Downtown Grind - Elmira

In a country with few choices for a vegan breakfast, this restaurant is a true oasis. They serve one of the best vegan breakfast sandwiches I've ever had, and the marinated tofu really brings everything together.

The café itself is charming, with plenty of indoor seating options and even some books available for those who want to linger. One unique feature that caught my attention was the "pay-it-forward" tree, where past customers can leave receipts. If someone is struggling to afford a meal, they can take a receipt, as a gesture of support from previous patrons. I think this is a really kind and thoughtful idea. They also offered several vegan options, and the menu clearly marked what was vegan-friendly. We ordered the breakfast sandwich, overnight oats, and two lattes with milk. The sandwich was fantastic—it consisted of a bagel, avocado, a mix of spices, red bell pepper, tofu, and spinach. The overnight oats were so delicious that I found myself thinking about them for days! My only critique is that the almond plum vanilla flavor had large whole dried plums in it. I would have preferred them to be halved or quartered for easier eating. We enjoyed our meal sitting outside on a bench just a few meters away, and it was a delightful experience. I highly recommend this café to anyone in or visiting the area!

Eating is absolutely delicious. they have tons of vegan and vegetarian options, including breakfast sandwiches (my favorites), smoothie bowls and fantasy breakfast toasts. the coffee is also amazing!

Food is super yummy and they offer alot of vegan options! The vegan veggie is absolutely delicious, vegan egg, marinated smoky tofu and veggies with avocado! My go to breakfast stop! Vegan milk substitutes aswell for your coffee fix!!

I always order the vegan breakfast sandwich because it's incredibly flavorful and a great deal. The overnight oats are also fantastic. The staff are very friendly, making it a wonderful place to visit.