A lot of folks, myself included, travel to Bethlehem for Vegan Treats. The more often you make the trek, the more of Bethlehem you find yourself taking the time to explore- around the epicenter of the bakery. While I could fill my bag with donuts & cookies and subsist on sweets for weeks the entire day, other people generally crave savory food at some point.
Recently, a friend of mine found Bethlehem Brew Works to fit the bill. While certainly not a vegan establishment, their menu is very specific with regard to ingredients and they offer an explicity vegan falafel pita: house-made vegan falafel served on toasted pita with avocado hummus, lettuce, red onion, and tomato as a new addition to their signature sandwiches.
The sandwich is generous, as is the portion of fries that accompanies (please see comments for another customer's experience). The falafel seems baked and exists within the sandwich in strips rather than the custumary balls; the bread is more of a grilled lavash than a toasted pita. Although it was a hardy and enjoyable sandwich, I would recommend that the restaurant offer the addition of sauce (perhaps tahini?); the bit of lettuce and tomato did little to assuage the predominant dryness of the bread/falafel/hummus combination. It would probably help if you like beer (I don't); it is, after all, a brewery.
Overall, it was very nice to have a tasty and filling vegan offering at such a mainstream establishment. When you're in the area, give it a try. There are some shops in the vicinity if you're inclined to walk around and soak in the small-town aesthetic (and have patience for finding parking).
I recommend Blue Cactus for an eclectic assortment of lighting options (like the one I purchased above), but I'll have to reserve my review of the town's other offerings until I can return on a Saturday when more shops are open for business. I can tell you that there's a store entirely dedicated to pepper spray, which I find both odd and intriguing...
Recently, a friend of mine found Bethlehem Brew Works to fit the bill. While certainly not a vegan establishment, their menu is very specific with regard to ingredients and they offer an explicity vegan falafel pita: house-made vegan falafel served on toasted pita with avocado hummus, lettuce, red onion, and tomato as a new addition to their signature sandwiches.
The sandwich is generous, as is the portion of fries that accompanies (please see comments for another customer's experience). The falafel seems baked and exists within the sandwich in strips rather than the custumary balls; the bread is more of a grilled lavash than a toasted pita. Although it was a hardy and enjoyable sandwich, I would recommend that the restaurant offer the addition of sauce (perhaps tahini?); the bit of lettuce and tomato did little to assuage the predominant dryness of the bread/falafel/hummus combination. It would probably help if you like beer (I don't); it is, after all, a brewery.
Overall, it was very nice to have a tasty and filling vegan offering at such a mainstream establishment. When you're in the area, give it a try. There are some shops in the vicinity if you're inclined to walk around and soak in the small-town aesthetic (and have patience for finding parking).
I recommend Blue Cactus for an eclectic assortment of lighting options (like the one I purchased above), but I'll have to reserve my review of the town's other offerings until I can return on a Saturday when more shops are open for business. I can tell you that there's a store entirely dedicated to pepper spray, which I find both odd and intriguing...
I like lavash bread! sometimes pita seems too dry for me. But yes, a sauce is always most welcome. Luckily, I DO like beer, so....
ReplyDeleteWonder what it is about the town that they feel they need an entire pepper spray store. To fend of vegan fiending for more Vegan Treats?
foodfeud- It's funny. While I think Vegan Treats is the impetus behind the vegan options that exist within the town, it's kind of like Portland where you think it's going to be VEGAN VEGAN VEGAN, but many people still say, "what?"
ReplyDeleteAs for the pepper spray store, perhaps someone is organizing a free vegan food event and they want to be prepared for the inevitable!
I like my falafel sandwiches juicy and dripping with tahini sauce and tomatoes, but it's nice to find even a dry one in an otherwise non-vegan location. Do you find you like the town better when your first stop is vegan treats? I think I would.
ReplyDeleteAndrea- I agree with your falafel preference. And, as you said, considering it was a very American restaurant, the sandwich was great! I especially appreciated that the falafel was fried and oily.
ReplyDeleteIt's fair to say that any town with Vegan Treats in it is okay by me.
I found the falafel pita to be a little dry, but tasty. I rarely go there because it is not very vegan friendly. Please know that the fries are not vegan. I asked the wait staff to verify since they are "battered." Both the waiter and the manager confirmed they use a milk-based batter. The waiter did not recommend any alternatives for me. When I mentioned to the manager that it would have been nice to have some kind of vegan side, she mentioned steamed veggies. I wish my waiter would have suggested it. I was not familiar enough with the menu to think of it myself. I pass this experience on to you.
ReplyDeleteUgh; thanks for the info. I won't be visiting there again! That's like serving a vegan burger in a non-vegan bun. I hope you've tried Horns instead; the food was much better. Thanks again.
ReplyDelete