The Preserved Seed is in a cozy little house tucked into a hillside at the foot of the town of Nelson. It is owned by The Twelve Tribes, a small religious community based about twenty minutes outside of town at Mt Sentinel Farms. Much of the wonderful comfort food they serve is grown on their farm, and the staff are all part of the Mt Sentinel community-the men wear pony tails and beards, the women dress in long skirts, and the place has a quiet, homey vibe. The community's vision was to open a small café offering a simple menu in a comfortable living-room-style setting, but the place is so good that they recently opened an adjacent house to hold all the people who were lining up for a wholesome, delicious meal. They keep odd hours, so I'd recommend checking their schedule before setting your heart on a visit. My favourite thing to get here is the BBQ Tofu Salad Wrap, which is made with smoky tofu, sweet creamy barbecue sauce, and crisp veggies wrapped on a soft whole wheat tortilla. The description doesn't do this addictive sandwich justice. The veggies are incredibly fresh, the sauce is unbearably delicious, and I can't even begin to describe how ridiculously good the smoky tofu is. I have the opportunity to eat this tasty wrap just one time every year or two, but the flavour is permanently imprinted on my tongue. read more

All the food was yummy and the ambience was fantastic! Such a neat dining experience. Highly recommend. I look forward to returning

The sandwiches are absolutely amazing. Definitely worth checking out if you haven't been to a Yellow Deli. It is consistent with all the other locations. Despite what their beliefs are the food is undeniably good. read more

The Yellow Deli - Cafes Near Me - Nelson, British Columbia

See all

The squash soup and a fresh green salad were perfect! This is such a charming place!

Their lamb sandwich is very good. The outside seating under the trees was delightful. Service in the early afternoon was a little lackadaisical, but satisfactory. Good restaurant, worth a visit. read more

Very slow service. Food was mediocre at best. I had a waffle with the "add fruit" option: the waffle was okay, but the fruit consisted of six very thin slices of banana and a similar number of strawberry slices -- probably not even half a strawberry in total. My girlfriend had a soggy Reuben sandwich she couldn't finish, along with the soup of the day which was a completely different soup from what we were told. When I went to pay I was asked how it was, and the server didn't even wait to hear what I had to say, instead asking something of another member of the staff. Best avoid this place. read more

Warm and cozy with the fire burning. Gorgeous live wood slab tables with leather cushioning. Delicious eggs from their farm. Homemade bread. Hot apple cider with cinnamon a must. Peanut matcha bars really good. Nice music. Truly a lovely place with wonderful people. read more

See all

Yellow deli was so delightful! Breakfast all day is always a fave for me, but the food and atmosphere by far surpassed my expectations. The ingredients were fresh and delicious. We had the yogurt parfait, raspberry muffin of the day, waffle with fruit, breakfast sandwich, chai mate and pina colada smoothie. We will absolutely be back! read more

The Yellow Deli - View of the lake from the adorable balcony - Cafes Near Me - Nelson, British Columbia

See all

Food was amazing, sandwiches were unreal!. The building is unique and lots of choices for seating.

Located behind Baker Street, not on the main high street. Old home renovated to a restaurant and has seating inside and out. Really lovely set up and the staff are all friendly. We sat outside on the deck overlooking the lake. We came here for lunch. Ordered the lamb and Ruben sandwich which were both very good. read more

The Yellow Deli - Chai latte - Cafes Near Me - Nelson, British Columbia

See all

Unique and outstanding- a must try in Nelson! Fabulous location, service and a menu to please all.

It took over 45 minutes to get our food, which was good but very basic...sandwiches and a salad. Definitely not worth the wait. And we saw neither hide nor hair of the waiter and when we asked for more water he literally filled one person's glass and then left and didn't come back. The patio is lovely on a hot day but overall I won't go back there. read more

I won't get into the details of who this place is run by...you can easily find that out via a quick google search. But if you want some cheap lunch-style homemade food, this place is pretty good. The decor and ambiance is quirky but I liked it. Their green drink and banana milk was great. The service is poor, if not terrible. Takes forever, and the servers are all very weird, awkward and not very social people (again, google will tell you why). But if you don't mind those things, go for it. There's also only one single bathroom which is annoying, but not a deal breaker. read more

Great food beautiful people, intimate , warm surroundings...casual and clean. I have seen their beautiful farm and their kitchens are spotless and professional. Sincere, genuine souls creating genuine wholesome foods. read more

Funky little place tucked away with loads of character. Great food and great service. Highly enjoyable experience.

Great Reuben! We really liked the location and the extensive menu, there was a little something for everyone after our morning hike.

We were in Nelson for 3 days and ate out several times, including twice at the Yellow Deli! Everything was amazing, organic, and homemade. The spinwich and waffle were awesome with a house made chai maté in the morning, and the cranberry nut salad + tofu was delicious for dinner. The desserts were very good too and I wish we could have eaten here even more. You cannot order alcohol, as the restaurant is run by a religious community, who grow their own produce, make their own bread, and always serve with a smile :) I would highly highly recommend the Yellow Deli! read more

Went to this awesome place for breakfast while on a 2 week Pacific NW/Canadian tour. It was, by far, my favorite (and most memorable) breakfast stop of the trip. At 7:00 AM, our waiter was happier than a clam to serve us (including my ultra-picky, multiple question-asking kid), going out of his way to check things with the cook staff, never getting irritated. We got a kick out of the over the top promotional religious literature while waiting on our food. And THE FOOD was incredible! Truly... the food was artistry... beautifully presented & delicious. I had the mate & yogurt parfait & loved every bite of it. I can't wait to visit the Hiddenite, NC location, as it's semi-close to me. I'd recommend this place to anyone. read more

Formally the Preserved Seed, now called Yellow Cafe, (at least for our visit). We've always made this our destination eatery for healthy dishes, breads, etc. Though the interior and location is still pleasant, the quality of foods and ingredients in proportion to price and service is comparatively out sized. Once, the Ruben was served on marble rye with substantial amounts of corned beef is now served on lower tier wheat bread appearing to be purchased at Safeway or another large grocery retailer. I give two stars for an establishment that promotes health and nutrition while skimping on quality ingredients. read more

I want to like this place and may (or may not) give it another chance. It's open 24 hours a day, Monday morning through Friday at 3PM. Closed on weekends. Run by The Twelve Tribes, a religious community. It was a nice warm spot on a cold day in Nelson, BC. Please note that this restaurant is not accessible to the disabled. I went in for lunch and there were no tables available, so must be a very popular spot. When I was finally seated, I was given water right away. It was at least 10 minutes before someone gave me a menu. It was another 10 minutes before someone took my order. I had to ask someone for the tea I had ordered about 15 minutes earlier. The food was absolutely delicious, but the staff seem very unhappy and stressed out. It was awkward. Also, saw a member of the kitchen staff wipe her nose with her fingers and then go right back to her duties in the kitchen. Since other folks gave this place 5 stars, I had high hopes. The food was definitely 5-star. The service, on the other hand, was not. The ambiance was great. Warmth and natural wood accents. Folksy music playing in the background. I may try it again and give them another chance. read more

Now called "The Yellow Deli". Run by a religious community, it's such a cool little spot, you need to take the stairs up to get in and its very cozy and friendly. The food was also delicious but not as healthy as I had expected, but all the same delicious! They offer something like 7 different kinds of homemade bread to choose from for your build-your-own sandwich (with obviously a selection of their own recommended choices). I had roast beef and cheddar. The soup was perfect. The salad was tasty. Both came with a slice of warm, fresh bread. I highly recommend coming here for a quick, yummy, lunch bite. read more

Absolutely delicious!! I make sure I eat here every time in Nelson! Great service, awesome food and excellent portions! Great healthy food at a great price! If you're in Nelson, you'd be outta your mind not to eat here!! read more

My boyfriend had the Turkey Gobbler and a piña colada smoothie. I had the veg. Soup of the day which was split pea and a ginger ale. It was all perfect, delicious and reasonably priced. This is a great place for a casual meal. It is now called The Yellow Deli. read more

Delicious organic handmade food at reasonable prices. Service was friendly and fast and omg the cheese cake is amazing!!

The yellow deli has delicious sandwiches and soup. We sat on the balcony and the view of the lake was amazing. You can get food there 24 /5. I would go every time I'm in nelson. read more

See all

This place is amazing. So good tasting and good for you. I wasn't in town to eat here more than twice but I would go here every day if I could. Turkey gobler is totally rad. Iced Chai tea was interesting and fun too with more spice than normal. read more

We love Yellow Deli! Every time we stop in Nelson, we eat here. The food has always been very fresh and top quality, and the service very respectful. The atmosphere is rustic, and a bit romantic in the same time. The fact that this lovely place is run by a religious group Twelve Tribes should not stir people away from this place. Caroline, I feel sad for you that you don't really understand the Canadian diversity, and the strenght we get from that concept. If you would know the religious beliefs and practices of a lot of places you eat at, you would not enjoy eating out much any more. Your review lacks any substance. read more

Turkey gobbler is the best sandwich I have EVER had!!! I drove from Vancouver not just for the sandwich but knowing I would definitely be hitting up the preserved seed once in Nelson for this sandwich! Also the tofu salad is delicious!! I highly recommend this place and I just heard that they run 24hours!! Give them a try! read more

Our family of six ate here for lunch and really enjoyed the selection of fresh salads, sandwiches and smoothies. Everything is homemade and absolutely delicious. The prices are very reasonable as well. Highly recommend the Deli rose sandwich and roasted lamb sandwich. Yum! read more

You must go here. Great food ! Great staff ! Myself and my son loved it. Can't beat a "create your own sandwich" ! And it was VERY good ! read more

Great food, friendly helpful staff, and a very unique setting. Did I mention the food is good? The barbecue tofu wrap is excellent (this from a near-carnivore), the key lime pie scrumptious, cider/matcha good. Always a good bet for lunch. read more

The sandwiches and everything was amazing. Finally a quicker restaurant with real food. I personally think they put to much cheese but otherwise I would have given 5 stars read more

Wholesome and lovingly made and raised food served by Jesus worshiping remaindered dead-heads in wood clad mid 70's northern California comic strip version of David Grismans house..........really quite nice. read more

This place has a lovely, cozy vibe and tasty sandwiches. I've been here twice now and the service was excellent both times. My server the second time was extremely friendly and hospitable and I enjoyed a delicious chai and sandwich. I will certainly return to this cozy establishment very soon. read more

cute old-country europe vibe, good fresh food and very reasonable prices

The restaurant itself was really cute. The service was not the warmest though. I loved the vegan soup, but when we asked to get the veggie burger as a salad instead of on a bun, it came on a small side plate with a couple of vegetables on top... I asked if we could please have a plate of lettuce to eat with it and they said we would have to order a whole extra salad each. Seriously, how much does a pile of lettuce cost vs. a bun? The veggie burger itself was small and not very tasty, we left hungry. This is the first restaurant ever that has not given us a salad in place of a bun and there were not very many vegetarian, vegan, gluten free options on the menu. read more