Tuesday, June 12, 2012

This Vegan Bean Loves The (Vegan-Friendly) Bean

I've long been a fan of The Bean, natch, but their "new" location on 2nd Ave and 3rd Street consistently exceeds my expectations- especially after a rather tumultuous year for the bustling, pet-friendly coffee house.

iced soy mocha, black decaf, maple scone
Perhaps you've heard of the drama that precipitated their move to this location from their original shop on 1st Ave and 3rd Street.  It seemed at the time that they wouldn't possibly be able to recreate the charm, warmth, and welcoming vibe- to humans and pets, that had previously existed on the corner only a block away...but they have.

Thaddeus
Incidentally, there's another Bean that's since opened on 12th and Broadway, with yet another under construction on 1st Ave and 9th Street (UPDATE: Grand Opening 6/14/12!).  What all these Beans will ultimately have in common surely doesn't end with the neighborhood atmosphere and genuinely friendly baristas and staff; they also happen to be extremely accommodating to vegans.

there are treats on the counter and he knows it
They offer both soy and almond milks, and the staff is well versed in what can and can't be veganized with these substitutions (I covet the un-veganizable frozen Mona Lisa).  My favorite is their iced Chai; even without being dirty, it's got a bite.

black decaf, iced soy chai, cinnammon bun!
They always have vegan baked goods on hand; on any given day there's a hearty assortment of scones, muffins, and buns.

they go fast!
There's also cake for that late night (or early morning; I don't judge) craving; the usual suspects are red velvet, vanilla almond, and/or peanut butter chocolate cheesecake.


A newer addition is from V-Spot.


A welcome assortment of lunch-y grab and go.


They also have Brad's kale chips!

If you want to hang out with the big dogs, take a seat outside.


If you're more comfortable inside, this is our favorite table.


But of course:


Two things in case anyone from The Bean is reading:
1) Your bagels look and smell divine; please start carrying vegan cream cheese!
2) Can you please permanently evict the snotty woman who cut VM in the restroom line and then shrugged when it was pointed out to her?


Other than that, keep doing what your doing and this bean will keep visiting The Bean.

6 comments:

  1. As I've told you before, you are only borrowing energy from your future. :)

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  2. sounds so yummy...those pies look outrageous! especially the PB one! thanks for sharing!

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  3. You should try to find out where Gotham New York Bagels in Madison gets their vegan cream cheese. It's the best.

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  4. BYOL, it's only a little; I'm not Pecan!

    glutenfreehappytummy, highly recommend.

    Andrea, I've considered traveling with my own tofutti & sliced jalapenos but I can't bring myself to do it.

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  5. Ah yea, it took me a while to get down with The Bean since I am a creature of habit but they opened one across the street from my job and offer a discount to the employees - along with all the benefits you listed here. I'm usually just a simple coffee in-and-out person but I really appreciated finding those VSpot meals in there in a pinch.

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