The Vintage Garden Kitchen

OMG, how did this place not already have their own business listing on Yelp? For shame! Though I am happy to get a chance to be the first to review Vintage Garden Kitchen on Yelp, because this is an absolute *gem* of a business, and everyone in the world needs to know about it. Yesterday afternoon, I saw a tweet reminding people to place orders before 4pm, because today (Wednesday) is the day they deliver - yes, that's right, deliver! - their jars of amazingly delicious, healthy, vegetarian-friendly, locally sourced, and [insert list of superlatives and synonyms for the word awesome] soup. Straight from their garden, via the kitchen, to your door. Thanks to the reminder on Twitter, I placed my order online yesterday afternoon for four pints of soup: Fiery Shiitake Mushroom and Barley; Moroccan Chickpea Stew; Rustic Vegetable Bean; and Vegan Lentils and Greens. Each pint comes in a re-usable mason jar, and when you collect six of those, you get a free pint of soup with your next order! Brilliant: it's savvy (saves the business money), and green, and convenient. There's so much win here that I'm having a hard time putting it into words. Long story sort: The Vintage Garden Kitchen is an Arc Enterprises Company, meaning that not only do they provide amazing food (AND DELIVER IT TO YOUR DOOR!), but also, in doing so they provide employment for adults with developmental disabilities. (They're one of the businesses run by the nonprofit Arc of Greater New Orleans.) I've seen the garden where they grow all the food that is used to make these amazing soups, and it blows my mind that food this fresh, this nutritious, and this beautifully convenient is available in New Orleans. But wait, it gets better: their food is shockingly affordable. A half pint of, say, Moroccan Chickpea Stew feeds 2 people, and costs $4.99. The minimum order for delivery is $15, so for four pints I paid about $22.00, and it was delivered the very next day. How. Awesome. Is. That. Seriously.They deliver every Wednesday between 10am and 2pm, and orders must be placed before 4pm on Tuesday to ensure delivery. They deliver to 70001, 70005, 70115, 70118, 70119 (yay!), 70124, and 70125. Again, the minimum order for delivery is $15 (so, approximately three pints, or two quarts, blah blah math and stuff). They take credit cards, it's easy to place an order online, and you can also order in two other ways. Either pre-order for pick-up (and you can come get your soups between 8am and 4pm M-F), or if you don't want to pre-order, you can simply stop by during business hours. Walk-ins are welcome, too!So...yeah. Amazing, amazing, amazing. I'm so glad the Vintage Garden Kitchen exists. I highly recommend you give them a try. Then you, too, can write your very own rave review of this freaking awesome local business. Well done, Vintage Garden Kitchen. Well done. And THANKS!

I love the Vintage Garden - the fact that they are an Arc Enterprises Company, meaning they provide employment for adults with developmental disabilities. (They're one of the businesses run by the nonprofit Arc of Greater New Orleans.) They deliver every Wednesday between 10am and 2pm, and orders must be placed before 4pm on Tuesday to ensure delivery. They deliver to 70001, 70005, 70115, 70118, 70119, 70124, and 70125. Again, the minimum order for delivery is $15 (so, approximately three pints, or two quarts). They take credit cards, it's easy to place an order online, and you can also order in two other ways. Either pre-order for pick-up (and you can come get your soups between 8am and 4pm M-F), or if you don't want to pre-order, you can simply stop by during business hours. Walk-ins are welcome, too!Bring back your mason jars (I think if you bring 10 back you get a pint free) & bring your leftover grocery/walmart/target/etc bags to help them out as well.SO MANY great soups!!! Some of my favorite are the Yellow Split Pea soup, Mushroom and Asparagus, Moroccan Chickpea Stew; Rustic Vegetable Bean, Roasted Buternut Squash, Chicken & Andouille Gumbo, Sweet Roasted Pepper & Carrot, Veggie Tortilla Soup, Smothered Chicken with Rice & Greens - SO MANY GREAT SOUPS!!!!The location is a little out of the way, on Labarre south of Airline Highway across the railroad tracks, but definetly worth the trip!!!!

The Vintage Garden Kitchen is one of those places that could easily fly below the radar. I'm not sure where I heard about it, but I've known about the VGK for quite a while now. It has a very robust website, but there was always an air of mystique surrounding this business. I remember calling and leaving messages but never received a returned telephone call. This week I made a diligent effort to find out what this place is all about. Now I'm hooked.There are a few things about VGK that make it unique. First, it is not a restaurant but a "soup to go" establishment. It offers limited delivery to certain zip codes. The location is a little out of the way, on Labarre south of Airline Highway across the railroad tracks. There is a big sign that says "We Make Soups" which points in to a fenced off parking lot. The soup can be picked up between 8am-4pm Monday through Friday. The pick-up is located in a nondescript building that looks more like an office building than a soup vendor. The staff is very nice and enthusiastic. Not to mention the menu is filled with many different options including meat and vegetarian friendly.The soup is sold in pint and quart sized mason jars. If you keep the jar and return it you get a punch card. For every 10 returned jars you receive a free pint of soup. I decided on the Moroccan Chickpea Stew, the Fiery Shitake Mushroom and Barley, and the Rustic Vegetable and Bean. It didn't take long to finish off a jar of soup, and the remaining soup will likely be eaten within a few days. The VGK grows most of its ingredients on its organic farm. What it doesn't grow it obtains from local producers.Another great aspect of the VGK is it that it is partnered or working closely with Arc of Greater New Orleans which is a 501(C)(3) organization. Arc is dedicated to the empowerment of adults and children with intellectual disabilities and supplies labor to the VGK for farming and producing the soups.In my opinion the VGK gets a high score for several reasons. First, the soups are absolutely delicious, seasoned to perfection, and prepared with fresh, hearty vegetables. Another plus, the ingredients are mostly organic which makes me feel better about eating it, and which means VGK is dedicated to sustainable practices and outputting the highest quality of foods. Additionally, its cooperation with Arc of Greater New Orleans is a great way of empowering those with intellectual disabilities. Therefore, the VGK is not only producing great soups but it is doing it through positive social impact and change. A little out of the way, but well worth it

I bought a Living Social deal here for soup delivery for 3 months, BEST money I have ever spent. Usually delicious soup is full of cream and such, but Vintage Garden strives to make healthy, organic, delicious soups and it is easily the best soup I have ever tasted.I particularly recommend the Vegetable Bean, Smothered Chicken and Rice, Gumbo.Order by Tues. at noon for Weds. delivery. They brought it to my work every other week, and it was filling and so so yummy.

Actually, we enjoyed this restaurant uptown at the "Balcony Cafe's at Place St. Charles." It's in a sort of Food Court along with a variety of other restaurants that service businessmen and businesswomen in the area. If you are uptown, either on business or not, this is a good place to get a healthy, vegan or vegetarian meal. The prices are good, and the food is excellent. The only trouble with this place is that the Balcony Cafes are only open between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., and they aren't open on the weekends. If you work in the area, it's free delivery for orders of $15 or moreI haven't been out to the main restaurant, but, if it is anything like this one, it is worth the drive.

I work in the business park that Vintage Garden Kitchen is located. Besides supporting a wonderful organization when you purchase, the soups are always pretty good. Served in mason jars, you can save them, and I think bring 6 jars back in for a free soup. Summer melon gazpacho is my favorite, but they have all been good and fresh tasting. We always pick up our orders b/c its close to the office, and the service has always been friendly.

My elderly mother lives in a retirement home but does not eat there since she is very very particular about food. She was always a wonderful cook and her family had a restaurant and bar in New Orleans. Tamberella's off of Napoleon Avenue was the BEST !!!! Therefore, we have really high expectations when it comes to good food.I decided to order the soups, gumbo, etc online and I had it delivered to my mom. It was delivered in a timely manner, they explained everything to her and she ate the first jar tonight ........The Results are IN !!!! .............. She loved it , she is happy, she was totally satisfied and is looking forward to opening the Gumbo tomorrow :-))You don't know how amazing this is unless you know my mother and that she is not reall happy with most food. This is a winner and I have already placed another order for next week. According to Mom, the soups even looked delicious in the jars, are labeled very well and the delivery person was very informative and kind.It just does not get any better, oh, did I mention they grow the food !!!! Amazing !Please support this wonderful organization.

Terrible customer service, would not take my living social deal even though it was a day expired.