Wayside Cafe and Deli image

Wayside Cafe and Deli

Restaurant Vegan restaurant

👍👍 I’m so glad I finally tried this place. Highly recommend. I tried the Norma. So comforting after the rough week I’ve had. But you don’t care about my problems. You want to know if the food is good. I danced while eating the Mac and cheese. It’s good. You could fool a carnivore with this. Can’t wait... People often mention good, vegan, sandwich, cheese, delicious, amazing, menu, chicken, great, mashed,


Address

500 Capitol Way S, Olympia, WA 98501, United States

Website

thewaysidecafe.com

Contact

+1 360-350-0233

Price rating

$$ $$

Rating on Google Maps

4.50 (502 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Sunday: 11 am to 8 pm
  • Monday: (Washington's Birthday), Closed, Hours might differ
  • Tuesday: 11 am to 8 pm
  • Wednesday: 11 am to 8 pm
  • Thursday: 11 am to 8 pm
  • Friday: 11 am to 8 pm
  • Saturday: 11 am to 8 pm

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: good (17) vegan (14) sandwich (14) cheese (11) delicious (10) amazing (9) menu (8) chicken (8) great (8) mashed (7)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 squirrel a. 1 year ago on Google
    I’m so glad I finally tried this place. Highly recommend. I tried the Norma. So comforting after the rough week I’ve had. But you don’t care about my problems. You want to know if the food is good. I danced while eating the Mac and cheese. It’s good. You could fool a carnivore with this. Can’t wait to work my way down the menu. Edited add the TBLT is just as delicious. And the mac & cheeze is complete sorcery because I have never found a vegan cheese that didn’t taste like gym socks smell. Even my carnivorous partner was pleasantly surprised. It seems I always come here when there is a planet in retrograde but it truly is comfort food for this southern transplant!
    7 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 whitney s. 2 years ago on Google • 261 reviews
    LOVE the wayside!! I love being able to have the freedom to not only eat anything in a restaurant but to know that anything I order will be delicious! I got the buffalo cauliflower wings and the Mac and cheese. When I get vegan I often find I’m still hungry, but getting the two side dishes was more than enough to leave me full! The last time I got the almost famous bowl it lasted me two days! I also love the vibe and the art in the cafe itself.
    5 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Spencer E. 1 year ago on Google
    My favorite vegan spot in the South Sound! Friendly and fast service for delicious foods. Diverse menu and options all around. Desserts are a must!
    6 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Joseph M. 3 years ago on Google • 194 reviews
    Literally the best vegan food I've ever eaten! Mac and Cheese is as good as the real thing. The brownies are better than most the real brownies you will eat. Chocolate chip muffin is pretty good. BBQ chicken is amazing. If you're trying to give up meat this is the place to go. They also have milk shakes which are really really good. Peanut butter cookie was slightly dry but I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt given how amazing everything else was.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Lady H. 1 year ago on Google
    Absolutely love Wayside!! The Norma Sammy is muh favorite with mashed potatoes and cheese sauce to make it GF. The Buffalo Cauliflower wings are THE best we've had
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Elizabeth S. 1 month ago on Google • 640 reviews New
    The restaurant is very cute, but parking was a challenge, and there wasn't much outdoor dog-friendly seating, so we got our food as takeout and went to a nearby park with our dog. The portions were huge and meant we had multiple meals from it. The ribs were amazing, and so was the mac and cheese. The chicken sandwich was also excellent. They had great soft serve, too!

  • 5/5 Cristi J. 10 months ago on Google • 66 reviews
    The food is so good I didn't realize I was eating no meat. The staff is great, the food was fast coming out. I had the dip, and my daughter had the almost famous bowl. Highly recommend. Will eat here again.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jasmine H. 10 months ago on Google • 14 reviews
    WOW! This place was amazing and the staff were so kind. I had popped into a bakery down the block and everything had dairy. I have an allergy so I headed over to Wayside and got VEGAN cheesecake! Amazing!! And better than anything I’ve ever had from the speciality stores. The other cake I got was a last minute decision and it was AMAZING. I’m not staying in town or I’d be back to try the rest of the menu
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Natalia W. 2 years ago on Google
    EDIT:✏️ LOVE this place! If you want a healthier alternative meals/deserts or just a new taste GO HERE!! Great tastes and spices ( natural flavors) are there haha... their portions are also a bonus. 👇🏼Few must try’s👇🏼 •macaroni is on the creamy side of texture •Greens are one of my favorites ( lil spice flav) •Green burger : would of thought broccoli, peas, baby kale, celery and arugula could make a good tasting patty! *very fulfilling dishes and the Pozole verde and Green burger are my favorite’s so far! Make sure to try them WHEN they are available!!
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Nynuh T. 1 year ago on Google
    If you are ever in need of a vegan place in olympia, this is it! This place was incredibly delicious and so tasty! We got different plates and shared between the two of us. The mac and cheese was absolutely delicious, creamy and delicious! Our favorite was the mashed potatoes with the gravy! The staff were friendly and sweet, we also bought cakes to take back home on our road trip. Will definitely come back!! Please come to Seattle we need a restaurant like you in our area!
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Karli B. 2 years ago on Google
    Bomb. The weekend special chili dog was so amazing it’s menu worthy in my opinion! Anything w the soy curls is also so fire
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Barb C. 1 year ago on Google
    The food is always delicious and they have a great selection of ciders and beers including locally brewed options like Talking Cedar beer made by the Chehalis Indian tribe and Incline Cider made in Tacoma. Plus you can add on to the price of your meal and purchase a "pay it forward" meal for somebody else who's hungry and they will feed them when they come in. They have sidewalk seating outside and tables inside as well as take out. They don't list all the menu items on the spot where I could recommend them so I couldn't give a thumbs up to the tempeh bacon lettuce and tomato sandwich that my husband loves.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 J B. 5 months ago on Google • 58 reviews
    For plant-base the food was very yummy. I had the “almost famous bowl” it was bit on the sweet side but good and my partner had the jackfruit with Mac N cheese they comment “wow it’s good”. We shared the bbq bites which were very flavorful and yummy. Parking was a a bit difficult to find if your not wanting to walk far. Rating the atmosphere & service when I came was a bit off , no one greeted but just stared I’m a working person myself and know how to make a environment feel welcome without doing to much even if my day is not going great, but I stayed and place this order cause I wanted to see if the reviews was worth the hype.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 throughtheeyezof B. 2 years ago on Google
    An amazing experience, my daughter loved it! I loved the chocolate coconut brookie! ❤️
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Very R. 10 months ago on Google
    Okay wow! Best food I've had in a long time. Got the Almost Famous Bowl and have enough for at least another meal. Good serving sizes! I didn't get dessert (because I knew I'd be full with just the dinner), but they had a great selection of desserts like brownies, cookies, and cakes. I've been vegan for 3 years, and this is the first time I've eaten mashed potatoes at a restaurant. Highly recommend Wayside :)
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Victoria H. 6 months ago on Google
    Food is mostly not good. The potato balls are tasty and worth the price. Large Marge was okay, I wish there were more lettuce and I didn't like the wings on top, but it was tasty. Not so famous bowl thing was quite literally the worst vegan food I've ever had. It looked and tasted like literal slop for a pig, nothing like the photos here. BBQ Plate was also really not good. Overall, I dig the vibe and people are nice, but not my kind of vegan food. I wish I liked it as much as others seem to
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Mike L. 7 months ago on Google • 55 reviews
    Literally the best sandwich I've ever had in Olympia, oh my god. AND it's vegetarian. Go get yourself a Red Chili Jackfruit. Life changing.

  • 5/5 adrienne i. 2 months ago on Google • 43 reviews New
    Absolutely loved the rib platter and my husband really enjoyed the Buffalo chicken sandwich meal. The service was quick and the atmosphere is nice. The mashed potatoes and gravy are to die for. The menu is fully vegan and everything we've tried so far has been great.

  • 5/5 Amanda M. 5 months ago on Google • 15 reviews
    Our visit to Wayside was a delightful surprise! My husband had been craving a chicken sandwich, and their no meat chicken sandwich was hands down one of the best we've ever had. The Mac & cheese was also a delicious treat. The staff went above and beyond, serving us graciously even though they were closing soon. A memorable experience!

  • 5/5 Mark S. 7 months ago on Google
    We had the Cajun Chickn Sandwich, big dad salad and cauliflower wings. All were excellent. Make sure you grab a fork for the sandwich as well.☺ The 3 star on service and atmosphere is still 'good'. Just nothing special.

  • 5/5 Matthew V. 1 year ago on Google
    The food is super tasty. Their take on a French Dip (The Dip) is crazy good. After going vegan I had basically written off having a french dip ever, but Wayside's version rules. Their mashed potatoes and gravy are super delish, especially if you like a dark gravy. Support a cruelty free establishment by eating here and you won't be sorry.

  • 5/5 Rilee W. 3 months ago on Google • 3 reviews New
    I can’t rave enough about this place. It’s the main reason I come to Olympia. Everything I’ve ordered here is amazing. The cakes are absolutely delicious! Even my non vegans friends love it here.

  • 5/5 Lisa B. 5 months ago on Google
    The Mac n Cheese is amazing, and the tofu curls have great taste and texture. They have local canned beers and desserts. Plenty of seating for dine in, and fast service with super helpful staff. Olympias best Vegan!

  • 5/5 Ching M. 7 months ago on Google
    I want to move to Washington just because of this restaurant! The BEST Mac and cheese I’ve ever had, including my own cooking. Innovative tofu skin/yuba sandwich. Everything we tried (Cajun chicken sandwich, crispy chicken sandwich, mashed potatoes/gravy, Mac and cheese, creamed corn, pistachio cake with buttercream frosting) was so so good that we went back on our way back from our Olympia National Park getaway. Friendly staff, nice clean cafe atmosphere, very trendy.

  • 5/5 Cheryl D. 2 years ago on Google
    Wayside does beautiful, tasty, delightful vegan comfort food. Their buffalo cauliflower wings are gluten free and without equal. Their dip sandwiches are amazing, they have the best creamed corn I've ever had (honestly didn't think I liked creamed corn until I had theirs), and they make a peanut butter ( no milk) shake that is so good, I dream of it. Do yourself a favor and check them out.

  • 5/5 Emily W. 7 months ago on Google
    Stopped here while driving past Olympia, and it was so good that I stopped again a few days later when I was driving past again! Ordered the tahini bowl and it far exceeded my expectations. SO good. I've had my share of plant-based bowls and meals that really sacrifice flavor, but the Wayside Cafe isn't serving any of that! I recommend it and I will stop here again. Thank you for providing delicious vegan and gluten free options!

  • 5/5 Zoe D. 1 year ago on Google
    Delicious food. I ordered the Cajun chicken sandwich and my friend got the Mac n cheese and mashed potatoes. I was blown away at how yummy the sandwich was. It looks like a lot of reviews on here talk about very poor customer service but the woman who handled our order was very sweet. The environment is a little diff, homeless come and go and hangout, if you’re not used to that it can be uncomfortable. I worry about the sanitary aspect of it, & feel the restroom could have been a little better maintained. I’m not from the area but knew what to expect in Olympia, so it wasn’t too surprising. Overall I’m still giving 5 stars because I enjoyed my food so much.

  • 5/5 Xylo S. 9 months ago on Google
    Don't write this place off because it's vegan :) I went in with my, very hesitant, faux meat disliking, omnivore, family. We were all delighted with the food. We all shared an order of cauliflower wings(the favorite of all four of us) with sauce on the side, potato balls, bbq bowl and the Norma sandwich -we ended up taking a box of leftovers home. The cashier was extremely nice and helpful with food recommendations.

  • 5/5 Vita L. 9 months ago on Google
    All around good food. Plenty of room to sit. The food is exceptional. The Mashed Potato Balls are the love of my life. It is my promised item for Book Club, had it not disbanded in the face of a divorce. I love the Almost Famous but do want to try new things. The crab sandwich was great. It can add up when you go, so budget for your meals. Location is perfect. I only wish they were open for brunch.

  • 5/5 Spenser C. 1 year ago on Google
    Recently ate there with friends. Loved the varied menu, was hard to decide what to get. Enjoyed the cod tacos and the peach pie. Good evening with friends.

  • 5/5 Silver Scroll (François H. 1 year ago on Google
    Delicious food on an ever-changing, creative menu with a large selection and reasonable prices. Not only that; the place is a true cornerstone of the community - if you want to know what's happening locally, just check the community noticeboard for the inside perspective. The restaurant is extremely welcoming, and the staff are hella cool! Incredible vegan selection.


Call +1 360-350-0233 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Quick bite
    • ✓️ Comfort food
    • ✓️ Small plates
    • ✓️ Vegan options
    • ✓️ Healthy options
    • ✓️ Vegetarian options
  • Popular for
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Solo dining
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible toilet
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible car park
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible entrance
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✗ Delivery
    • ✓️ Takeaway
    • ✓️ Outdoor seating

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