Jam’N Java

It can be difficult to find a good vegetarian soup that is truly vegetarian. Soups at restaurants always seem to be made in a chicken or beef broth which can be truly frustrating for vegetarian soup lovers like me.

I was pleasantly surprised, that while walking through Arlington Center, I stumbled upon Jam’N Java. With a name like Jam’n Java one would think it was just a coffee shop but they have a good size menu with soups, sandwiches, salads and desserts. 

For about $7 I had their vegetable soup with a half hummus vegetable sandwich, both dishes were completely vegan. I really enjoyed their vegetable soup, it was a a nice light, thin, tomato based soup made with green beans, mushrooms and zucchini. The half hummus sandwich was  served on a wheat bread, with carrots, spinach, onions, and tomatoes. It was pretty standard but complimented the sandwich well. 

There is a free wireless access and plenty of indoor seating as well as a few tables outside.

Jam’N’ Java is a nice place for a light healthy lunch, although there was only one vegetable soup, it was good enough for me .

Gulu Gulu Cafe

 

With October just around the corner, Salem MA, is one of the most popular places to visit for some good Halloween fun. Gulu Gulu cafe is located on Essex St in Salem MA and is a cute cafe that has a lot of good vegetarian friendly options.  In addition to great food and drinks, the restaurant, depending on the night, features live music that makes for a fun night out. 

I found myself at Gulu Gulu Cafe and I had their Lyon Vegetarian panini ($8), also available as a wrap.  This is a delicious grilled Panini made with provolone cheese, roasted red peppers, tomatoes and artichokes.  The panini is also served with chips and a side salad.  It was perfect for the fall weather, the cheese melted in my mouth. In additon to the Lyon Vegetarian panini, I had a cup of the Hungry Mushroom soup, $(3), a lightly creamed soup filled with fresh mushrooms. I liked the fact the soup was not too heavy like most mushroom soups that are available.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed my meal and what I consider to be the perfect vegetarian comfort food ( hot soup, and a warm Panini) for the fall weather.  The staff is friendly and the ambiance is  reminiscent of a European style cafe with couches, paintings and wooden tables. Other vegetarian items include a variety of , crepes,wraps, salads and grape leaves.  The free wireless internet and the outdoor patio are nice touches.

Parking is on the street and the prices are same for lunch or dinner. I wish they had a half soup and sandwich option as the I could not finish my panini.  However if you find yourself in the Salem MA area, Gulu Gulu Cafe is nice place to relax and unwind with some good food.

Veggie Cheap Eat: Creations Cafe

Creations cafe, located on 400 Main St in Wakefield, is a small cafe that serves healthy and affordable lunch options in a casual relaxed setting. With wraps, smoothies, salads, soups there are plenty of great eats for vegetarians. I went to Creations Cafe for lunch yesterday and ordered their Main Street salad ($4.95) made with romaine lettuce, bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and feta cheese. Instead of the usual Greek dressing, (generally made with anchovies), the salad was served with a garlic balsamic vinaigrette. To my surprise the portion size of the salad was quite large and the large wooden bowl the salad was served in was a nice touch.

Other vegetarian options include a garlic hummus wrap, miso noodle soup bowl and an eggplant balsamic panini. Customers at Creations cafe can also enjoy free wireless Internet. Service is very friendly and the owner always greets you with a smile. The place is quite cozy with just 5 or 6 tables, but you will generally not have a problem finding a seat. Definitely worth checking out if you are looking for a healthy affordable lunch in the Wakefield area.

New England Soup Factory

No matter what time of the year it is, nothing can cheer me up like a bowl of soup. I am a huge fan of soups and needless to say I was very excited when I stumbled upon the New England Soup Factory in Salem MA. They have two other locations, one in Brookline and the other in Needham MA. The menu mentions they carry 150 different types of soups, and the choices of soups are continuously changing.

I went to there for lunch and on that particular day they had three different types of vegetarian soups, each with a distinct flavor. The service was very friendly and I was able to sample all three of the soups.

The first soup I tried was the Black Bean and Yellow Rice with Habanera but found it too spicy for my liking. The Roasted Peach and Ginger soup was a yummy cold and sweet soup that tasted like a peach yogurt smoothie however I could find no taste of the ginger. Out of the three soups, the one I liked best was the Spinach & Zucchini Bisque, a warm cream based soup with shredded spinach. Besides soups, there are quite a few good vegetarian/vegan options on the menu. I ended up ordering the sesame noodles ($3.25), a side dish made with vegetables and ginger in a sesame soy blend. I really enjoyed the taste of this dish but quite contrary to my experience with the Peach Ginger Soup I found the ginger in this dish a bit overpowering.

Depending on the day, the selections of soups could be hit or miss but it looks like they try to offer something for everyone. The ambiance is casual and simple but I did not have a problem finding a seat to have lunch. If you are in the area, the New England Soup Factory is worth checking out for a healthy affordable lunch.

Wrapture

I had the most amazing vegetable burrito at Wrapture located in downtown Beverly Massachusetts. Wrapture serves wraps, soups, salads, and stir frys in a cute hip environment.

When ordering a wrap at Wrapture you can choose between four different types of organic tortillas, spinach, sundried tomato, wheat, and plain. I ordered a burrito on a whole wheat wrap with roasted vegetables. You have an option of white or brown rice ( most burrito places that I have been to do not offer this.). Everything at Wrapture is fresh and the food is made to order. The vegetables, beans, cheese, rice are cooked together, giving it a fresh, flavorful taste. The cheese comes out melted and the vegetables are blended well with the salsa. I really liked the choice of vegetables in this burrito. Many burrito places add too much squash and zucchini to vegetarian burritos and less of other vegetables, at Wrapture they added broccoli which gave it a nice crunchy taste.

The only con of this restaurant is that it is more of a take out restaurant with few bar stools and a couple of tables outside. I am not sure if the restaurant has air conditioning as it was quite warm inside. The prices are a little steep for lunch, with wraps averaging at $7 and stir fry's with tofu at $9.

Wrapture has many vegan/vegetarian friendly options and is one of the few places in the North Shore where you can get a falafel. Wrapture is a good place to come for lunch for a quick place to grab a bite.



Wrapture
284 Cabot St
Beverly MA
978-524-7710