Vegetarian food with an eye to nutrition. The Nutburger is the shxt. No lie. Brunches are weighted toward the Mexi-Vegetarian options, but my kids went for the blueberry-yogurt hotcakes like they were Spongebob Squarepants-branded crack. Can't speak to the poor service experiences of others here. In my experience the waitstaff has always been friendly and timely. A good place to stop for lunch/breakfast if you're going to Whole Foods. read more

I came to this restaurant as a vegan in a family with me, a vegetarian, and 2 omnivores. Everyone loved the food! I ordered the vegan highlander and the vegan waffle, which were both was DELICIOUS!! Very neat space (they are currently open for dine-in). Along with a breakfast/brunch, lunch, and dinner menu, they also serve assorted desserts! I tried the vegan peanut butter chocolate cheesecake, which was pretty yummy. Totally recommend coming here!! :) read more

This place has always been solid...and I've been coming here fairly regularly for the last 15 years. Yes, the service may be a little slow *sometimes*, but it exists! The people are always nice, if not a little shy :) The food is always super delicious and fresh and fabulous--breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. I have eaten practically everything on their menu and I have never been disappointed. When I lived in another city for several years, I would still get SERIOUS cravings for their brown rice salad. Since we are once again not living in the city, I keep a bottle of their lemon tahini dressing in my fridge just to keep myself from going into the DT's. Chill neighborhood place for healthy, delicious, well-prepared food. read more

Definitely coming back! The food was great. We are new to the vegetarian life and this was a great first restaurant stop! Tried a main menu item, breakfast item and of course had to have two cookies. Kitchen Sink cookie was delicious. We are excited to see the new location too. read more

What does the term "nutburger" conjure up in your mind? Toilet humor aside, I imagined a crunchy macadamia-pistachio-unidentified nut patty that could possibly break my molars. Although I was initially disgusted and intrigued, my friends insisted that I try it. Somewhat surprisingly, the patty was soft, moist, and most importantly, juicy. More surprisingly, the patty -- a congealed mixture of crushed nuts and brown rice -- tasted just like falafel. Tasty, but a touch bland in comparison to all-meat burgers. Served between whole wheat buns and a slew of both fresh and sauteed vegetables, this thing was monstrous. Monstrously filing, that is! When it comes to protein in-take, this burger does not joke around. Contrary to other Yelp reviews, our waitress was sweet, very smiley. And the owner was kind enough to distract a nearby customer who kept egging us to guess his ethnic make-up. Sorry dude, we're not interested in whether you're from Russia or Sweden. The only nutjobs we care about are nutburgers. read more

This review is only for brunch, but I was pleasantly surprised by this place. I went with a friend who is super skeptical about any vegetarian/vegan restaurants and he raved about his scramble. We both ordered scrambles, and they were the ideal balance of hearty and healthy. I loved the bed of spinach and the side of 7-grain english muffin too. The potatoes were just okay, but either way it was so nice to leave a restaurant from brunch not feel like I need to go back to sleep until dinner. The service was mediocre, and I would definitely not come here if you are in a hurry. Pretty much every step of the ordering and leaving process took a long time. The servers seemed to be busy having conversation amongst themselves, more so than waiting on the tables. However, when our server did come to the table, she was plenty friendly. I will definitely be returning for brunch, and maybe I'll even try a vegan dish next time! read more

I have to say that every time i go there it's because one of our friends is deeply in love with this place. I like the atmosphere, i think the service is great, but honestly there is nothing special about their food- unless you are a vegetarian and are limited by the veggie places around the area. I like their chai, you get free refills and it's really good. I have went their for breakfast, lunch and dinner and was not at all impressed by the food. Don't get me wrong, it's edible but it's not special.It doesn't blow you away, you will not think of coming back and trying this specific dish that you tried last time. One more thing- there's a bit of wait. Can't blame them, it seems to be crowded most of the time. Will i be back again? Well depends if i am forced by one of my vegan friends. Don't hate me- I'm a meat lover. read more

Know what would make this place a five star eatery for me? BACON! MEAT! MEAT! jk. Service was fast and friendly...their vegetable lasagna? TO DIE FOR. Lemon tahini dressing? to die for! Fresh baked bread? TO DIE FOR. I didn't sample their dessert, but I will for sure next time we are there. This place is incredibly clean - I love it. read more

I don't understand this place. The service is so incredibly atrocious it makes me wonder how they stay in business. Do I have to know someone to get good service here? Do I have to know someone to get ANY service here? I work in the industry so I am a HUGE tipper and I treat every server like they're a saint. I just don't get why these guys are such jerks to their customers! Over the last ten years, I've eaten here about 7 times and not once have I had good service. Not ONCE!! Their food is mediocre and the ambiance isn't anything to rave about, so what's the point? I give up. I am NEVER eating here again. I can get a better breakfast with delightful service down the street at Portage Bay Cafe (where they have a full waffle bar!!). read more

Went to sunlight cafe for the first time on Sunday and the experience was just OK. The service was alright. Environment was little dirty. one of the spoon we got had a piece of washed vegetable. The food was good on the other hand. we had french toast and some omelet with spinach and they were mostly all fresh. The potatoes lacked some flavor may be because it was little overcooked. Anyways good food but i have experienced better brunch. read more

Sunlight is the place I go to when I leave Capitol Hill for breakfast. My only detraction is that they don't have sugar substitute for coffee. I love their pancakes, waffles, and breakfast scrambles which don't skimp on the portion sizes. They use real maple syrup too! The service is sorta slow but the wait staff is super nice. read more

Sunlight Cafe is my new weekend breakfast spot. Service has always been friendly, but occasionally slow. Their menu is all vegetarian, and you can usually substitute tofu for eggs if you want the vegan option. I typically go for the "deluxe huevos rancheros" or the "sesame crunch waffle". Their syrup is real, none of that tinted corn syrup crap. Their drip coffee is quality, and free refills will send you away nicely primped for a post breakfast caffeine crash. A breakfast will probably set you back more than IHOP, but the food is far superior. If you're limited on time just make sure you ask for the check early. read more

I was drawn to this place by the sign indicating it was vegetarian friendly and by their good smelling foods as I walked nearby. It has a very artsy, earthy alternative feel to it inside. Very laidback atmosphere and the hostess was very nice. I had the tasty Sunlight Huevos Rancheros. If you're a fan of black beans, you'll LOVE this. I've never seen anyone serve so many black beans on a dish in my life; I couldn't finish it! The eggs, avocado and salsa part of the meal was quite tasty, along with the corn tortillas buried underneath the food. The only thing that disappointed me was the fact that I could not find the tortillas, which meant I could not eat the contents wrapped up in the tortillas. Even if I could there were too many beans to be able to do so. Great food though. It also reminded me of one of my favorite vegetarian places in Chicago, which gave me bittersweet nostalgia. :) read more

I just went here last week with a girlfriend who highly recommended it. I'm not vegetarian, but I do enjoy a good vegetarian meal every now and then. My friend said she mainly came for the tea so of course I had to try a cup. And it was phenomenal! It was Yogi tea, and what was so cool is that instead of sugar, or honey in a bottle, they had honey in a dish with one of the honeycomb wood server things (???). It took me some time to pick what I wanted but I settled on a half a hummus and avocado sandwich on whole wheat. It was a very good sandwich, a little dry but I'm sure if I would have asked they would have brought me some hummus. It was a really wonderful experience though the tea was delicious they had art from local artists on the walls. and good service. I would definitely go back for my next brunch ! read more

Sunlight Cafe rocks my socks! We've gone there maybe every 3-4 weeks for the last 4 years. They used to have some service issues but that was years ago. Their Nut Burger with cheese and grilled onions is the best burger of any sort in Seattle according to my wife who is a major burger eater (she usually prefers beef). We love their salads. I'm also a huge fan of their Yogi tea made with soy milk. Oh, and their fat slabs of bread with butter are awesome! read more

From July 2012 .....Happy Hour arrival just at last few mins. Ordered white wine, yogi/masala-like tea, tacos, polenta and pesto stuffed mushrooms. Every time I have eaten here it has always been wonderful!!! read more

Writing this from my booth in the restaurant after having just finished the best breakfast I've had in a while. The Deluxe was superb, English muffin both crunchy and buttery soft, home fries crisp and perfectly salty, and whatever butter came with the French toast had all four of us licking our lips. The folks working were attentive and quick, and my latte hit the spot... a great way to start my day! read more

Such a lovely vibe! Loved how caring and kind the servers are. Especially George, he had such a gentle and sweet smile. The salads were so fresh, made then and there not pre prepared. Loved it! read more

Very tasty food the deluxe with tofu and guac was really good and enough for 2 with a little left for my husband to taste. He got the eggs and breakfast fries. No complaints there either. This is a trendy artsy place. The smells of French toast and pancakes are lovely. Do not be put off by the tattoos and piercings it's just window dressing the people and friendly and the service good. Will most certainly come back to enjoy the food and atmosphere. The people watching is certainly part of the experience. read more

Sunlight Cafe - Coffee bar - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Am I getting to leanant on restaurants? I don't know, but another 5 * Today is my first time to this landmark Vegetarian joint. I met with my pal Sarah of http://beansnrice.com and had a super double triple yum meal. The split pea soup is hearty, chunky, and packed with spices. I love me some polenta and having it floating on a tasty bowl of black beans is a treat. The server was super friendly and had a rad cowboy outfit. read more

I started out by loving this place, mostly because I stuck to the sandwiches. Unlike a lot of people, I've never had any complaints against the staff. Usually their friendly, or at least neutral, and the food is out soon enough. The sandwiches, like I said, are pretty tasty and that's all I got for a while. As soon as I branched out to the more entree-ish meals I started to be disappointed. It wasn't amazing, and things that came with cheese; well, it was too much damn cheese. I love cheese as much as the next guy but if it forms a sort of impenetrable cap over the entire dish I start to lose my appetite. Still, it's a nice enough place. I went there for brunch an hour after I first moved to Seattle and it felt pretty welcoming. That says something. read more

I went back there with my bf and ordered blueberry yogurt hotcakes (regular) and Huevos Picante (red sauce + black beans and home fries). He kept raving about the huevos picante. I am more of a carb fanatic, so I thoroughly enjoyed the big, hot, and fluffy pancakes loaded with blueberries. This place has officially become our favourite vegetarian breakfast place! FYI: If you are a late riser, be warned that they close the kitchen between 2 and 3pm on the weekend and serve a limited menu (soup, waffles, and baked goods). read more

It's been a while since I've lived in Seattle, but a stalwart favorite for salads and other healthy vegetarian food was always the Sunlight Cafe. On my latest visit, I was heading to Roosevelt and saw that it was no longer there! But then...I read the sign that they'd relocated around the corner. While it's no longer as visible, the space is much improved. The food, however, is just as good as always! Amazing tahini dresssing, superior salads, excellent breads and teas. I'm not even a vegetarian, and I ate here on a weekly basis (at least!). It's good to know a Seattle classic still exists. read more

I'm so sorry that others have had such a negative experience here, are you sure it's the same place I ate at? Each time I've had a meal here, I leave oh-so-happy. I never go out to eat at a sit down restaurant when I'm in a hurry though, so if the service was slow I probably would never notice. I love the brown rice salad with the vinaigrette dressing! My other favorite was a special soup, it was veggie with a tomato base and lots of garbanzo beans, mmmm! I keep hearing good things about the nutburger but I haven't tried it yet. I like going here by myself to relax, have a delicious/healthy/not too filling meal with some tea and watch people scurrying around Roosevelt. read more

3.5 stars. I had the Huevos Rancheros and liked it. The home fries (i.e. potatoes) were a little mushy, but maybe in an ironic twist home "fries" are not supposed to be fried at all? Not sure. The espresso was fine, and the prices are very reasonable. Our server was nice and paid just enough attention to us. We were in a hurry and he got us out quickly. It's not what I would call gourmet service, but for a cafe in Seattle it was good. Looking around the room, most of the staff looked bored, indifferent, or irritated, so I was happy to have a server who was competent and wasn't taking himself too seriously. Reading the other reviews, it sounds like we got lucky. The vibe at Sunlight is very hippie-dippy. Lots of light from many windows is nice. Parking can be tough. read more

Excellent food, great service, never disappoints! Enjoyed the McKenna, which is a tasty breakfast dish with the perfect amount of mushrooms and tomatoes, and absolutely love the Swiss cheese on top! Be sure to try the cornbread too! read more

Great spot for both vegetarian and vegan food. The server said they are the oldest vegetarian restaurant in town dating back a little over 40 years. Note, they are moving around the corner soon! The Highlander (vegan version) was soooo tasty. We will come back soon! They make everything in house from tempe to desserts. read more

Sunlight cafe is timeless. The booths, the food, the people, are unmatched. I have gone to this restaurant since I was seven years old, and amazingly, it hasn't changed. It is perfection. Every waffle I have ever had in my life is matched in my mind to sunlight cafes sesame seed waffle, and all come up short. If you are looking for a timeless breakfast spot that's quintessentially seattle, check out sunlight. read more

Sunlight Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Haven't been here for years, but tried it again Easter Sunday for brunch. None of us are vegans, but we enjoyed our hearty whole grain waffles, roasted potatoes, eggs and tofu vegetable fry. The potatoes I found especially good, there are well done crispy bits that almost look like bacon. Most everything is organic even the catsup. Service was excellent, food satisfying and well prepared. Not much more to say. read more

I have to be up front here: I went to this place as a last resort. It was the only place open at the time in the area and I'm not a vegetarian so I wasn't expecting much. I ordered the Huevos Picante and it was AMAZING! The staff was friendly and the food was good. Enough said. read more

The place is nice, the staff is friendly. Maybe it was an off day but we didn't care too much for the food. I ordered the Steamed Vegetables & Tofu with Rice.... the rice was very pasty. My wife ordered the Vegan Highlander, the red pepper sauce tasted more like tomato paste than anything. They made an overpriced grilled cheese for my kids (very few options for the little ones). My son did enjoy the grilled cheese (but it's a grilled chees). They charged 1.75 for a slice of bread ! Overall, we felt the meal was simple and overpriced. I'd rather go to Wayward Cafe. read more

OK, I want to start by saying I am NOT this cafe's target audience, so it's probably only natural that I wouldn't care much for the place. It's vegetarian, I am not. It's sort of the place one would go to in a "Folklife festival mood," perhaps with dreds in your hair, and I'm not that sort of person really. I also was a bit frightened by the waitstaff's appearance (made me question their hygiene), but they are very nice, and I DO like nice people. Anyhow, I have been here twice for dinner with my family, once when it wasn't too busy. The service was relaxed, as other reviewers have mentioned. I didn't find the waitstaff to be rude at all though, I found them to be super-nice and friendly. The food, well... I'm no great cook, but I can definitely make better food at home. It's not a vegetarian thing--I've had LOTS of vegetarian food in NYC, and some stuff in the Seattle-area (mostly ethnic), and it's mostly been delicious. Actually, I'm eating this frozen food vegetarian burrito from Whole Foods right now, and it tastes remarkably similar to what you get at Sunlight. That is to say, it's not BAD, but, at a restaurant? Anyhow, I only go there when someone else drags me there. The place does have a cool neighborhood vibe though, I'll give it that. Bottom line: If you have or enjoy dredlocks, are vegetarian, enjoy friendly indie neighborhood cafes, you'd give it 4/5 stars. If you are a little more paranoid about sanitation and bugs and enjoy a little more refined cuisine, you'd probably only give it 2 stars. They are really nice though--I wish I liked them more! read more

One of the best vegetarian restaurants in Seattle, in my opinion. If I had to pick my favorite dish, it would be the nutburger. Delicious! Even our staunchly non-vegetarian family and friends love this place. :-) read more

Love the Sunlight Cafe. One of my favorite places for dinner or occasional brunch. The menu isn't over burdened by extraneous options but has a solid selection of excellent food. I especially love that they always have an great soup or two available for a light meal. Also very important is that much of the food, sauces and bread included, is made from scratch. I do understand some reviewers comments about the service. That is why I give 4 instead of 5 stars. At times the service can be sloooowww but I've never had an incident of rudeness. Everyone always seems very friendly given that they seem to be constantly understaffed. read more

This is an old-school vegetarian place, heavy on the eggs and dairy. I think it could, and should be more vegan friendly in this day and age. There are two vegan options on the breakfast menu. I can't speak to the lunch/dinner menu, because I've only ever eaten breakfast here. I ordered the tofu scramble, which had about 5 small cubes of tofu in it. The tofu was supposed to have been marinated, but it was just plain tofu covered up with some bland, boiled (slightly overcooked) vegetables. The only thing that saved it was the tahini dressing that I ordered on the side. My husband ordered the Vegan Highlander dish, and it was tastier than mine. But, that wouldn't have been hard. I go to this place about once a year for breakfast, each time hoping it might have progressed a bit, but sadly, no. I find the fact that this place is so dairy-centric to be quite ironic, since the bent of the place is supposedly to serve "healthy food". For example, they serve organic, unsweetened ketchup, which in the realm of condiments, is a relatively healthy option. And, there is only honey on the table to sweeten hot drinks instead of white sugar. (Obviously, another no-go for strict vegans.) Yet, dairy is one of the most toxic, and unhealthy foods you can find. In short, not impressed with the food or presentation. Very amateur. If eating loads of dairy is what you're after, you might enjoy it. Vegans: give it a miss. read more

Nut burger on cornbread. Pretty darn good! I'm on a low gluten kick so that's why I asked for the cornbread, and glad I did, although it becomes a fork and knife eat rather than a pick up burger. Glad that Sunlight is still going strong after all these years. They have not lost their charm and healthy food focus. Others got the Huevos Rancheros Deluxe which looked and tasted great. read more

Food is delicious! My favorite is the sesame crunch waffle with yogurt & bananas and the tofu scramble with a side of their amazing tahini. My mom and I usually split read more

Vegan review- What is not to like? Tempeh burger with sprouts, tahini salad dressing - these are my peeps - they speak my language. Being newly (after 8 yrs) vegan again, I miss that ease of ordering food - of knowing your food is meat/dairy/egg free. Lots of choices, and cheesey delights too. And Whole Foods is around the corner if you are hankering' for something else. read more

I started coming to the Sunlight Cafe with my cousin who is vegetarian. To this day I have still not discovered a better Huevos Rancheros. I think of it often. Also, I can highly recommend the lemon poppy seed waffle, as it is super delicious. I have loved everything I have had to eat here and highly recommend. read more

This is a great and vegan friendly place. We had the "vegan highlander" and it was one of the best marinated tempeh I have ever had. The staff is friendly and the whole vibe of the place is very welcoming. Given that this place has been around for more than 30 years, it is worth a try. read more