had some amazing vegan options to try in the future though I do think i'd stop by Federici's down the block and get some pizza too read more

Kaya's Kitchen has been serving delicious plant-based cuisine in Belmar for 19 years now (BTW, eatery named after owner's child was born). They obviously are doing something right. We first ate at Kaya's when this eatery was in another (smaller) location a few blocks away. We have been back a number of times over the years and always have been very pleased with the food. The only reason we do not dine here more often is that we are not vegans or vegetarians. But guess what? You do not need red meat or white meat or seafood for protein. Seitan, tempeh, tofu, lentils, beans, etc. can provide plenty of protein. Kaya's does a lot of take-out orders as well as dine-in. If you choose to dine in, you may want to bring your own bottle of wine. The ambiance is pleasant, cosy. Last evening, Tess was our friendly and very attentive server. We started with BBQ Seitan ribs, $13, yummy and such a big portion. Then, for entrees we had 3 tacos with ground tempeh, $16. and Garlic Sesame Sensation, $21 plus $3 to add tempeh. Everything very delicious and so much food that we had to take some home and had no room for dessert. Go once and I will bet that you will return. read more

Kaya's Kitchen - App 9/27/24 - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Belmar, New Jersey

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Been wanting to try Kaya's Kitchen for a while and went with a friend that has vegan and gluten free dietary preferences. I didn't love the food especially for the price point. We tried the Buffalo soldier wings and the coconut curry rice. It wasn't bad and tasted home cooked. Neither dishes were super inventive and could have been made at home... it was too home cooked tasting. Sandwich or burger options might be better, would try again. The people that worked there were friendly. The people next to us got the Turkish Delight platter and that looked amazing. The interior was a bit tired looking. Update- my friend and I got a touch of food poisoning from this food. Tho it didn't taste off at the time. read more

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I had lunch with a friend on Sunday. I had macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets and it was delicious. The service was amazing. My waitress asked us how was everything and she came by periodically to see how we were doing. That's great service. Millie read more

The cauliflower bites are out of this world good! They are Buffalo Style and it is hot but one of the waitresses suggested I ask for the BBQ sauce on them instead. I have been doing that and they are so good 10/10! I literally wanted to update this review to tell you to go and try the cauliflower bites. They are an appetizer size but they do give you so much. We continue to go here often. My mom loves their black bean burger. The potato salad is amazing! It tastes just like traditional potato salad. The dinners they serve after five are so plentiful and so delicious! We love it here! read more

Ordered DoorDash 7 or so times same item Kale Caesar salad No dressing and no utensils Called Kaya's they gave me a BS non answer Never again You Kaya's Kitchen need to remember Karma I am it !! Do better or get the hell out of the game read more

I have always loved going here! The atmosphere is very nice! If you have hearing sensitivities, make sure to check if there is a band playing that day if you plan to eat in, because it can become loud (not necessarily a bad thing.) Just a little warning. Everyone who works there seems very friendly and helpful. The food is absolutely incredible. I particularly love the cauliflower wings (kinda spicy but very good) and the pierogies (pretty mushy but absolutely incredible.) There are lots of other delicious things to try here! read more

No one can be assured of making it into Heaven but if I don't, I at least know (If there's food in Heaven) how it tastes! Their service is fantastic, soups are fantastic, their meals are fantastic, even their coffee is fantastic, and the ambience is great! Been coming here for decades, keep it up Omar; you're doin' fantastic! read more

This oyster po boy sandwich was 100000% AMAZING! Definitely the best vegan oyster po boy sandwich I ever had- super filling and the mushrooms were crunch but not too hard! Flavor was amazing! Only reason why I gave this meal 4 stars is bc the size of potato salad was OK- nothing great but was pretty decent. Can't wait to come back and try other things! And prices are reasonable! read more

Kaya's Kitchen - Oyster Po' Boy - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Belmar, New Jersey

My food was delicious if maybe a little too spicy for me but I took it home and finished the rest later. The staff was very quick and kind and accommodating. The whole vibe of the restaurant was homey and cozy and they were definitely busy but I don't think we had to wait long for our food to arrive. read more

Kaya's Kitchen - Buffalo Soldier - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Belmar, New Jersey

I had a meal here today with my husband and friend....everything was delicious: Seitan steak sandwich with fries, breakfast tofu scramble plate and kale Caesar salad with the best chicken substitute I've ever had...vanilla coconut cake for dessert had fabulous flavor and consistency and our server was very friendly and took good care of us. Thank you. read more

Kaya Kaya Kaya I love you and your kitchen. The customer service is super. The one guy at the register always wears really cool t-shirts. I just moved to this area recently and it is my absolute favorite local vegan spot. Menu items are well assorted and prices are relatively decent considering how much work they put into the food they make for you. BUT. I would change only some things.... 1. Mac and cheese is mid. I said it. Would be better with a little more thickness and texture. Tastes a bit too much like Daiya. 2. I would personally change the packaging for take out orders to prevent fries and breads from getting soggy. The plastic and tin containers seal too much moisture for those type of dishes. Okay, thanks for always having my vegan a$$. These guys are awesome and the atmosphere is really tranquil. Feels like home. read more

Straight from the mouth of my four year old: "This restaurant. I think the food here is really good." And then as we were leaving, "we should definitely come back!" Honestly though we will need to come back-- I want to eat everything on the menu and all the desserts, twice (at least). Quick, reliable service, decadent portions, and fabulous flavors. I can't wait to eat the leftovers for lunch tomorrow! read more

Staff is exceptionally sweet & food is great- just have to order the right things. Really cute indoor vibe too! I brought 4 of my meat eating friends here and they loved it- buffalo cauliflower wings were bomb, oyster mushroom hoagie exceptional, tacos to die for, & impossible burger so so good. I got the quesadillas and i didnt like how cheesy/ soggy they were personally! Would definitely return to try other menu items everything looks soo good!! also SO affordable! read more

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Kaya's kitchen is hands down my favorite restaurant!! They have a clean, open, inviting space. I celebrate every occasion here. So many non vegan friends & family members love coming here. They care about quality, creating the most amazing healthy masterpieces, have beautiful welcoming energy of staff and provide a safe comfortable clean environment for all to enjoy! I've never have an awful meal or poor experience here. Thank you for existing, Kaya's! read more

You have to go. Outstanding food!! If you are vegan or not, the options are great and the service is excellent!

First time ordering, not disappointed! Food was very tasty for a good price with decent sized portions. Staff was friendly. Ended up ordering two nights in a row. read more

I love this place, I love the ambience, the music, the service staff, and the food. It is also reasonably priced, and I always end up finding parking too. I like it better for casual social dinners than for more formal business meeting dinners. I like the decor, the restrooms are comfortable and clean, and I always leave with feeling happier and more satisfied than I arrived. read more

Viva Las Vegan! ;) Solid vegan food. I came here with 8 family members and an old neighbor who is vegetarian. She was fine with going anywhere as long as no red meat was on the menu but most places in the area only offer a couple vegetarian options. This spot's menu was exclusively vegan and huge! We started off with "Turkish Delight" and "Kaya's Combo" which were both very sharable. We were quite impressed with both. The Turkish delight came with Mediterranean faves of hummus, falafel, babaganoush, tabouleh, olives, cumin pita, and a tahini sauce while Kaya's Combo had plenty of tofu "chicken" nuggets, tempeh buffalo wings, seitan ribs, potato salad, and dipping sauces. For my entree, I loved my Pesto Eggplant sandwich which arrived with crunchy fried and breaded eggplant topped with red peppers, basil pesto, and other yummy toppings on a pretzel bun (choose this bread if given the option). For dessert, their carrot cake is the one to get! With such a great experience vegging out, this is just the veganning! ;) NOTES/TIPS: **BYOB, huge space, lots of tables. Menu has definitions of vegan, seitan, and other terms. **My kids really enjoyed their lemonade which was mildly sweet **Changing table in the women's bathroom **Angled parking and street parking available nearby read more

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I love the concept of this restaurant and I really wanted love the food. The menu is so extensive - all of us were so indecisive when picking our dinner. I am a vegetarian and so I was excited to try the buffalo seitan wings, I didn't like them and the texture was weird and soggy. I also ordered the chili, it was good but not omg good. Everyone else enjoyed their entrees though so I need to go back and give it another go. The service was questionable, all the waitresses seemed newly hired/inexperienced. They would ask us questions like "are you finished with that?" when the dish or bowl was completely empty. Didn't come around in a timely manner, especially during dessert. read more

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I've been here several times over the past few years and the food is always amazing. Service has always been great. Highly recommend the combo platter as it always hits the spot! I'm sad this place isn't closer to me. read more

Our first time here! What a wonderful vegan/gluten free restaurant. The hostess/ server was a joy to talk to, knowledgeable, and professional. The real shining star occurs in the kitchen, where a great selection of hot entrees are prepared. These entrees are varied in flavor profiles, and spice level. With this business in the area, there is no need to try other businesses offering cold and uninspiring rice/açaí bowls. read more

Kaya's Kitchen - Jambalaya - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Belmar, New Jersey

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The golden temple was absolutely delicious. It was loaded with flavor and had the perfect salt content. The sauce was delectable. This place never seems to disappoint and the carrot cake-phenomenal! read more

Kaya's Kitchen - Golden Temple - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Belmar, New Jersey

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Went here last night with my non-vegan girlfriend and we both loved our dishes. I got the garlic sesame sensation and added seitan, she got the BBQ drumsticks. The garlic sesame sensation was nicely seasoned and flavorful, and I like how the BBQ drumsticks are shaped to look like the real deal. She enjoyed the drumsticks as well, and she loved the veggies and gravy. The portions were generous, so she took enough home from her plate for lunch the next day. Would definitely get both of these again! There was also a guy playing love music on his guitar, which added a little extra flair to the evening. Can't wait to come back! read more

Kaya's Kitchen - BBQ Drumsticks - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Belmar, New Jersey

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My husband and I both enjoyed our vegan burgers. He had the black bean burger; I had the lentil vegetable burger. We both preferred the black bean burger. We both ordered it with sautéed onions, sautéed mushrooms and potato salad on the side. The burger really needs the added toppings. I appreciate the healthfulness of the whole wheat bun but I didn't think it went well with the lentil burger,and I wanted to leave room for dessert, so I stopped eating the bun after a while. The vegan potato salad we ordered as a side is exceptionally delicious. Lots of chopped vegetables. Perfect accompaniment for the veggie burgers. So glad I didn't get the fries. Better than most non-vegan potato salads. I highly recommend the SWEET yummy cinnamon bun dessert with pecan topping. HUGE portion large enough for 2-4 people to share. Server had it heated for us. We brought home the leftovers from that one huge portion. Best vegan pastry I've ever had. Kaya's has more and better tasting desserts than it used to. Do peak in the dessert showcase on your way to the table; you'll want to leave room for dessert! Kaya's decor and menu keep improving. I'm so happy for them. I can't wait to go back. read more

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Always great food, fresh presentations and the desserts - all vegan!- are delicious! Great ambience and the service is excellent every time we've gone! Highly recommend! read more

Been eating here for years. The food is consistently tasteful & well prepared. Service very welcoming.

My family took a trip for lunch there today and the food was excellent! The atmosphere was nice and the server extremely pleasant and handled our rowdy bunch well. Sad that they didn't have a large black Hail Seitan shirt but what can ya do? read more

It exists!!! Whole fresh food, healthy options, amazing menu, big portions and a cost that our family can afford! Indoor and outdoor seating. Fun summery drinks. And kind, sweet staff. Thank you! We will be back. read more

Not sure what is going on with this place lately. They serve delicious vegan food, but the prices for what you get are ridiculous. On the cheesesteak you have to pay extra for the cheese. Ordering the quesadillas for $16 you get two quesadillas with a little cheese and a few beans, but nothing else in them. That should not be considered a meal, it is barely an appetizer. read more

Here in NJ for a conference and was pleasantly surprised to find so many vegan options in the area! Kaya's menu looked promising, so we headed right in, as longtime vegans excited about an exclusively vegan menu. Prices were a tad steep, but we still got 2 starters and 2 entrees. The country chicken nuggets were room temperature when they arrived with some sauces that tasted bottled. When the girl who was not our server brought the food out, 2 of the nuggets slid off the plate and onto the table, and instead of apologizing and offering to bring new ones, she just asked my husband if he was "ok with that", which put him in a real awkward spot, to where he just said it was fine. He ordered the seitan steak, which was an incredibly thin slice of seitan, covered in some gravy-like sauce that tasted more like BBQ. I ordered the enchilladas with the chicken filling, which were NOT enchilladas at all, but 2 burritos covered in sauce. The sauce was spicy, and the chicken was soggy. It should have been called "smothered burritos" not enchilladas. (Picture attached) I also would like to mention that the server we had was probably the worst server I've ever experienced. She wasn't rude or mean or anything, but just a really terrible server. Talked super low, so we had to keep asking her to repeat herself, and never asked us how the food was. We sat there finished with food still left on our plates and I had to ask for a box and the check. Never have I had a server not check on us once and ask us how we were doing. Oh - and it was dead in there. Maybe only 2 other tables were seated. VERY disappointed. This server needs a new job where she doesnt have to talk at work. read more

Kaya's Kitchen - Juice Bars & Smoothies Near Me - Belmar, New Jersey

I've been coming here forever, especially if you include its former incarnation, Veggie Heaven. Staff is super friendly, it's BYOB, and has a nice relaxed vibe. Definitely recommend this local mainstay. read more

So great to find a vegan restaurant as we visited this area. Nice hip vibe, Angie was just the right amount of attentive during our meal. Love that it's BYOB. Shared the kale Caesar salad with a different dressing in my half. So good. I ordered the Mediterranean sampler as my entree. I took more than half home. Felafel were crunchy highlights as was the feta, better than real feta I've had. One sister got the stroganoff dish and also brought half home. Her dish was hands down fave. Another sis got the portabella sandwich - she asked for sriracha mayo (not spicy) which added to the goodness. Last sister got tempeh Reuben on gluten-free bread. A messy delicious dish. Too full for dessert though we'd practically drooled watching folks at next table share a ginormous death by chocolate slice of cake. We'll travel back this way just to eat here again. read more

Went in for dinner for the first time tonight after previously getting a few take out items. First the staff is really welcoming, our waitress was attentive and checked on the ingredients in an entrée I was considering. The samplier is terrific, I had had the ribs before and they were wonderful as always and I enjoyed everything else on the samplier as well. I had the lentil loaf which was delicious and my husband had the chicken parm sandwich which he also enjoyed. I took home the chocolate cake which is sooo good. The restaurant has a relaxed comfortable environment too which was nice. read more

Always amazing. Also did their Thanksgiving Dinner take out and it was awesome. Never disappointed with Kaya's!

What a fabulous restaurant! Seating is spacious and comfortable. Space is good for a large group or an intimate meal. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Parking is more convenient than it may appear. The menu has lots of tasty favorites, but everyone seems to be impartial to the sampler and I don't blame them! Lots of delicious desserts and drinks! read more

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After a rocky start with this restaurant, I absolutely am obsessed with the kayas app sampler, their Mac and cheese, their French onion soup and all of their desserts they order for their case! The food is great and the specials are always fun, would highly recommend to an vegan vegetarian or adventurous eater! read more