Benevolence Café

Vegan Sloppy Joes Lentil Loaf Egg-less Salad Sandwiches

41 W. Swan St.
Columbus, OH 43215
614-221-9330
Benevolencecafe.com

Hours
Monday to Friday: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday: 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday: Closed

Everything about Benevolence Café lives up to its name—from its menu of vegan, organic foods that are good for animals, people, and the Earth to its commitment to recycling and preparing everything from scratch to its reputation as a “sanctuary in the city” for many a weary, hungry traveler.

The staff and cooks at Benevolence Café know that there is no better way to show goodwill toward their fellow humans than with a hot, steaming bowl of soup and an ample slice of homemade bread—the café’s specialties. An ever-changing selection of soups ranges from the comforting to the exotic. The Black Bean Chili and Rice—a slow-cooked combination of black beans, onions, and green peppers that’s kissed with the sweet smokiness of chipotle chilies—is the perfect way to warm up on a cold winter afternoon. Adventurous types love the Curried Ginger-Couscous Soup, which offers a tantalizing blend of spicy Indian broth with green peas, garbanzo beans, carrots, sautéed ginger and garlic, couscous, and fragrant herbs.

Diners love the café’s sandwiches too. The bountiful and filling Hummus Salad Sandwich—an open-faced sandwich with fresh, crunchy vegetables that are blended into an unforgettably flavorful hummus that’s topped with sprouts and romaine lettuce—has a loyal following, as does the Tofu Sandwich, which features delightfully chewy and savory marinated tofu layered with sprouts, lettuce, and a tangy dressing. In fact, the Tofu Sandwich is so beloved by some of the café’s customers who moved out of state that they despaired over not being able to get the sandwich anymore.

Just don’t ask owner Luann Riley which of the café’s many homemade breads is the best. With varieties such as the Highlands Bread (a slightly sweet, light whole-wheat bread made with molasses and dotted with poppy and pumpkin seeds) and Grains of the Goddess bread (an earthy loaf with organic wheat flours and an abundance of seeds, nuts, and grains, including walnuts and sunflower seeds), Riley says that choosing a favorite would be like asking a mother to choose her favorite child.

With food this delicious, it’s no wonder that meat-eaters who enter Benevolence Café with misgivings leave with a “Wow!” as Riley says. But this quiet, cozy café—with wood-paneled walls, large windows, communal tables, and plants and books everywhere—nourishes the soul as well as the body. Vegan cooking classes and soy-candle-making classes are popular activities, as is the café’s monthly Chi-Lel Qigong gathering. The café sells books, cards, clothing, and jewelry and regularly displays the work of local artists.

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