I am not a vegan. Not even close. Honestly, I probably never will be. BUT, I am open-minded and…read morelove to try new things. I visited the Vegan Pastry Lab for the first time and I was impressed!
The business is on the corner of an industrial area in Englewood, away from the downtown noise and traffic. There's free parking on the left side of the street. The store itself is small, but offers a lot of goodies. It doubles as a bakery and mini market. There isn't any indoor seating - they only have a small bench outside.
Everything (and I mean everything) is plant-based and vegan. Their kitchen is also certified kosher. They have all of your favorite pastries like donuts, cinnamon rolls, cookies, muffins, brownies, and cupcakes. Many of them are gluten-free. They also have oven-baked sandwiches, fresh fruit smoothies, and hot drinks (espresso, tea, hot chocolate, etc.).
The mini market has a variety of vegan snacks and products like cheese, "meat" slices, chocolate, candles, nuts, chips, supplements, and dog treats. I was overwhelmed by all of the options, but the employee was very patient, welcoming, and answered all of my questions. I ended up trying the...
*#4 Sandwich with sausage, hash brown, egg, and cheddar on a pretzel bun ($13)
*#5 Sandwich with chikkin cutlet, cheddar, BBQ aioli, pickles, and onion crisps on a pretzel bun ($14)
*Salted Chocolate Chip Cookie (~$6)
Based on taste alone, I never would have guessed any of these were vegan. They tasted almost identical to their dairy and meat counterparts.
The cookie was the star of the show! It was a nice balance of sweet, buttery, and salty. The texture was soft and chewy. The chocolate chips had a rich flavor and melted in my mouth.
As for the sandwiches... they were so small for the price. Bigger than a slider, but smaller than a standard burger. The #4 was nothing special. It was dry and bland. The McMuffin from McDonald's is a hundred times tastier. The #5 was the better one out of the two. This was a good choice for a savory sandwich. The vegan cutlet was tender and similar in taste and texture to actual chicken. The onion crisps, pickles, and BBQ aioli sauce elevated the overall flavor.
I would definitely come back to try more pastries, but I would skip the sandwiches. I don't think they're worth the price for such a small size. Vegan or not, I'm sure you won't regret giving this spot a shot!