Don't let the picture fool you. This food slaps. Opted for bbq "chicken", brown rice with gravy, and plantain. Now listen, I'm not a meat substitute girlie, but whatever they used as a chicken substitute in this.... y'all had me fooled. This vegan spot is also trini owned which explains why the food was THAT good. read more

The Nile Cafe - BBQ Chicken, brown rice, plantain. - Vegan Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This was my first visit to the Nile Cafe in Germantown. I tried their jerk chick'n with sauteed cabbage and plantains. The jerk chick'n spice was perfect, wouldn't change a thing. In fact, I wouldn't change a thing about the entire meal, loved the plaintains and cabbage too. The only thing I would change is their serving logistics. I wish they didn't use disposable takeout containers to serve, whether you eat in or takeout. read more

The Nile Cafe - Vegan jerk chicken drum stick with sautéed cabbage and plantain platter - Vegan Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The food was decent and reasonably priced, though service felt slightly slow during peak hours. Atmosphere was pleasant enough, but the overall experience was fairly average. read more

Sorry didn't take any pics, I've been getting the soup from here lately. It's really good and hearty. Check them out. They're always kind,

We ordered delivery for some soul food. We tried the Mac and cheese, greens, sweet potatoes, and cornbread. Everything was good, especially the greens! read more

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I'm not vegan or vegetarian. My BF and I picked up dinners the other night and everything was delicious, especially the sweet potato cheesecake! read more

Here's the jist of it: this restaurant is catered to people who are used to the flavor and texture of meat and are trying to adjust to eating a more healthy, vegan diet. That being said, the food is not meant to be something drastically different from its meat counterpart, and so it feels like the food is lacking in experimentation. Also I was shocked at how little food I got for a $20 combo "platter". If you're used to the flavor of meat, you'll love this restaurant, be prepared for a smaller than average portion size. read more

The Nile Cafe - Lemon Chicken and Plantains - Vegan Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The offering that this amazing establishment delivers is the bridge to our connection with All That Is! The taste and wonderful array of flavors dance to the rhythm of an eternal appreciation. Amazing Service! Ambiance fits as well!! read more

The Nile Cafe - Vegan Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Delicious food, great service, awesome place to learn about being Plant based. Beautiful plants to look at. The food was so delicious I enjoyed the Jerk chicken the most , oh I take that back my favorite was the chocolate cake!!! Lawd have mercy it was so good. I met the owners and they were so kind and knowledgeable. Right on germantown Ave. plenty of street parking. read more

I did takeout from Nile Cafe last evening during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was easy. Order on the phone and the food is ready in about 15 minutes for pickup from their Dutch door temporary takeout window. This is a Black owned vegan restaurant which is proving quite popular in Northwest Philly. After eating their food I can see why. I ordered their wheat beef pepper steak accompanied by collard greens and okra (w/ corn and tomatoes). I found everything quite tasty but especially the vegan pepper steak and the delicious okra dish. I liked the collard greens okay but they were not as memorable as others I have eaten. When the pandemic is finally over, one will be able to dine inside but until then - there's nothing wrong with a takeout meal from Nile Cafe. read more

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You know that feeling when you take a bite of food and it's so good, you feel like your whole body's smiling? That's the feeling I get when I eat at Nile Cafe, which is one of my favorite places to take friends, especially those who have never tried vegan food and think that it must be a grim affair. From their mouth-watering entrees, sides, and baked goods to the lively décor, relaxed atmosphere, and friendly service, The Nile makes for an excellent casual-dining experience. You can put together your meal based on a variety of all-vegan entrees, sides, wraps, soups, and salads. Some of my favorites are the pepper steak and lemon chicken entrees, as well as the sides of collard greens, cabbage, okra, corn, and tomato, and cornbread. And don't forget to check out the refrigerated cases of vegan cakes, sweet breads, ice cream (yes, vegan ice cream!), and cold drinks. It's wonderful that there are so many vegan food establishments popping up all over Philadelphia, and it's especially nice to see Jamaican/soul food, which seems underrepresented relative to some other cuisines. The Nile serves as an excellent model of the fact that vegan food is not only good for the animals and good for personal health, but also good for local and global communities. And good for the soul. read more

The Nile Cafe - Vegan Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This place is awesome, you can get fresh water great food. Good vegan choices and healthy eating in a cultural environment.

Me and my daughter decided to try Nile Cafe because it's in our area and the reviews were good. Even though I'm not vegan, didn't mind trying it out. It's on Germantown Ave. , so it's street parking. We got on a meter. Walking up to the place, I didn't think we were at the right place. Didn't see a sign or anything that indicated it was a restuarant. We went in because of the address :/ When we entered there is a afrocentric shop to the left and the Nile restuarant to your right. I think this place could be very nice with some love and care. It has nice plants all around with tables and chairs. But boxes sitting in the corner making the place look junky :/. The sign to order your food from looked like somebody leaned on it and smeared the writing off the bottom. The man behind the counter was very nice, took our order and brought our food to us. I got the duck (with gravy)( it's soy) , sweet potatoes and cabbage. It was very good except the duck! It was very rubbery and no taste. Will not get that again! My daughter got barbecue Chicken, (soy) collard greens and okra, corn and tomatoes. She really enjoyed her food. I also got a piece of carrot cake to go. It was very good as well. Bottom line, would go back, the food was great minus the rubbery duck! I gave it 4 stars because of the appearance of the place and no sign on the building! read more

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We have been here a number of times across the past several years. The food is very good, and if you want healthy food there are a lot of obvious options here that are also delicious. The food isn't always ready exactly when you get there, so be prepared to wait a bit sometimes if you get there on time. But the staff are working on it and being thoughtful as they prepare your food. A great option in Philly and for the surrounding areas! read more

This place is so incredibly interesting....and delish! Jamaican influenced vegan soul food? Count me in! Stopped by for a takeout lunch while I was in the area. I may make a habit of being close by more often after tasting what Nile has to offer! I walked through tons of lush greenery after I entered the open yet welcoming, uber casual space. Half of it is designated for various items for sale including oils, clothing and percussion instruments. What a nice surprise it was to be treated to a drumming sesh while waiting for my food to be served up. Awesome! There's a pretty small menu and platter deals such as 1 main and two sides or 1 main and three sides and so on. I went with the first option. Torn between the BBQ "chicken" and the Jerk "chicken", the kind gentleman who has been vegan since 1980 and provided amazing conversation steered me towards the jerk. It was amazing!! Full of flavor, a hint of spice and an awesome meaty texture!! Definitely give it a try! *They offer both wheat and soy proteins and list them clearly on the menu board for anyone curious. I was originally a tad disappointment they were out of cornbread as a side option later in the afternoon by the time I visited. Because hello, vegan cornbread! I went for brown rice and collard greens instead. Boy was I wrong thinking the brown rice would be a boring side. It was topped it with the most insanely flavorful gravy!!! Wow! The collards were perfect as well! Intrigued by everything this gem had to offer, I took some chickpea salad, black bean soup and snickerdoodle cake to go also. I just wanted to taste it all! The chickpea salad was an awesome pure protein substitute for a potato salad, but had the same consistency and a similar taste. It was filled with diced crunchy veggies too! The black bean soup had a little heat to it and was filled with big chunky stewed veggies. Delish! The girls gobbled up the cake. It was a nice thick slice and was moist. The vanilla frosting was super creamy and it was drizzled in a delicious sweet, sticky caramel like sauce. Yes, I had a taste! I HAD to! My girls did mention the icing tasted like butter. After tasting I will have to agree while it is delicious, if you're used to the vegan butter Earth Balance, you may just say the same. I don't know for sure that's what they used but I would be extremely surprised if they didn't. All and all, it was an awesome first visit and I look forward to many more! From great convo and hanging out with "my people", to incredibly tasty food, and free entertainment too...there wasn't much not to love from this simple pay at the counter joint with some funky flare. There was an awesome sense of community here and I love being around other people with such a love and passion for animals and Mother Earth. It's a definitely a feel good kind of place vibrating with pure positivity. *They use all filtered water for their cooking and have a filling station. If you have bottles, bring 'em. **Check out the table with flyers for local business and events! *** There's a small parking lot in the back with no line markers, but it's safe to park there, or so I was told by the staff at the restaurant. I had no issues. read more

Food was excellent. I got the "peppersteak" brown rice and okra, corn and tomatoes. It had the perfect texture for their take on a pepper-steak. My gf got the chicken and gravy. I didn't like the texture of the chicken too much nothing Against the cook, it was still flavorful though. The vegan Oreo cake was bomb AF! I'm definitely going to get this for takeout when my ppl come to visit. read more

I was excited to try The Nile Cafe on my vegan foodie weekend in Philly. This soul food restaurant came highly recommended. Although I wasn't too keen on trying the chicken alternatives, I was psyched to try the two items I heard raves about - the collard greens and macaroni and cheese. Lo and behold, the macaroni and cheeses wasn't on the menu on this day. Instead, I opted for the collard greens, cabbage and cornbread to go. I thought I made good vegan collared greens until I took one bite into these. What had I been doing wrong?! The flavors all melded together in a way that made me question if smoked Turkey hadn't been secretly added. Wow! The cabbage was a bit lackluster. However, the cornbread helped this meal make a quick rebound. Moist, and sweet like cake. Just how I like my cornbread. I will definitely visit again in hopes of trying the mac'n'cheese. The three star rating is a result of the cabbage and the missing gem. I'm optimistic about my next visit. read more

The Nile Cafe - Cabbage, collard greens, and scrumptious cornbread. - Vegan Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Saw the pics online and HADD to taste their desserts I grabbed some food to try also, and they let me sample the meats the ginger chicken was delicious but I decided to curve the wheat and chose the BBQ chicken instead the dine in was beautiful didn't even know that part existed until I saw for myself and when I got home the cake and ice cream hit the spot for a vegan place the soul food was amazing read more

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The food was hot fresh and amazing ready in minutes friendly service good vives and great vegan options with dishes many places don't serve read more

The Nile Cafe - Jerk chicken Rice with Gravy cabbage - Vegan Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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The Nile Cafe has been quietly going for 18 years and is part of a collective that follows the Pan-African spirituality of Ausar Auset. I was reminded to visit when the West Chester group CARE reviewed it in their newsletter. Having grown up with Southern cooking as well as being a fan of Bryant Terry's soul food cookbooks, I was eager to taste the food here. It is lovingly-made, tender and savory home cooking at its most comforting, and it is all vegan. At the corner of High Street and Germantown Avenue, they don't seem to advertise, and it can be easy to miss the large glass storefront. There is a very neighborly feel to the place, which is also a small store and sort of a cultural center where people visit and hang out. We saw signs for a drumming class. Everyone seemed to know each other, and there was a steady stream of customers coming by for takeout. How we missed the desserts, I don't know; maybe they were not on display yet, but we did NOT miss the ice cream selection, many kinds in a big case. I had some fresh vegetable juice too and regret not taking home sweet potato and zucchini bread. The menu is written on a board outside the tiny kitchen. You go up to the window and order, and they will bring it out to you. There were 4 dishes when we were there as well as four sides. You get two sides with a meal, so we got to try them all. The collards and cabbage were sooooo tender. How do they do it? We loved their okra, corn, and tomatoes too. The barbecue chicken, made from seitan so tender it almost falls apart, is the most popular dish. My spicy fish with tomato sauce was delicious too. We swapped plates several times to make sure we both got to taste everything. This simple delicious style of food could be all the rage and would appeal to everyone, I know, and I hope it will spread. For two dinners, a bottle of water, a fresh juice, and ice cream, the price was $28. They do indeed take credit cards too. I will be back and hope I can get to taste the Jamaican patties, chicken-fried steak, and pork and greens. What a wonderful way to live one's values of non-violence while not sacrificing flavor or healthfulness. read more

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Ok, I've been holding off on writing this review... but since I have it bookmarked, Yelp keeps reminding me. So let's have at it! I really really like the concept of The Nile. It's such a cool space including a meeting/performance area, cultural clothing & literature, interesting plants, and a pretty dope courtyard in the back! The moment you step foot into this destination you feel a renewed sense of African pride. There is one particular man who is always so friendly and inviting. I think it is a decent place for anyone to visit, regardless of ethic background. Now for the food, maybe I have been spoiled/lucky thus far on my vegan walk and have unreasonable high standards for vegan food & variety... But whatevs. Most of the hot food is stored in a steam table and has almost the same taste and very similar texture. These items are usually limited to Greens, Cabbage, Okra/Corn/Tomatoes, and some variation of rice. I believe most of the meat (ie. Lemon Chicken, Pepper Steak, Spicy Fish, & BBQ Chicken Wings) is the same soy product smothered in varying flavors of sauce. It is not extremely bad, but definitely not something a vegan could eat regularly without complaint. This overcooked (except the rice which can be under-cooked) dish of moist saucy foods usually cost $9 - $12. To their credit, I did not notice until recently the decent assortment of cold foods in the beverage cooler. There are tasty pre-made lasagna slices, mock chicken salad sandwiches, small cups of peach & apple cobbler, and more... I liked the 3"x 3" square of lasagna (my boyfriend, who is an 8-year vegan, did not). We both enjoyed the 6" chicken salad hoagie, and the small serving of peach cobbler. That meal cost us about $17. We'll be back (of course) because there are a limited supply of Black-owned vegan establishments; and if we don't even support them, who else will? We are blessed to have them as a part of our community. Their storefront is a staple, and hopefully the vegan options just keep on getting better! If so, this review will certainly be updated :) read more

The Nile Cafe - "chicken salad" hoagie, to go - Vegan Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

They have a variety of food on their menu including sandwiches and desserts, all vegan. I called in to order a combo of 1 entree and 2 sides. What I got BBQ chicken with cabbage and okra+tomato+corn. Because the menu didn't use alternative spellings like chic'n, I asked whether it was vegan and it was. The food was ready for pick up when I arrived, and I paid with a credit card. All three dishes were flavorful. I would have liked it more if the spice was stronger, but it was still good. Chicken, made of soy, was chewy. read more

The Nile Cafe - BBQ chicken, cabbage, okra+corn+tomato - Vegan Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I felt the food was just ok and even though they were not busy, one of the young cashiers acted as if someone asking questions about the menu was an inconvenience. I'll try it again next time. read more

I dined here for lunch. I decided on this place because oft the variety of vegan dishes. I chose the combo: 2 entrees and 2 sides. I picked the steak, duck, rice and cabbage. The flavor was ok. I wished it had more flavor. The texture of the steak wasn't bad. The duck's texture was weird and did not move me. The combo was $16. The Portion was small. The food is served from a steamed table so it's Luke warm. I added more spices to the dish when I got home. I also had chocolate ice cream. Not bad. I will try a cold item the next visit to see if that catches my attention. read more

I had heard mixed reviews of this place but my first experience here was good! I tried the lemon chicken, plantains and rice and it was really good. They don't have dine in right now so it's just take out. Decent sized portions. Looking forward to trying more on the menu read more

Amazing vegan desserts, I noticed no difference in the cinnamon bun. I expected a little more from the meat. Maybe it was an off day? My long time vegetarian found the texture of the lemon chicken to be a little off. Stewed fish was decent, and collard greens were better than my grandma's lol. read more

The Nile Cafe - Bbq chicken and stewed fish - Vegan Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Ordered from here a few times because of their vegetarian options. Great spot tucked in Germantown section of philly pretty easy to miss. Friendly customer service I highly recommend the pepper steak and broccoli. Sweet potatoes and cabbage is very good as well read more

It's okay. The service is mediocre, the food is average, but if you're in the area it may not hurt to try. I don't visit anymore for these reasons. The events are Afrocentric & cultural so it boosts the atmosphere. read more

So yummy! Loved the jerk drumsticks and the chicken with gravy. The side of yams were great too. Highly recommend if you're looking for a comforting and tasty meal. Everything is vegal. Also loved their ice cream. read more

I have heard great things about this place. All of my friends rave about it, but my experience was just okay. I ordered the sweet potatoes, cabbage and BBQ Chicken platter and the sides were amazing although the sweet potatoes could have used some cinnamon. The Chicken was very chewy and very sweet (unlike the sweet potatoes). The Vegan Vanilla Cake tastes like cake batter and not much else but it gave me a nostalgic feeling of at home baking. I am willing to try again because of the service but overall, just okay dining experience. read more

The best vegan soul food I've found in this area! Black-owned with clothes, books, lotions, and much more for sale. They also have a ton of information about other black owned businesses in the area. read more

The Nile Cafe - Vegan BBQ chicken with collard greens and cabbage - Vegan Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

That type of food you wish you knew how to make on your own. So yummy and the staff was super friendly

The service and food is phenomenal. I was a little reluctant to try vegan chicken, but to my surprise it was very tasty. I would strongly recommend their ginger chicken, cabbage and sweet plantains. My husband order the bbq and jerk chicken and he enjoyed his meal too. read more

The Nile Cafe - Brown Rice, Jerk and BBQ Chicken, and Cabbage - Vegan Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

My wife and I loved the food. She had the Jerk Chicken, which she found perfectly spiced. I had the Chicken and Gravy, which was pretty good though not as rich as I had hoped. The Collard Greens, however, were amazing. I grew up in the south and these collards were like sitting at my grandma's kitchen table. In terms of the ambiance, it's a community center where people come together to explore healthy food, sound living and how to be in better relationship with one another. So it's very casual with a very authentic connection between good food and living a good life. We'll be back. read more

For the past 7 months. After my boyfriend recommended this place, I absolutely cannot stop going here. Ever since I have laid my eyes on the bbq chicken, I will always remember the serotonin and endorphins that fled through my body as I took a bite. If I had the choice of a last meal before I died, it would be from the Nile cafe. With that being said, I will never cease this place my business and now a lifelong customer. read more

I have had everything but the sandwiches! It is all delicious l, including the yummy desserts! We drive in from Collegeville, it is well worth the ride. Staff is the greatest too! read more

Omg I couldn't wait to write this review! A friend and I were looking for a vegan meal after an intense personal training session. We found a few but the first was closed. The second one had a worship going on, which in itself was fine but I was hungry and I have my own religion. Then we came across this gem and were very delighted. Vegan food usually takes a while to prepare and usually made to order, however their food was already prepared! The second thing I loved was that they let us taste test the food before we ordered so we could get exactly what we liked. Third and last which made this place " my new spot" the food! Everything I had on my platter was flavorful, warm, and well seasoned. I had the spicy fish (which wasn't very hot because I dont like spicy), greens, and okra corn. I would recommend this place to vegans and meat eaters the same. Five stars! read more

The Nile Cafe - Spicy fish greens and okra corn - Vegan Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

You walk in to this afrocentric bookstore.. look to your left and OH.. there's the Nile Cafe.. it's very cute, and very small. The atmosphere is very welcoming, the guy in the back is extremely nice also. when you order you can get small or large which includes your entree and 2 sides. For a small it's 9$..I got the "pepper steak" and brown rice.. I'm not really a fan of any of the others side they had to offer , cabbage, okra corn tomato (not a fan in general, nothing against theirs specifically ) .. I was sort of forced into getting it because they had run out of pretty much everything. and it was like 3pm.. that's kind of ridiculous but whatever. The pepper steak just wasn't seasoned enough , which really disappointed me. They take cash and credit :D .. and they are like practically around the corner from me so I figure I'll go back in again and hopefully they have more than 1 choice and it's not the pepper steak! read more

I really like this place. It's a small vegan cafe run by a really nice guy. Everything is "soul food" inspired, so it's very satisfying and pretty yummy. For example, I had chicken fried tofu steak and stewed cabbage that was to die for (p.s. I love cabbage). Boyfriend had fake pork and greens (he's a total carnivore and only made his usual complaint that fake meat has a weird texture). The menu changes periodically. Well, they don't really have menus: You walk up to the kitchen window, hear what he's cooking that day and order, and then he brings it out to you. Very friendly and quick. They share space with an African bookstore, so there's not even a need to bring your our reading materials, really. Pretty sure this is a cash only place. Also, the hours seem to be a bit sporadic, so I might call before going to make sure they're open. Also, they use both soy and wheat germ products, so those with allergies may want to stear clear. read more

This place has been wildly updated since the previous review! There is now a solid menu and you don't have to simply question the chef, and the service is just great. The menu includes things like Jamaican chicken (which comes in a savory pineapple sauce to die for!), pepper steak, soy duck, greens, cornbread, banana bread, 12 bean soup, etc. I've personally tried everything mentioned save for the soup, which I was told tastes great. Everything is flavored with such care and skill, and the textures of the "meat" dishes were even acceptable to all my meat-eating friends. Their "meat" dishes come from soy and wheat gluten, and they're happy to tell you what your dish is made from before you order. The Nile has a refrigerator filled with natural fruit juices and vegan cakes (which, by the way, taste great ... especially the strawberry shortcake!). They also have a freezer filled with vegan ice cream (at least 9 different flavors!) and it tastes amaaaaazing! The service is also great. Very nice people at the window who you can easily have a long conversation with, and I've definitely spent a good amount of time talking to the people. It's a good atmosphere. :) I definitely give The Nile 5 stars and I hope you check it out! It's a really chill, laid back place, and you're bound to have a good meal and enjoy yourself. read more