Cafe Sunflower Buckhead
★★★★☆ 4.3 (783) • $$
"After 23 years of living in Atlanta, I finally made it to Cafe Sunflower. This is an Atlanta institution for vegan food, a cuisine I admittedly don't seek out, hence why it took me so long to get here. As an omnivore, I really enjoyed the food. There's a reason this place has been around so long and is so beloved. They know how to make great restaurant-quality vegan food. As far as vegan restaurants go, I think this is one that sets the standard. Thus, five stars.The first Cafe Sunflower originally opened in Sandy Springs in 1994: https://www.yelp.com/biz/cafe-sunflower-sandy-springs-atlanta. That location unfortunately closed in 2020 due to the pandemic: https://www.facebook.com/cafesunflowersandysprings/posts/pfbid02p5PRhJUqKagL91j3zXRt5kwYBpKRzt5HgBhtvFkWeTJTH6vHjhP9aW29UKxu3gmAl. This Buckhead location opened in 1997. It's located in the two-story Brookwood Square shopping center, next door to Houston's. In 2014, the restaurant moved to a bigger space, but stayed in the same shopping center: https://www.tonetoatl.com/2014/04/planned-apartments-force-cafe-sunflower.html. I remember the old space which was tucked away from Peachtree Street. The current location faces Peachtree.We visited on an ordinary Tuesday night. The restaurant was moderately busy with a combination of dine-in and takeout orders. The clientele was diverse. Young, old, families, solo diners, large groups, date nights, etc. The space is sizable and simply-yet-tastefully decorated. There are multiple indoor dining areas plus a small, uncovered, pet-friendly, outdoor patio. Plenty of parking was available next to the restaurant, though I could see the lot being more congested at lunchtime due to the other businesses at Brookwood Square.One thing that I think is great about Cafe Sunflower is the variety of menu offerings in both food and drink. They offer vegan versions of all sorts of ethnic cuisines, from Orzo Eggplant Lasagna ($20) to Spicy Pad Thai Noodles ($21). Drink-wise, they have fresh juices, plant-based milks, coffee, tea, wine, and beer. Below is what I had (all prices listed were at the time of our visit).Red Wine (also on the blackboard specials at the entrance)* House Sangria ($10) - seasonalStarters* Avocado Spring Rolls ($12) - crispy wrapper, cilantro, aioli* Quesadilla ($15) - white mushroom, spinach, yellow onion, vegan cheese, guacamoleEntrees* Fettuccini Alfredo ($21) - fettuccine pasta, shiitake mushroom, green beans, red bell pepper, asparagus, cashew Alfredo sauce* Gyro Wrap ($18) - marinated seitan, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, feta, tzatziki sauce, vegan cheese, pita wrap, friesDessert* Raspberry Chocolate Mousse ($9 slice)* Carrot Cake ($9 slice)I had to get the House Sangria after seeing it on the specials menu on the way in. While not significantly different from other sangrias I've had, it was still tasty and refreshing. It also went well with all of the dishes I tried.Off the bat, I was pleasantly surprised by the Avocado Spring Rolls and Quesadilla. Just terrific quality and flavor all around. Wonderful color too. Generally, the dish presentation popped here. The Avocado Spring Rolls were fresh and hearty. Delectably crispy on the outside and filled with plenty of avocado on the inside. The Quesadilla was packed with cheesy goodness and umami. I believe Cafe Sunflower's Quesadilla can rival just about any other restaurant's quesadilla, vegan or not. It was that good. Generous portion sizes here too.I'm a fan of Fettuccini Alfredo in general. Cafe Sunflower's version was excellent. Normally made with butter and Parmesan cheese, my friend and I were really impressed with how smooth, creamy, and authentically-delicious the cashew Alfredo sauce was. It was really good. The noodle texture was just right too. We were trying to decide between this entree and the Bacon Beyond Burger ($19). We went with the pasta after our server told us how heavy the burger was.I had been eyeing the Gyro Wrap on the menu before our visit. I had to get it. Out of all the dishes we tried, this one tasted the least like its non-vegan counterpart. The reason why is because of the seitan. While the slices looked just like traditional gyro meat, the taste and texture were quite different. The pita was also a little hard and overcooked. The fries were less seasoned and oily (the latter, a good thing). All that said, I didn't regret ordering this dish and I still enjoyed it.Cafe Sunflower is also known for their cakes, so we had to try some. They offered five kinds when we visited. Slices of each kind were in a display at the check-in counter. Both the Raspberry Chocolate Mousse and the Carrot Cake that we got were fantastic. These were large, rich, high-quality slices that we couldn't stop eating. The Carrot Cake had a moist, appetizing consistency while the Mousse was thick, sweet, and creamy.Jose was our server. He did a good job.Like the thousands that have come before me, I recommend this place."
"When I ended up in South Atlanta at an airport hotel for the night, I used the yelp! app to look for vegan food options and ended up ordering through the app. I ordered the wing plate which had 5 wings and potato salad for $22. Pretty steep for wings, but crossed my fingers they were worth it. When the food arrived by doordash late, the food was room temp, not starting off the best I thought. But once I tasted the wings, all was forgiven (almost). The wings are absolutely the best. Tender, crunchy on the out side, and remarkably, very filling. Since I had the food delivered, I can not speak of the ambiance or the staff. Next time in Atlanta I will definitely pop in the restaurant to eat in and try the food hot."
"I went with a friend to try this spot while in town. Parking was free and in close proximity. It was close to closing so there were just a few people in the restaurant. I ordered Kalebone sandwich and roasted potatoes. First of all, those potatoes were fire. They were really good. The sandwich was extremely good and filling. I didn't eat the entire sandwich but finished it later. It was a good experience. I could try other menu items again when in town."
