Adorable and peaceful ambiance. Amazing service with delicious food. The seitan and waffles were to die for. The maple glazed breakfast sandwich was incredible. Crispy breakfast potatoes and mouth watering mains. I loved the coffee and the latte. Will definitely be back!! read more

Rise Above - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - St. Catharines, Ontario

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Wow. This is the best tofu scramble I've ever had. Sourdough toast, mashed avocado, bell peppers, onions, and taco-seasoned seitan all topped with a drizzle of cashew cheddar, paired with the crispiest tastiest breakfast potatoes. I'm speechless. I leave this establishment a changed woman. Not to mention, the vibes are immaculate, and it's decorated beautifully inside. A highlight was the cutest little cat on a couch salt and pepper shakers!! read more

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I love this place. Unfortunately I drove from Burlington to meet a friend for lunch there yesterday (Sunday) to find them closed. I had checked their hours online and several sources, including Google maps (and the sign on the restaurant door) had said they are open Sundays. read more

I was so happy to see an all vegan restaurant in such a small town! I got a bunch of stuff as takeout. A side kale salad was solid (didn't care for the dressing and was happy that it was on the side), and the tempeh taco side salad was good as well. The seitan wings with the jerk seasoning were so so good! That sauce was bomb! I tried the chocolate raspberry dessert bar and it was too sweet for my taste but that's just me. Cute little spot and friendly servoc read more

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Awesome vegan restaurant close to Niagara Falls. We loved everything we ordered. Not pictured are the pesto grilled cheese and Nanaimo bar, which were heavenly. The desserts were very rich. read more

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I really liked the food. The stuffed mushrooms dish is a must! They are so delicious you just want to keep eating. That's where you rethink the sharing option you've made with your partner :) Seitan wings are pretty tasty and good texture. I liked them a lot. The sandwich was good. The service was nice and attentive! Definitely recommend to anyone! read more

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Amazing, thoughtful food that is really something special. Menu changes seasonally and everything we've ever had there is fantastic. I'd never heard of Tourtiere, a Canadian meat pie from Quebec, but I'm glad when I did it was because I was reading about it on a vegan menu. This one is made with lentils and mushrooms and served with perfectly cooked herby potatoes and roasted Brussels sprouts. The dish was fabulous. We started with the charcuterie board which never disappoints. Our other main was the schnitzel with spaetzle and purple cabbage, a perfectly balanced dish. The vinegar of the cabbage and the lemon squeezed on the seitan schnitzel cut through the rich buttery spaetzle. The portions were generous and we couldn't finish the food. Grab some doughnuts across the street and it is well worth the drive to St. Catharines from Buffalo. read more

Rise Above - Tourtiere - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - St. Catharines, Ontario

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3.5 maybe... The food was good but too expensive and too small portions that we were left hungry from the restaurant after ordering 2 full meals plus sides. Interior is decorated with painting up for sale. The place is conveniently located in St. Catharines downtown. read more

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Rise Above is Niagara's first all Vegan restaurant and really does not disappoint! Will please plant and veggie lovers alike with a seasonally changing menu with fresh and hearty meals. Very earthy vibe inside with exposed brick wall and soft earth tones. Make sure to make reservations because there is more often a wait then not. Brunch on weekends is great, try the specialty pancake or the hash! They have fabulous dessert and coffee too! I recommend tying their vegan cheesecake, arguably better than non vegan versions I've had. I love their salads and the seitan wings are great! You must get their appetizer wedges with extra aioli dipping sauce! read more

Rise Above - Chickpea western brunch sandwich with house salad and kombucha - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - St. Catharines, Ontario

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Rolled into town to grab some donuts and ended up here for lunch. Lucky we found it! Ambience (10/10) - Warm and welcoming, spacious yet cozy. The 70s music was the perfect for the vibe. The bathrooms are clean and well designed. Service (10/10) - Friendly from the start. Attentive but not pushy. Had quality conversation while respecting our time together to enjoy the wonderful food. Kale salad (10/10) - Small?! This thing was giant enough for my girlfriend and I to share. Great flavor, crunchy and fresh. Perfect amount of dressing. Winterwood gin drink (8/10) I'm no fan of gin, but this delivered. Not overpowering gin flavor and not too herbal. Refreshing taste. Sausage Pizza Rolls (8.5/10) - Needs more chz and spice. I don't like the upcharge for marinara since it's a pizza item. Amazing sausage flavor wrapped in a spring roll-like crust. Order was enough to split and take one home. Lasagna (8/10) - HUGE portion. Seriously, who is finishing this? So much cheese and veggies, lovely texture. Marinara could use some kick. Garlic bread is buttery, crispy, and somehow soft. Great way to enjoy a bit of lasagna. Side salad (9/10) - Mixed greens and dressing, generous portion, pepper flavor sets off sweetness of the dressing. Schnitzel and Spaetzel (8/10) Huge portion, 3 cutlets enough to take some home after stuffing your face. Combo of the cutlet, cabbage, and Spaetzel is delightful. Spaetzel is a buttery dumpling consistency. 12/10 would recommend. Vegan, vegetarian, or Omni, get your butts here! read more

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The food was amazing! I brought 3 friends who had never been to a vegan restaurant before and they were impressed. The server was very attentive and sweet. The restaurant had a nice, clean calm atmosphere too read more

Brought my family here for their first vegan fare, due to the very high ratings! Although I greatly enjoyed my meal, I think it was solely because I ordered the right thing. My family's orders were not as delicious nor tasty. I got the Mushroom Tempeh Burrito, which was really quite good! I asked to have the chipotle sauce on the side, but the aioli was more than sufficient as a dressing. The beans and rice were especially good, but I was so full by the end of it that I couldn't even finish the tortilla wrap. Speaking of, the tortilla was grilled to a perfect crisp and was so delicious! I ordered the salad as a side, and it was very substantial. There were chickpeas and beets, with a vinaigrette dressing, all over spring greens. Would highly recommend this choice! As per the recommendations of others, I suggested that my sister order the Mushroom Mac & Cheese. However, she did not enjoy it in the slightest. She found it overly salty, with way too much sauce. Moreover, it lacked any cheese flavour (and I know that nut cheeses are fully capable of recreating this cheesy experience) - tasting only like mushrooms. In fact, when I sampled, it tasted just like the Campbell mushroom soup that you buy in grocery stores. Quite disappointing. My mom got the Rise Above burger, and found the texture very interesting. It's slightly grainy because of the chickpeas, which is understandable! She found it okay, but a bit on the dry side. She also got the soup as a side - and that day, it was the cream of broccoli. My dad decided to order the Sweet Potato burger. Most unfortunate for him, it turns out that they must add some sort of spice similar to cumin (to which he is highly sensitive). As such, he didn't feel well for the entire day! Personal preferences aside, I would say that the burgers are okay. The main disappointment was the mushroom burrito. The shop itself is very cute! There are painters by local artists for sale on the wall, which serve as decor. The washrooms are also very interesting - located on the second floor, the doors are kind of see-through. I love how they separate waste from compost; it fits very well with their overall vegan and sustainable atmosphere/culture. read more

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I was happy to find Rise Above when looking for vegan restaurants in the Niagara region. The location is great, right at the heart of downtown St. Catharines. Upon entering the restaurant, there is a nice cozy niche to the left, with a loveseat and chairs. Tables and chairs line the walls to the back of the restaurant, where the kitchen is located. High ceilings provide an airy feel to the room. I ordered the Schnitzel & Spaetzel (crispy breadcrumb coated seitan, served with braised red cabbage and buttery herbed spaetzel, topped with sprouts and fresh lemon). The dish was very nice, the three schnitzel cutlets had good texture and went very well with the spaetzel; the cabbage helped cut through the fat and balance the dish. The only disappointment was the serving size of the schnitzel; having seen the photos of this dish posted by Rebecca H. just two weeks earlier, and Danny H. a month earlier, the schnitzel serving size was literally half of what was shown in those photos. My spouse had the Sesame Ginger Noodle Bowl (rice noodles, broccoli, bok choi, and grilled tofu, tossed in a sesame ginger sauce and topped with fresh slaw and toasted sesame seeds). I tasted the rice noodles in the sesame ginger sauce and found it very nice. For dessert I had the Peanut Butter Blodie (peanut butter bar with chunks of fudge brownie, drizzled with chocolate and vanilla icing). The square was nice, but it needed more chunks of fudge brownie on it for a nicer flavor; there was too little of fudge brownie on my square. My spouse had a scoop of chocolate ice cream. Unfortunately the ice cream was very coarse with lots of ice crystals (freezer burn) in it. Service was friendly. Street parking is available. TLDR; good vegan food, good service read more

Some of the best vegan food I've had in southern Ontario. We've now had their brunch and regular menu and they both have many delicious options. The beet burger is something to not miss and my partner really enjoys the vegan Caesar. Don't be distracted by the cute and quaint downtown area of St Catherines, this place is must for anyone down in the Niagara area. read more

Quite off the 403 - we made a stop here on our way to New York from Toronto. It's a good place for an all-vegan brunch/breakfast but only if you have a good amount of time in your hand since the service is quite slow. Food: We went for a Cappuccino and a Tea Latte to begin with. This was followed by a small Curried Sweet Potato Salad, Potato Wedges with a Poutine Upgrade, and Crispy Seitan Wrap. The Tea Latte was good. The cappuccino was okay. Crispy Seitan Wrap and Curried Sweet Potato Salad were great. Potato Wedges with Poutine Upgrade - you can hardly get it wrong. Overall, the food was really great. The portions are quite generous too - we didn't feel hungry for next 4-5 hours after that. Before leaving, we also got a Vanilla Blueberry cheesecake packed and it was absolutely delicious. Ambiance: It has scarce natural light and the internal lighting isn't enough to keep the place bright. So, quite a dark ambiance - I would love to see more light in here. Otherwise, the interiors are quite artistic with many paintings on the walls. Service: The staff was very friendly. The service was actually very slow compared to the number of customers they had at that time. So, it's not a place to go if you are in slightest of rush - be there when you have a very good amount of time at your disposal. Having said that, the quality of the food quite made up for the sluggishness of the service. Overall, one of the best places for Vegan food around the area - even if you are in Toronto, it is worth driving down here for a relaxed brunch. Parking outside on street as well as a paid parking lot just across the street which charges like $5. read more

I love this place. It is so hard to find good vegan/vegetarian options in St. Catharines, and this places does not disappoint.

The wings were amazing!! We had the Buffalo, BBQ, and Jerk. My husband doesn't usually eat vegan food and he loves the wings too!!

Great service. Great options. Great music. Great food. Seasoned well. Please fix that first bathroom toilet. read more

Vegan fare in St. Catherine's! This place had a great Mac and cheese that was creamy and crunchy in all the right ways. For $8 it was a fairly delicious vegan meal. I found the vegan milk for coffee options was very reasonable! Would recommend to vegans and foodies alike. read more

Rise Above has certainly Risen Above my expectations for a St. Catharine's bakery. My favourite place to grab some tasty treats has finally arRISEd (see what I did there? maybe re-read it just to safe). Now if there's one thing better then a regular run-of-the-mill doughnut, it would have to be a Chocolate Coconut Doughnut. Or even a Oreo Cookie Doughnut. Or quite possibly a Blueberry Doughnut. You get the idea, those lame regular doughnuts can take a hike to doughnut hole heaven (the place where all of the missing holes from the doughnuts go to... if you believe in such a place). Fresh bread, cakes, cinnamon buns, pizza buns, brownies, etc... and all 100% vegan! Also, it's apparently baked with 100% love (see pics), which is way more then the usual 0-25% love most people offer. This being my first true taste of love, at least at this potency, I have to say the rumours are true, love is pretty amazing. They also sell jars of homemade Channa Masala and Vegetable Chili, both of which were amazing. I hear they do a nice three course dinner every so often, but unfortunately I have been unable to attend one. Check their website for more info. read more

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Traveling with my vegetarian girlfriend. It's rare that we both find a restaurant we love. This place is fantastic. read more

Rise Above - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - St. Catharines, Ontario

Just an ok experience for me. This place has a bright open contemporary feel. I went here with a group of 9. And I think this place still needs to work out a few kinks. The was a miscommunication with the server about whether or not the wraps come with a side salad. (FYI, they do, so you don't need to order one). I got the re-fried burrito and a side Asian vegetable noodle salad, both were disappointing. The burrito was bland considering the amazing description of it on the menu (others that ordered the burrito had the same complaint) and the salad that was supposed to contain vegetables, did not contain any vegetables. That being said those who did not order the burrito were happy with their dishes. So maybe its best to just stay away from the burrito. read more

Rise Above - This is what you get. Where are the steamed vegetables??? - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - St. Catharines, Ontario

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I wanted to check out some vegan options in St. Catharines. I was excited to try Rise Above from the high ratings, but found it to be disappointing. The space is cozy and welcoming and staff are great. I was really disappointed by the food. I got the seitan wrap and soup and thought both could be better. The seitan wrap was heavy on the wrap - but not so much on anything else. The soup was just ok. For about $20 after tax, definitely didn't feel like it was worth it. read more

Rise Above - Seitan wrap - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - St. Catharines, Ontario

This is probably my favorite vegan restaurant In Ontario. I loved that they know there food and able to make adjustment per our request. It's really awesome place to visit, the chef made the foods so creative and tasteful that you wanna order more. ---- Highly Recommended. read more

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Ok, let's start with some facts. My favourite dish is steak and I like my food killed and not harvested. I cook, I eat, and I know food. Now for the review. Vegan place, right? My wife has been talking about it for months, so I finally obliged. It is in downtown St Catharines, so you have to pause a little, just to make sure it is one of the good places. So far so good, so I get in. Nice simple colourful atmosphere. Smells good. Nice music in the background, I can do this. Got seated quickly and it is a busy place for a weekday at 4:30pm. Several local beers on menu. Waiter knows his menu, good suggestions. We start with the potato wedges and the zucchini and corn fritter. Very very good. Well done, well presented and very tasty. The beets burger and the "souvlaki" bowl follow to a very good surprise. Flavours are beautifully matched and you are filling up with a nice crunch. High end ingredients. They took their time picking them. Nice creamy cheesecake to follow. I had to google Seitan to know what I was eating. Wheat protein curd, huh! Pure gluten, amazing. The verdict: I learned how to make hummus and babaghanouch from my grandma, and I will come back again. Don't think twice about it. read more

Rise Above - Local 7.5% - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - St. Catharines, Ontario

Outstanding food. Friendly service. On vacation in the area from Cleveland. Keep up the great work. Hope to see more vegan Options in the Niagara area in the future. read more

A fantastic restaurant. A fantastic restaurant that serves an all vegan menu. It's so fantastic that even my meat eaters love going. The only "problem " is getting a table - they're crazy busy. A great "problem". Tip: ask for the Saucy Seitan nuggets extra super crispy!! The beers change frequently - so go often! read more

This place is a Vegans wet Dream. Everything on the menu is delicious and the prices are completely fair! Highly recommended read more

Rise Above - LOVELY PLACE - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - St. Catharines, Ontario

I've eaten vegan in over 17 countries and Rise Above is in my top 5...maybe in the number 2 spot after Cafe Blossom in NYC. Vegan food done right. I've brought a group of 5 non-vegans to this resto and they were all super impressed by the breakfast. The restaurant was just purchased by Bryan recently and nothing against Kyle the previous owner but Bryan has really turned things around. The food is even better, more variety of desserts and way better customer service. Kyle was really doing an upscale menu which in my opinion didn't work for a diner-feeling place in St Catharine's...since Bryan took over it's lots more comfort food. Most of the photos in the yelp reviews don't reflect the current menu. Rise Above also recently did my vegan wedding cake and it was so beautiful and delicious. read more

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Flavour and a good time back before pandemic. Prices could be a bit lower on some items. read more

Great place for lunch, or any meal really. Nice atmosphere, although limited seating when its a busy day (but you can make a reservation). Service was pretty good. More importantly the food was amazing. Menu options are plentiful and I wanted to try everything. Portions are a very good size - bigger than most vegan places. Drinks are good as well. Prices are awesome, very fair. Definitely would recommend and I'd make the long drive from Toronto regularly - it's worth it! Update: Had the asparagus fries, the small Mac and cheese, and the green curry bowl. The asparagus fries were really yummy and the dip was delicious I just wish they gave you a bit more of the dip as it was finished before the asparagus. The Mac and cheese was good, nothing special but fairly priced. The curry bowl was not good. The dish was really bland and the kitchen tried to cover it up by over spicing it.. way too much spices that weren't cooked down well. I didn't know whether it was better to be over spiced or bland but I was extremely disappointed. Service was fairly slow as well. The last experience here was much better last time, thus the drop in one star to a four star review. read more

I stopped in for lunch with 2 friends. One was vegan and we were looking make it easy on him. The rest of us are not vegan. Regardless, Rise Above was excellent. It's one of the best restaurants in St. Catherine's and certainly the best vegan one. Each of us had something different and everyone loved what they had. The staff working there was super nice, too, and added to our very positive experience. We were in town just for a couple of days so we didn't have an opportunity to go back... but each of us wanted to and I'm sure we will when we are next in St. Catherine's. read more

My friend and I had a great time here last weekend. We've both been wanting to try them for months, and finally made the time to stop in for a drink. We spent probably 3 hours there chatting and catching up. The staff never once tried to rush us, and they were very kind/professional. It's not a cheap place to eat, but you are paying for quality. The food and wine selection was great as well, and we both really liked our dishes. We'll be back for sure! read more

The food is OK. The place itself is nice. We're had the asparagus fries for appetizers and those were delicious! I had a fish burger (can't remember the actual name) and it wasn't anything special. My wife had a salad that was also just OK. Prices are typical of any vegan restaurant (above average). I highly recommend their dessert! We had the smores ice cream and it was incredible. read more

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This is definitely one of the best vegan restaurants I have gone to. We came in for brunch. To start they have a bunch of cookies and treats at the counter which look very enticing. Their menu was small which is usually a good thing, they know what they're making. I got a breakfast sandwich. I don't remember exactly what was on it but it was incredible. On the side I had potato wedges and those too were amazing. I was so full after my meal. I'm definitely a fan of this place. read more

Rise Above - Breakfast sandwich - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - St. Catharines, Ontario

Stopped here for lunch on our way to Niagara on the Lake for some wine tasting. I've heard a lot of positive things about this place and it pretty much lived up to it. Atmosphere and service were great and really relaxed. They have a really great selection and variety on the menu. I got the phishwich with a salad. It was very good, although it didn't taste "fishy" to me, the tartar sauce was amazing. Also the salad had a smidge too much dressing for me so next time I would ask for it on the side. My sister got the apple tempeh grilled cheese with the Mac n cheese. I had a bite of the grilled cheese and it was way tastier than I thought it would be. The apples really added to the overall flavour of the sandwich. My sister was so-so on the mac n cheese, she likes really goopy sauces and I don't think this one was goopy enough for her - I however really like it. To me it had a perfect amount of sauce and the noodles were done perfect. Actually, we probably should have traded lunches cause I think we both liked the other's meal better than what we had ordered for ourselves. If you happen to go here don't forget to check out Beechwood donuts, just a couple of doors down! read more

Rise Above - Apple tempeh grilled cheese with mac n cheese - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - St. Catharines, Ontario

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Let me start off this review by stating that even though I am not vegan, I do very much enjoy vegan food (Hence why I visited Rise Above). Ended up coming here today around noon for some lunch only knowing that Yelp! loves this place. Located in what I think is the downtownish area, this little place sticks out because of it's awesome name (Maybe I'm simple, but Rise Above is a cool name), outside seating, and even has plenty of street parking. The place itself is full of amazing art (featuring some of the cutest cows you have ever seen). The menu itself isn't massive, but it doesn't need to be. I ended up ordering the "Classic Breakfast" which gave me some tofu scramble, toast, breakfast sausage, maple baked beans, potatoes, and even a couple of little fruits on the side. Everything on my plate was absolutely delicious, I was a huge fan of the beans and I'm not really a big fan of beans. Overall, this is an amazing vegan spot which offers a little bit of everything for anyone. I will definitely be back! read more

Rise Above - Classic breakfast. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - St. Catharines, Ontario

This was by far the best meal my family and I have ever enjoyed. The seitan wings and loaded fries were amazing. The pizza bites were just perfect. Had the linguini dish and the macadamia nut cream was out of this world. The kids had macaroni and cheese which my son would have licked the bowl if he could. The berry lemonade smoothy and milkshakes were deadly good. Will be back tomorrow for round two before our trip takes us north. The service was impeccable and accommodating as well. Many props to this restaurant. Keep up the great work and bring a location to New Jersey:) read more

I wish there was a restaurant like this where I live. My friend and I went here for dinner in St. Catherine's as an excuse to visit the area. I don't eat meat and am lactose intolerant so it was great to go somewhere where I could eat everything on the menu. I ordered the Clubhouse Sandwich and split a side of their Mushroom Mac & Cheese with my friend. Absolutely delicious! read more

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I'm not a vegan but dating a vegan has made me realize how rare and precious vegan donuts can be in one's life. Rise Above has several different donuts that actually taste like real donuts - not cakey. While in town we came to Rise Above twice. We came Friday night for their regular dinner menu. I ordered the chipotle seitan and my gf had the gnocchi. I found the chipotle flavor a little much but still tasty. My gf could not get over how good the gnocchi was - so I would recommend ordering that. The plates seemed small but once we started eating we got full pretty quickly. Came back for Sunday Brunch (11-3pm) and ordered almost everything they had (burrito, waffles, banana bread toast, and Caesar salad). All were amazing. The Caesar salad actually tasted like a Caesar salad (again, not a vegan so it's a big props coming from me!). The waffles were an unexpected texture but VERY delicious. I wish I had some now. The banana bread was a little too sweet for my taste but my gf loved it. The burrito was also really good. It's a little pricey but the food is superb. My gf said it was easily in her top 3 vegan restaurants (and this coming from a native Southern Californian). Come in for a nice dinner or simply for some fresh donuts. They also have peanut butter brownies, chocolate filled pastries, and other goodies. Note: The outside can be a little hard to find since there's no sign. Just look for the white store front. They really need to work on putting up some sort of sign on this place. We drove past it twice. read more