I really wanted to like this place, but wow… what a letdown. I waited about 20 minutes while the one (very overworked-looking) employee reheated everything in an air fryer. Yup — nothing was fresh, and it tasted exactly like that. • Falafel: Dry as the desert. Zero seasoning. I actually needed water after eating one. • Fried oyster mushrooms: 90% breading, maybe 10% mushroom if you’re lucky. • Quinoa: No salt, no seasoning, nothing. • Curried chickpeas: Couldn’t taste curry at all, no salt, peas still hard. It felt unfinished. • Miso dressing: This was the saving grace. Slightly sweet, really tasty, actually perked up the salad. • Tahini sauce: Not my vibe — very pasty and way too earthy • Jerk jackfruit: OMG. No one tasted this before serving, I’m convinced. It literally tasted like canned jackfruit straight out of super salty brine, drowned in painfully spicy jerk sauce. Completely inedible. For a vegan spot, I expected fresh, flavorful, and thoughtful food. Instead, it was bland, overbreaded, or just plain off. If it were closer, I’d honestly return the meals. Two meals, zero satisfaction.
Vodega Deli & Grocery
Excerpts
I really wanted to like this place, but wow… what a letdown. I waited about 20 minutes while the one (very overworked-looking) employee reheated everything in an air fryer. Yup — nothing was fresh, and it tasted exactly like that. • Falafel: Dry as the desert. Zero seasoning. I actually needed water after eating one. • Fried oyster mushrooms: 90% breading, maybe 10% mushroom if you’re lucky. • Quinoa: No salt, no seasoning, nothing. • Curried chickpeas: Couldn’t taste curry at all, no salt, peas still hard. It felt unfinished. • Miso dressing: This was the saving grace. Slightly sweet, really tasty, actually perked up the salad. • Tahini sauce: Not my vibe — very pasty and way too earthy • Jerk jackfruit: OMG. No one tasted this before serving, I’m convinced. It literally tasted like canned jackfruit straight out of super salty brine, drowned in painfully spicy jerk sauce. Completely inedible. For a vegan spot, I expected fresh, flavorful, and thoughtful food. Instead, it was bland, overbreaded, or just plain off. If it were closer, I’d honestly return the meals. Two meals, zero satisfaction.
I really wanted to like this place, but wow… what a letdown. I waited about 20 minutes while the one (very overworked-looking) employee reheated everything in an air fryer. Yup — nothing was fresh, and it tasted exactly like that. • Falafel: Dry as the desert. Zero seasoning. I actually needed water after eating one. • Fried oyster mushrooms: 90% breading, maybe 10% mushroom if you’re lucky. • Quinoa: No salt, no seasoning, nothing. • Curried chickpeas: Couldn’t taste curry at all, no salt, peas still hard. It felt unfinished. • Miso dressing: This was the saving grace. Slightly sweet, really tasty, actually perked up the salad. • Tahini sauce: Not my vibe — very pasty and way too earthy • Jerk jackfruit: OMG. No one tasted this before serving, I’m convinced. It literally tasted like canned jackfruit straight out of super salty brine, drowned in painfully spicy jerk sauce. Completely inedible. For a vegan spot, I expected fresh, flavorful, and thoughtful food. Instead, it was bland, overbreaded, or just plain off. If it were closer, I’d honestly return the meals. Two meals, zero satisfaction.
4 stars across the board. Vodega was a trek for my friend and I to get to from Manhattan but it didn't disappoint. I will say, the soft serve IS very disappointing. But my chickenless cutlet sandwich was very good and at $11 I think that's appropriate for what it is and only one worker so she was hustling. My friend enjoyed his sausage egg and cheese burrito but it was very small compared to mine but similar cost. Less grocery store items than from previous pictures a year ago but still one shelf worth of items and a whole fridge of drinks. If I'm ever in SI again, I would want to try Vodega again to explore the other sandwiches and smoothies!!
4 stars across the board. Vodega was a trek for my friend and I to get to from Manhattan but it didn't disappoint. I will say, the soft serve IS very disappointing. But my chickenless cutlet sandwich was very good and at $11 I think that's appropriate for what it is and only one worker so she was hustling. My friend enjoyed his sausage egg and cheese burrito but it was very small compared to mine but similar cost. Less grocery store items than from previous pictures a year ago but still one shelf worth of items and a whole fridge of drinks. If I'm ever in SI again, I would want to try Vodega again to explore the other sandwiches and smoothies!!