“My, that that was one satisfying vegan meal!” said no one, ever. Until now, that is.

Typically, unless an individual follows a plant-based lifestyle, vegan food seems to lack substance, flavor, and well…meat. But at Amazing Cafe, where though the dishes leave out animal products, they redeem themselves with local foods, unique ingredients, and excellent presentation.

I have been to this establishment on 1506 East Carson Street a number of times in the past few months and all-in-all, I give Amazing Cafe 3.5 out of five stars. The food, the internal atmosphere, and the staff are just a few aspects of the eatery that tally up in the positive. However, there are a few minor undesirable aspects as well.

Coming down East Carson Street, Amazing Cafe is not at all difficult to spot. The restaurant sits right next to its sister enterprise, Amazing Yoga, and a dons a bright blue sign announcing its name. A chalkboard can occasionally be seen out front announcing such newspoints as menu items, seasonal menu options, and changing hours.

Unfortunately, Amazing Cafe’s hours are not particularly convenient. As of now, they are closed on Mondays, which proves inconvenient for anyone who may want a nutritious lunch at the beginning of the week.  The Tuesday through Friday hours are exponentially better; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. hours ensure that the cafe will be open right around lunchtime and will close just in time for individuals to finish a late Friday dinner. The hours for Saturday and Sunday, however, are rather inconvenient. Although being open from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. presents a good opportunity for brunch, there is no way to enjoy going out to this particular venue for a relaxing weekend dinner.

As mush as the weekend hours do bother me, there may be good reason for the restaurant’s early close on weekend nights. Being that Amazing Cafe in located in the heart of Pittsburgh’s South Side, some unsavory occurrences may be taking place along bar-ridden East Carson Street. Drunken college students can certainly get in the way of a pleasant meal.

The East Carson Street location also makes parking a somewhat daunting task. Not only is it sometimes difficult to find a spot to park, but once one is found, one may find themself walking several blocks to get to the restaurant if there are no available spaces close by.

Enough with the external. Now it is time to delve into the walls of Amazing Cafe.

Upon entering, customers are greeted by a serene, blue wall, dim illuminations (don’t pass up the place just because it looks closed, that’s probably just the lighting!), and a chalkboard above the dining area with inspirational messages about nutritious eating. The walls are adorned tastefully with photographs of fruit and rustic paintings. Overall, there is a very fresh, casual, and relaxing mood about the cafe.

To order a meal, customers must simply walk up to a counter that wraps around the open kitchen.  Menus are written on the walls in chalk; one offers various juices, one offers smoothies, and one displays the cafe’s current meal offerings. Due to the  nature of the food that is prepared, many of the dishes at Amazing Cafe are seasonal. For example, several platters that included spiralized zucchini were replaced by brown rice and curry plates as zucchini went out of season with the summer.

The friendly, unpretentious employees take orders and are more than happy to accommodate the order to your needs. I stopped for a quick lunch on my way back to school, for example, and was immediately obliged when I asked if I could have a half order instead of a heaping platter of zucchini noodles.

Once the order is placed, the staff sets to work. Because of the open kitchen, one of the joys of Amazing Cafe is that you can see your juice, smoothie, lunch, or dinner being prepared right in front of you. This is an especially positive aspect for those who are mindful about all of the ingredients that go into their food.

If you get tired of waiting for the food to be ready, fear not! Customers can sit wherever they choose and the cooks will bring their orders right to the tables.

Amazing Cafe is a BYOB facility in terms of alcohol. However, there is a table set up against one of the cafe’s side walls where water can be dispensed into miniature Mason jars. Often times, the water s infused with some sort of citrus, such as lemons or limes, which bring a hydrating, cleansing aspect to the drink. Also available at the water station is a bowl of freshly ground pink Himalayan Sea Salt.

Similarly to the water, smoothies that are ordered in are served in full-sized Mason jars with paper straws, to ensure that the frothy beverages are enjoyed BPA-free. The smoothies that I have tried have mostly been delicious. However, there are two smoothies that contain almond butter and banana. I found that once when I ordered this type of drink, the banana was much too pungent, while the almond butter was barely noticeable. Therefore,when ordering a smoothie that contains these two ingredients, it is wise to request extra of the latter.

As for meals, Amazing Cafe offers a wide variety of vegan, organic, and gluten-free menu choices. Summertime picks include pad Thai made with zucchini noodles, vegetables, coconut milk, and almond butter, while more hearty fall dishes include all-natural soups, rice, and even a vegan pumpkin spice latte.

As previously mentioned, these meals are prepared right in front of customers. They are arranged aesthetically on a large white plate (or bowl, in the case of soups) and then set out to be devoured by hungry guests. And the guests certainly ought to be hungry when they come in- the portions are more than enough to satisfy, with a myriad of fresh flavors, unexpected textures, and nutritional benefits.

In terms of food, friendliness, and atmosphere, Amazing Cafe’s positive traits greatly outweigh the negatives. Anyone who is willing to overlook the restaurant’s marginal shortcomings and go in with an open mind will be rewarded with an enjoyable experience and a tasty meal to show for it.