A local Vegan Meetup member, Rachel Z., recently informed us that the new Juice Box Cafe would soon be offering Sunday and Tuesday brunches with vegan options, including vegan waffles. (Add emphatic echo and increased volume to “vegan waffles.”) So, of course, we had to go.

Juice Box colorful interior

The experience was quite pleasant, starting with the brightly-colored walls and various large pictures of fruit, which literally make you feel like you’re inside a giant juice box. (Yeah, I know they’re probably actually white or silver on the inside, but allow your imagination to follow me here.) The staff, including Hillary (chef) and Jenna (juicemaker/server), were incredibly friendly and were genuinely interested in our input on the food. This was especially the case given that we happened to be their very first vegan waffle customers.

The waffles were gluten-free, made with a blend including rice flour and oat flour. They plan chickpea flour in the future as well. They were relatively dense, with a nice level of moistness, not overly stiff, a good level of toastedness, and a wholesome-feeling texture. Excellent flavor balance as well, especially with several fillings: mixed berries, banana, and walnuts.

vegan waffles and breakfast burrito

They had some very minor sticking and breaking apart issues, visible in the picture, but this didn’t alter the flavor at all. (Not to mention that tossing it would have been wasteful–not all restaurants are so conscientious.) And this issue was already worked out by the time a second customer ordered them.

About the only recommendations I have for them would be to try just a little more leavening, even though I (and probably others) do sometimes enjoy dense waffles, and to offer a real maple syrup option for us hard-core waffle snobs, er, enthusiasts. I have no doubts they’ll have many satisfied vegan waffle customers.

Alongside the waffles, the tomato- and cucumber-based juice was refreshingly excellent, as was the vegan breakfast burrito stuffed with tofu scramble and several veggies. It created a well-rounded, enjoyable, and filling experience.

While The Zenith’s Sunday Brunch still remains my favorite recommendation for out-of-town vegan visitors to the ‘Burgh (just plan ahead for long waits), the three Pittsburgh locations that now include vegan waffles on their menus regularly or intermittently (The Juice Box Cafe, Oh Yeah! Ice Cream and Coffee Co., and The Waffle Shop) certainly have my attention. I’ll be visiting The Juice Box again for some tasty eats.

What are the favorite vegan waffle locations in your town?

On a recent visit to Ithaca, New York, we had the opportunity to visit one of this year’s Global Vegan Waffle Party hosts–the just-opened Waffle Frolic Waffle Bar and Coffee House. We obviously had to eat there, given our recent discovery that a “waffle frolic” was apparently a long-lost predecessor to the modern waffle party that we’ve grown to love so much. Waffles are only one of the items on their menu, and there are several vegan menu options so far.

Waffle Frolic Crew with Dave

Owner Alexis and Chef Marc kindly spent a little time talking with us while keeping up with the extra-heavy business of the annual Ithaca Festival. We ordered several items, with a few customized additions that were done very well.

Gluten-free vegan waffle with fried bananas, peanut butter, and carob ganache

First, of course, was one of their gluten-free vegan waffles with a vegan version of their fried bananas, peanut butter, and Marc’s special “Carob Ganache.” The flavors blended quite well, and it was rich without being overly sweet. I’ve had a few dreams about the ganache since then, and hope that they add it to the menu as a regular item, along with more vegan waffle styles and topping options.

Vegan grilled cheese with tomato soup

Alongside the well-topped waffle, we also ordered a bowl of their flavorfully spiced tomato soup made with locally-grown and organic tomatoes, and an excellent Daiya vegan grilled cheese sandwich with grilled asparagus and mushrooms. Plenty of savoriness, with great texture, and it definitely hit the spot. The asparagus was cooked just enough to caramelize the coating, while leaving a bit of the crispness. As you can see, we were so eager to start eating it that we forgot to take a picture first.

Alexis and Marc explained that after they began advertising that they were participating in the Global Vegan Waffle Party, some of their customers suggested that they add a few more vegan items to their menu,  including the grilled cheese. I was happy to hear this, and applaud Waffle Frolic for some delicious items. Be sure to check them out if you’re ever in Ithaca.