Nile Cafe

This place has soulful, healthy vegetarian food. Inside, they’ve a bookshop with lectures and neighborhood gatherings. Getting food here feels like eating at someone’s house: you get a dinner plate filled with a «meat» and 2 sides. I had the chicken with gravy, and my sides were really good collard greens and a peppery stewed-​cabbage. I hadn’t been here in 10 years, so I was really happy to see they’re still doing everything the same way!

Great food! Staff awesome! Great vibe! I wish I could take them home to DC. I really loved the Brown Lentil soup

Very disappointing experience. Took a friend from out of town that heard great things.
The restaurant was empty with the exception of 2 people eating.
Upon entering the restaurant we greeted staff with no response. We stood around for at least 5 minutes with no interaction from staff. One man passed by us without acknowledging our presence or asking if we needed help. The customers seated received service as staff held conversations without offering any assistance to place an order.
Dollars we’re ready to be spent in an opportunity to patronize a local business was missed.

I enjoyed a very delicious flavorful meal. The food was hot and the service friendly. I dined on barbecue chicken, pepper steak, collard greens and cabbage. I sampled my friend’s «fish» in spicy sauce and that was amazing. i will be sure to return!

Okay… yesterday I did a colonic and foot detox, so today I wasn’t trying to eat anything heavy. I had this restaurant bookmarked on my Unilocal and decided to try it today. I ordered the spicy fish with brown rice and collard greens (regular $ 9.75)…#PAUSE I knew this was a vegetarian restaurant but when I saw the reviews and saw fish, I thought it was gonna be real fish; not soy#UNPAUSE…the food was very tasty and fresh (not all greasy and fatty). It was my first time eating soy fish and it wasn’t bad at all. If you are vegetarian and looking for a nice vegetarian restaurant definitely try this spot.

Was introduced to the café on Sunday. I ordered the spicy fish, cabbage and collard greens. The food was good, but the «fish» wasn’t too spicy. Then, I looked to my right and saw an array of desserts. I knew to not play myself… I knew if I ordered one slice of cake, then I would order two more. I look forward to checking out some other dishes in the future.

I love this place. It is a great mix of good food and jazzy clothes and books. The food is outstanding. My favorite is the mock fish and the Jamaican style «chicken» patties. Great food, great service. Vegans will love this food! Some meat eaters might be converted :)

Yooooo, this place does not mess around. If you’re a vegan living in the Philly area, you shouldn’t waste any time checking this place out. Big portions of super amazing soul food for a price that I would consider to be «fair enough». The chicken and gravy seemed to be the hit among the group I went with today — super flavorful. The sides were really good (I got the okra and collard greens), but I would have liked to see more options — there were only four all together. Still, what I got was awesome.
I lived in Oakland, California for a few years and thus regularly visited SOULEY VEGAN — a place a lot of people consider to be the pinnacle of vegan soul food (at least on the west coast). That was my point of reference going into Nile, and I have to say, it totally stacked up.
Place is awesome. Don’t delay.

Omg I couldn’t wait to write this review! A friend and I were looking for a vegan meal after an intense personal training session. We found a few but the first was closed. The second one had a worship going on, which in itself was fine but I was hungry and I have my own religion. Then we came across this gem and were very delighted. Vegan food usually takes a while to prepare and usually made to order, however their food was already prepared! The second thing I loved was that they let us taste test the food before we ordered so we could get exactly what we liked. Third and last which made this place «my new spot» the food! Everything I had on my platter was flavorful, warm, and well seasoned. I had the spicy fish (which wasn’t very hot because I dont like spicy), greens, and okra corn. I would recommend this place to vegans and meat eaters the same. Five stars!

My first trip to Nile was on the night of ¹⁰⁄₃₀. I was hungry and looking for a good local pizza shop. lol When I saw the window I figured I had to stop. I don’t eat red meat and often enjoy vegetarian and vegan meals.
I am so glad I stopped! The small platter that I ordered was terrific. BBQ Chicken, Cabbage and Sweet potatoes.
It cost a little more than I was looking to spend but you get a reusable plastic container!
Payment was easy since I didn’t have cash but they take VISA with a $ 5 min. purchase.
My food was not very hot when I received it so it needed to be warmed before eating only 5 mins later.
Other than the prize I have no complaints about the food.
Oh! I also walked in during an African drum rehearsal which was pleasant and unexpected.
I would def. return!

Great veggie soul food! Went twice on my 3 day work trip to Manayunk. Some of the best faux meat ive ever had.

One of the reasons my 14-​year marriage to Cynthia came to an end was because I was afraid to take chances. I settled into a career as an actuary after college. My parents convinced me to take business classes when I attended Ramapo College of New Jersey. I took a creative writing class early on and thought it might be fun to write for a living. However, I took the safe route.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t have any complaints about my career choice. It’s great work running risk valuation models for parking garage construction firms throughout North America. I like it quite a bit and even get to mentor young actuaries.
I moved into a Manayunk townhouse. Cynthia and our twin sons Bradley and Bryan all live in Glenside. Even though they’re just a phone call away, it definitely feels far away. But being this alone at home does give the incentive to try new things and take some chances, even though it’s too late to save my wedding.
Anyways, I decided to try out veganism. I had heard of vegetarians (one of the secretaries at work is a vegetarian and also works at a Delco pet shelter) but wasn’t aware of veganism until I heard Bill Clinton talk about it on C-​Span. I heard about the Nile Café from right here on Unilocal and since Germantown isn’t too far from my Manayunk townhouse, I decided to give it a try.
I have to say that the food was definitely unique. And by that I mean DELICIOUS. Everything was so tasty — the okra, faux BBQ chicken, vegetable platter, etc. I’m very glad I tried it out. The décor at the place was also unique and interesting, to say the least, too! Germantown definitely has a LOT of potential as an eclectic neighborhood.
I decided not to stay vegan, though. One night was enough! I couldn’t resist and had to have a F’Real milkshake from the Mt. Airy Wawa.
I would recommend Nile Café to anyone in Northwest Philadelphia who is contemplating veganism as a means to help them try new things as a means of self-​improvement when dealing with the collapse of a 14-​year marriage.

Ok, I’ve been holding off on writing this review… but since I have it bookmarked, Unilocal keeps reminding me. So let’s have at it!
I really really like the concept of The Nile. It’s such a cool space including a meeting/​performance area, cultural clothing & literature, interesting plants, and a pretty dope courtyard in the back! The moment you step foot into this destination you feel a renewed sense of African pride. There is one particular man who is always so friendly and inviting. I think it is a decent place for anyone to visit, regardless of ethic background.
Now for the food, maybe I have been spoiled/​lucky thus far on my vegan walk and have unreasonable high standards for vegan food & variety… But whatevs. Most of the hot food is stored in a steam table and has almost the same taste and very similar texture. These items are usually limited to Greens, Cabbage, Okra/​Corn/​Tomatoes, and some variation of rice. I believe most of the meat (ie. Lemon Chicken, Pepper Steak, Spicy Fish, & BBQ Chicken Wings) is the same soy product smothered in varying flavors of sauce. It is not extremely bad, but definitely not something a vegan could eat regularly without complaint. This overcooked (except the rice which can be under-​cooked) dish of moist saucy foods usually cost $ 9 — $ 12.
To their credit, I did not notice until recently the decent assortment of cold foods in the beverage cooler. There are tasty pre-​made lasagna slices, mock chicken salad sandwiches, small cups of peach & apple cobbler, and more… I liked the 3“x 3″ square of lasagna (my boyfriend, who is an 8-​year vegan, did not). We both enjoyed the 6″ chicken salad hoagie, and the small serving of peach cobbler. That meal cost us about $ 17.
We’ll be back (of course) because there are a limited supply of Black-​owned vegan establishments; and if we don’t even support them, who else will? We are blessed to have them as a part of our community. Their storefront is a staple, and hopefully the vegan options just keep on getting better! If so, this review will certainly be updated :)

One of the most difficult things since transitioning to vegetarianism has been giving up my favorite soul food items. I was so excited to discover Nile Café and I’ve been wanting to try vegan soul food after reading about it in Bryant Terry’s cookbook.
My Mom and I ordered the faux bbq chicken with stewed okra/​corn/​tomatoes, and the spicy fish with collard greens and brown rice. We also purchased corn bread and peach cobbler. Everything is really good. I preferred the subtle tang of the spicy fish to the sweetness of the bbq chicken but we both enjoyed all of the sides.
The people there are also really nice and they let me have the middle part of the cornbread! I’ll definitely be back.

I am disappointed that The Nile Café is not closer to where I live or work! It was a special treat for me to go there since we were in the area for a hiking trip. I loved everything I ordered, and so did my husband. I had the barbeque chicken, with a side of collard greens and okra. My husband had the lentil soup. Then we feasted on fabulous ice cream and brought some cookies home with us to eat later.
The service was spectacular. There was virtually no wait time to get our order. The portions were large. The food is vegan, but the style of it is not so healthy (but it is what it is – a southern style of vegan food so lots more sweet stuff than probably you need every day!). The place is very small, with about 16 seats, but we had plenty of choices for tables. When we were there, there was a group of men playing music too. What a nice treat.
We will return, and we will be bringing our friends!

Excellent! I really wish I had the ability to get out here more often — I visited one weekend when I made the trek out to the burbs to visit the arboretum.
The food is all vegan friendly and southern inspired. I liked the BBQ chicken myself, and the cornbread was a really nice traditional style (my family tends to make it sweeter, but I know that’s abnormal). The platters are a QUANTITY of food, and I was happy with an entrée with cornbread.
The people there were very nice, and you order at the counter and the staff bring you your meal. Furthermore, they leave your tab open, so you pay when you leave, so that if you want to add-​on, it’s not a separate purchase. Nice! They do take cards. Very nice place, and it looks like it’s a really nice neighborhood fixture.

Vegan soul food? YES PLEASE! The Nile is awesome. I just moved to Gtown in February and was so excited to see a vegan restaurant right by my house. The food is absolutely amazing. It is truly made with soul, and love! You can taste it! So far I’ve just gotten the bbq «chicken» with sides of brown rice and collard greens, but I’m in love with it. The texture of the faux meat is chewy and delicious, the sauce is sweet, and the greens are lightly salted to perfection. $ 9.72 for a platter of generous helpings, both times I’ve gotten two delicious meals out of it. I’m looking forward to trying all their dishes and the juice bar.
The kitchen is tiny and the seating area is casual. The place is straight up just down-​home. I also love that the shop is intertwined with African culture, it makes for a community-​based, diverse environment and I dig that very much. If you’re lucky you can hear some African drumming going on :)
If you haven’t already, please check out The Nile! Totally worth it! Also, if you’re there on a Friday afternoon, there is a Farmer’s Market happening right outside, just up the street.

The Nile Café has been quietly going for 18 years and is part of a collective that follows the Pan-​African spirituality of Ausar Auset. I was reminded to visit when the West Chester group CARE reviewed it in their newsletter. Having grown up with Southern cooking as well as being a fan of Bryant Terry’s soul food cookbooks, I was eager to taste the food here. It is lovingly-​made, tender and savory home cooking at its most comforting, and it is all vegan.
At the corner of High Street and Germantown Avenue, they don’t seem to advertise, and it can be easy to miss the large glass storefront. There is a very neighborly feel to the place, which is also a small store and sort of a cultural center where people visit and hang out. We saw signs for a drumming class. Everyone seemed to know each other, and there was a steady stream of customers coming by for takeout. How we missed the desserts, I don’t know; maybe they were not on display yet, but we did NOT miss the ice cream selection, many kinds in a big case. I had some fresh vegetable juice too and regret not taking home sweet potato and zucchini bread.
The menu is written on a board outside the tiny kitchen. You go up to the window and order, and they will bring it out to you. There were 4 dishes when we were there as well as four sides. You get two sides with a meal, so we got to try them all. The collards and cabbage were sooooo tender. How do they do it? We loved their okra, corn, and tomatoes too. The barbecue chicken, made from seitan so tender it almost falls apart, is the most popular dish. My spicy fish with tomato sauce was delicious too. We swapped plates several times to make sure we both got to taste everything.
This simple delicious style of food could be all the rage and would appeal to everyone, I know, and I hope it will spread. For two dinners, a bottle of water, a fresh juice, and ice cream, the price was $ 28. They do indeed take credit cards too. I will be back and hope I can get to taste the Jamaican patties, chicken-​fried steak, and pork and greens. What a wonderful way to live one’s values of non-​violence while not sacrificing flavor or healthfulness.

This place is great. What is astounding about the Nile Café is that in the over 7 years that I have been coming here, the quality of food has not changed. Most businesses when they build a good customer base start cutting corners and changing ingredients. Not the Nile Café.
My favorites are spicy fish, chicken and gravy, Jamaican Patties, Mock Duck, and Chicken drumsticks!
If you come on a Friday or Saturday, you may find a special of the day!
Overall, this is the best kept secret for vegans in Philly (It’s so good I really don’t want to share, lol)

You walk in to this afrocentric bookstore. look to your left and OH. there’s the Nile Café. it’s very cute, and very small. The atmosphere is very welcoming, the guy in the back is extremely nice also.
when you order you can get small or large which includes your entrée and 2 sides. For a small it’s 9 $.I got the «pepper steak» and brown rice. I’m not really a fan of any of the others side they had to offer, cabbage, okra corn tomato (not a fan in general, nothing against theirs specifically). I was sort of forced into getting it because they had run out of pretty much everything. and it was like 3pm. that’s kind of ridiculous but whatever. The pepper steak just wasn’t seasoned enough, which really disappointed me.
They take cash and credit: D. and they are like practically around the corner from me so I figure I’ll go back in again and hopefully they have more than 1 choice and it’s not the pepper steak!