The Green Ingredient

I am rating this based on the taste of their vegan food, since I went here to eat vegan food. I’d give taste a 2, service a 3. The front is quite a mess, no organization. I came in and stood in line for a while before she realized I was a dine in customer, even after I sat down the hostess as well as myself were both confused about what to do. I didn’t get a drink, silverware. They’re nice people, but I just think they’re organized enough to give good service. The food is a 2, it is very difficult to eat. I did not try any meat dishes, but a restaurant that advertises healthy vegetarian and vegan should excel at those things.

I have been wanting to come here for quite awhile, but my work hours usually have prevented that. However, thanks to a Unilocal event, I finally got my chance to empty my wallet here. As we were waiting for dishes to come out, I got their green water: water with cucumber, lime and chlorophyll. It was refreshing, definitely cucumbery, but I thought it needed apple or something to lend it some sweetness.
We got to try 3 dishes for the event: meatless tacos, lentil burger and chicken curry. The meatless tacos were great; nut «meat» and fixin’s in a lettuce leaf. Even the sour cream wasn’t sour cream, but it added a nice citrusy bite to the dish. I was looking forward to the veggie/​lentil burger, but I was not a fan of it. First, I found it to be dense and bland with the exception of the red pepper on top. Worse though was the temperature: it was room temp. In my mind, it should’ve been piping hot… I don’t know if the temp level was intentional or a result of making so many dishes at once. Although I didn’t try the final dish, everyone else at the table enjoyed, including my curry-​holic niece who said it was her favorite of the three.
Of course this COULD have been enough for lunch, but we decided to order of the menu as well. First was the buffalo cauliflower. Baked cauliflower smothered in hot sauce may be a new staple in my diet. I was very impressed that it had quite the kick. I want a fan of the «ranch». It was similar to the taco sauce, thin and limey. With regular buffalo, you get the thick sauce to coat and ease the tongue. (And yes, I realize that may go against the healthy aspect of the joint).
I also ordered what I thought was the 2 half salad combo, but I ended up receiving two full salads.(I didn’t know if I misordered or was misheard). The roasted beet and cauliflower salad was ok. Not only did it need a touch more dressing, every once in a while a got an off taste. I couldn’t figure out what it was, but I think it was part of the cauliflower. The other salad I got, I would go daily for a sandwich of if possible: sprouted quinoa, egg and tuna salad. Even though I was ridiculously full by this point, I ate every last bit. The earth quinoa and good tuna with the egg texture and not over mayo-​y… I need one now!
I will go back, when my schedule shows, and try some of the things of the full menu.

The food was incredible! Fresh ingredients and very flavorful! I gave it a four star rating because the portion sizes are small for the price. (Although perhaps this is the price for fresh organic ingredients?)

Great event today. Sampling of items were delicious. Hat off to the Green Ingredient for hosting. Everyone was very friendly and just really enjoyed the event.

Healthy eating in El Paso… I had the veggie burger and avocado chocolate mousse. The burger was huge! I couldn’t eat the entire bun but the black bean patty was pretty good on its own. The dessert was delicious I will definitely be back for that. However, I must warn the food is a bit on the pricey side…

Wow what a collection of veggie burgers. Jazmin suggested the lentil with a fried egg. Not cheap, but worth it. Excellent service.

Food has been great and its nice to find a healthy variety! It is expensive and that is why I docked a star. It takes awhile to get your food out but I’ve learned to call ahead if I’m in a rush. Otherwise when you get your food you can tell it was made well and not thrown together. I will continue to eat here!

Since the very first time I went to Green Ingredient I knew that it would be a place I frequented often. Not because I’m super health conscious (’cause I’m not) or because I’m a vegan, just for the simple fact that service is impeccable and the food is actually really good regardless of your dietary restrictions (or lack thereof).
I originally gave GI a 3 star rating and it was for the sole reason that a person like me who is simply looking for delicious eats (that may or may not be good for you) at a reasonable price might have a hard time getting past the lack of salt in many dishes. And after writing that review, I heard the same sentiments echoed both in reviews and in conversation. That’s not to say the food isn’t good or flavorful (because it’s definitely both), I just crave salt on certain dishes sometimes. Well GI now has something it didn’t have when the first few times I went back in 2013… salt (and pepper) shakers at all the tables! I’m glad they didn’t change their recipes because in all honesty, I would’ve updated this review to a 4 star minimum regardless since the lack of salt didn’t stop me from continuing to go.
I love the way I feel when I’m in GI. Is that weird? That’s probably weird, but there’s a kind of calm that comes over me when I go to eat or work at GI… yes, they have wifi. It’s just a nice place to sit back and enjoy the day.
Sometime within the two years they’ve added hours which is awesome, but I’ve found that I’m obsessed with their breakfast. I’m not typically a huge fan of pancakes, but GI has some of the best in EP. I think what I love about them the most is the fact that they’re not just boring old pancakes. No, they’re quinoa pancakes. Quinoa pancakes! Who would’ve thunk? And they’re topped with berries and yogurt and they give you a side of agave nectar. No joke, these pancakes are dope! Also their smoothies… arrrrrrghhh… their smoothies are perfection. They’ve actually turned me on to chia seeds in my smoothies. Slowly GI is making me a healthy person. Oh, and the hummus here will always be a favorite of mine.
The staff always goes above and beyond. The last time I was there they sent over two smoothies because they ended up making too much of the one I ordered. And if you read my last review, they never hesitate to introduce people to their delicious eats. «Above and beyond» is seriously the only way to describe them.
GI has fantastic food and drinks, as well as a phenomenal staff! One of my favorite places to eat when Downtown. Definitely put it on your EP Bucket List (weekly).

This place is absolutely delicious. Been here for breakfast and lunch. The food is amazing and you should definitely not pass up the GI water. Only bad thing is they close at 4!!!

I’m glad my friend and I found this place on Unilocal while downtown. I’ve been wanting to try new and a variety of food.
First off, find the Chase building! This is where this restaurant is located at. Bottom floor. I heard if you park across the street near Coffee Box it’s $ 3, otherwise it’s street parking.
This place offers pita breads, soups, veggie pastas, and salads. They even serve a whole variety of tea! Tea person? Come on over! I got the lemongrass and my friend had the lavender floral tea. Soooo good. They also serve french pressed coffee and smoothies.
I had the curried chicken pita sandwich with lentil soup, with a said of Mediterranean chips. Soo good. The pita sandwich was flavorful and just right for me. I’ve had curried chicken sandwiches and sometimes it can get too salty. Anyways, it was a nice setting. Small area, but hey its downtown. Reminded me of Hawaii when I used to stay downtown.
I do recommend this place to anyone. :)

So excited that this little gem exists. El Paso’s other local businesses need to catch on! My breakfast sweet potato and kale hash was delicious. Just the right amount of spicy, savory, but still definitely not heavy. It really did hit the spot. The presentation was great, and I couldn’t stop watching the slideshow of pictures of their other dishes on the TVs. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive, though they might need to consider having one more waitstaff for more efficiency as lunch hours approach. The environment was bright, sanitary, and pleasant. I’ll definitely be back soon to try a smoothie or juice, as well as lunch/​dinner selections.

The food here is really great. Let me be clear. But, even by New York City standards, it’s expensive as hell.
Look back through my reviews. I do not complain about expensive food. I will pay for something good. I believe this place rips people off.
Every time I have gotten a salad to go at this restaurant, it comes in a tiny 8 oz cup, but I get charged a lot of money for it. I don’t know how much! All I know is I get a veggie burger with the salad option on the side and I walk out paying over $ 20. For a veggie burger with a cup of greens.
It’s delicious. But not worth $ 25, once I’ve tipped one of the really über friendly, very deserving, and helpful people who work there.
I’ve had lunch inside the restaurant before, though, and had a way better experience where I did not leave feeling ripped off. Maybe it’s a to-​go problem. Or a veggie burger (or salmon burger) with side salad problem.
So, for a better experience, eat in. And eat their tacos. I don’t care what you think, just do it. The nut-​meat tacos are a-​freakin-​mazing.
Whatever you do though, don’t get a veggie burger to go. Save yourself a lot of money and go get a package of veggie burgers, and a bag of greens retail at Albertsons for ¹⁄₃ the price of one at The Green Ingredient. It will take you literally just as much time and save you tons of money.

This place is awesome but it needs a few things:
— gf vegan bread
–The rice dessert back again!
–more gf vegan options for breakfast

This restaurant has given me one of the worst experiences I’ve had in my life. Not only is the service horrible, but apparently so is the cockroach infestation they have. I came here with my family looking for a delicious organic/​vegan restaurant, but instead came out horribly disgusted.
At first we were seated by a snarky waitress which by the look in her sour face was evident that she obviously had better places to be rather than doing her job. She asked us what we wanted to drink, and we ordered some smoothies and two hot chocolates.
And that’s when we spotted it… a disgusting COCKROACH crawling all over the wall. We immediately jumped out of our seats, and I ran to call the waitress. As soon as I told her about it, she gave me a look as if saying «can’t you kill it yourself?» and replied with a disinterested «I’ll be there soon». After waiting, standing up in front of the restaurant, (since the waitress was taking her sweet time), she finally arrived and killed the cockroach while we were seating in another table. As soon as she was done she hastily and rudely got all of our utensils, and plopped them down on our table with an extremely rude attitude.
At this time my party and I were debating wether or not to stay in this pigsty, when we heard a woman’s voice screaming from the kitchen to I’m guessing another employee, «don’t be doing nasty things» in Spanish. I’m not quite sure what she meant by that, but after that we decided not to ingest any of our drinks. We called the rude waitress over and we asked her if it was normal for cockroaches to be roaming this restaurant and she responded «yeah I’ve seen like two or three, but it’s a restaurant. All restaurants have cockroaches.»
After this statement I decided we had enough of this establishment. We ordered our check and it came out to 27 DOLLARS for 4 drinks. Simply outrageous. After seeing the cockroach and being treated like dirt, I will not be returning to this restaurant EVER. Who knows what kind of things the employees do to the food here and the sanitation is at best questionable.

The best stocked vegetarian menu I’ve come across in the area, the first stop when fellow veggies come to town. Take note that GI no longer validates parking in the building, so make sure to add 3 dlls to your trip. Great location with ample room, never had a problem with seating even during the lunch rush.

Everything here was amazing. The staff was very friendly and informative about everything on the menu.
Lots of vegan, gluten free, and vegetarian options that can pretty much satisfy anyone.
Only bad thing if you could call it that is that it’s a decent wait time but it’s very worth it.

I don’t know why I have this 3 starts. I meant to put 2 starts all along.

This place was spot on!
A friend and I were driving through El Paso late last month and were desperately seeking something to eat besides big chain fast food. Since he is vegetarian, we searched «vegetarian» and «local», and The Green Ingredient appeared. I’m always a bit apprehensive about restaurants that are entirely meatless, but this place knows flavor.
While we got lost finding the place (apparently Chase doesn’t allow them to put up any outdoor signage), we were so glad that we did. The food was outstanding. We both had gluten free veggie «pastas», fresh juices, and kale chips that were very creative and flavorful. Also, the female employee who was behind the counter and doubled as our server was very polite and informative.
Living in San Francisco, a city with dozens of vegetarian/​vegan/​gluten free-​inspired menus, The Green Ingredient would certainly give all these restaurants and cafes a run for their money. Don’t miss out on this gem when in El Paso.

What a refreshing place to see in downtown El Paso, where it’s hard to find vegetarian or healthy food options. I had a heavy breakfast earlier in the day and wanted something light for lunch. A bit pricey, but the Green Ingredient was perfect for what I was looking for.
There are no signs from the street for the restaurant and parking. I parked at a street meter and walked in to the Chase building. The restaurant was down the hall. It’s a small place and you can see where it would be crowded during a lunch rush. However, I visited after 1pm and my food came out fresh and fast.
If you are not a tenant in the building and can get over the inconvenient parking, give them a try. If you work in the Chase building this is a great breakfast and lunch spot.

Organic, all natural, GMO free café that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner vegan and vegetarian dishes.
Casual café– clean and bright, with a friendly and knowledgable staff.
They use all natural ingredients, i.e. substituting liquid amino for soy sauce. Many of the ingredients they grow on their own, like their wheatgrass.
They use a Robot Coupe professional grade juicer to make fresh juices. Smoothies are also an option.
You’ll leave here feeling clean and whole.