Evie's - Roanoke

Upon arrival at the restaurant, the host informed us that many menu items could be made vegan. They even mentioned that they had vegan desserts available, which caught our attention. The food selection was impressive, with the millet burger standing out as tender and thin, almost indistinguishable from a regular burger. However, the rice and beans were tasty but lacked inspiration. Unfortunately, most side dishes were not vegan, like baked potatoes and macaroni and cheese, so be prepared for a limited meal. When it came time for dessert, we were disappointed to learn that the vegan options needed to be pre-ordered, despite being told otherwise earlier. This oversight led to a lackluster dining experience. While there aren't many other options in the area, this restaurant is not somewhere we'd eagerly return to.

There are not many clearly labeled vegan options (maybe just one), but there are some more vegetarian options that can be made vegan with modifications. I wanted to substitute the tortilla for the black burrito with salad, but they wanted to charge an extra $3, which I found to be somewhat inappropriate. I ended up having the low-fat tostada, which was definitely vegan. As someone who usually eats whole plant-based foods with no oil, I found the meal to not be greasy or overly salty. The signature dish I ordered was a bit bland. The maple mustard dressing I ordered ended up being a vinaigrette, so I didn't use it. The service was excellent. The staff confirmed that there are no vegan bread options and most dressings are vegan except for two (and the secret sauce in the Grundee 1000 island). Overall, my experience was okay, but it didn't wow me. I could have made a similar meal at home for much cheaper.

Mostly vegetarian options, but we were able to modify to have several choices. Server was helpful understood what vegan meant! Millet burger was tasty. Rice bean tostada with salsa was very good! Great atmosphere would go again.

First impression was dwindling quickly as the wait staff proved a lack of basic knowledge about Vegan options and the differences between red and white wines. After several trips to the kitchen and back we wound up changing our orders twice. Food finally arrived. One order was missing a substitute for the cheese and took a bit long to get someone to respond. Overall the food was ok but not inspirational by any stretch of the imagination.

I called ahead and asked about vegan food options and was told that they could make changes to make a dish vegan, except for the soups, which were made ahead of time in bulk. No problem. We went to the restaurant and it felt welcoming and warm, we chose a table by the window. The waitress, Doris, was AWESOME. She made sure everything I had did not have butter in it and was vegan. Unfortunately, and out of her control, the entrees we were served were not worth the money spent, except for the side salad with mustard maple sauce and the bread. My dish, promoted as a staple of the restaurant, Ellie's Red Beans and Rice, was bland and the rice was not cooked evenly. My partner, who is not vegan, had their prized Southern Meat Loaf, and even that was dry and bland as well, and the broccoli was super salty. I was so hopeful, but soon disappointed with the plant based offerings. They could have done so much better.