Vegan-friendly
Chinese
Delivery
Take-out
Vietnamese
Non-veg

Serves meat, vegan options available. Offers a separate veg food menu with a variety of mock meats. Menu is based on a fusion of traditional Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine. Has space for private party. Relocated from Dean St. Confirmed open September 2021. Open Tue-Sun 12:00-21:00.


Venue map for Cafe Soya
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62 Reviews

First Review by Katherinef

ErikvH.

Points +1646

Vegan
11 Sep 2022

Love this place!

If you’re in Birmingham and hungry for vegan asian food but nothing too fancy or expensive: this is the place! This nice little place in Chinatown has a large vegetarian menu, but most if it is actually vegan, unless stated otherwise. I devoured my plate with vegan chicken with corn fried rice, it was so good! Recommended.

Updated from previous review on 2022-09-11

Pros: Many plant based options, Huge portions, Good price

Cons: I was so full I couldn’t try the milkshakes.

planteatinggirl

Points +157

Vegan
03 Aug 2022

Tasty and fresh food

Great Chinese vegan options, really fresh and lovely flavours, mock meat/fish options too.

Pros: Mock meat options , Large portions , Freshly made

stilleating

Points +225

Vegan
22 Feb 2022

Good food, massive portions

Good food, massive portions. Has 2 menus, one meat, one veggie, with almost all vegan options. Casual dining fun little place

TomRobins

Points +42

Vegetarian
14 Nov 2021

Amazing Vegan Food

Delicious vegan Chinese food! I had the spicy satay with vegan chicken which was so good! They also do vegan bubble tea and milkshakes. Would highly recommend!

Updated from previous review on 2021-11-14

Pros: Lots of vegan options, Good portion sizes

Cons: Cash only

TigsManley

Points +275

Vegan
03 Nov 2021

Big portions and lots of options

The food is great and was made quickly. Reasonably priced. The portions are big. It is small cafe, they have veggie/vegan menu and big selection/options. It was the first time I had mock prawns and fish and surprised at how alike it is. They only take cash but there is cash point only around the corner. The staff were nice. It was great experience.

Pros: Vegan/Veggie Menu, A lot of options, Big portions

Cons: Cash only

Nihaaaaalh

Points +273

Vegan
05 Sep 2021

It was so tasty that I couldn't stop screaming

Lord almighty ever single bite of their mock duck and prawns had me in tears. The texture was mwah the taste was boom the portions were hnnnnng.

If it was an all veg place, I'd never eat anywhere else ever again

Oh and the chocolate milkshake was 'ARGHHHHHHHHHH' gargle gargle



Updated from previous review on 2021-09-05

Pros: Great vegan options, Quick service

Cons: Only accepts cash

wolfofwolves

Points +18

Vegan
03 Sep 2021

Fantastic ‘mock meat’

This is as close to real meat I have eaten since going vegan. The food was delicious! The staff were friendly and portion sizes very generous. It's quite small inside but we got lucky with a table on our visit. At present they only accept cash not card.

annihermi

Points +561

Vegan
09 Nov 2020

Good vegan Chinese food

This places offers Chinese food and has a huge menu from which most dishes are labelled as vegan or can be made vegan upon request. I had a noodle soup with mock meat which was tasty but I was not a big fan of the mock meat. I didn't get a chance to give it a second try so that's all I can say so far. Be aware that the restaurant is really small so it makes sense to place a reservation

Pros: huge vegan menu

Cons: very small and cramped

Ant1Plant1

Points +1817

Vegan
08 Nov 2020

Great vegan options

Great choice for vegans as many items to choose from including loads of mock meats.

mystic

Points +32

Vegan
01 Sep 2020

The manager is very rude

The manager as a total lack customer service and managerial etiquette I politely asked if the vegetarian food was made in separate pots and she became very snappy and rude saying we Ain’t gonna mix meat with veggie food are we . We left the place

Cons: Rude

paulshersingh

Points +19

Vegan
01 Sep 2020

Rude Chinese Woman Working On The Till

I am a vegan and I went in to enquire if it was vegan, the Chinese woman was very rude stating that the food is cooked in separate pots, that they don’t mix meat with vegan food, I just walked out as I was not in the mood to argue with her.

Riotgoddess

Points +190

Vegan
11 Jun 2020

Local vegan favourite

Lots of mock meats. Cheap, cheerful and fast.

KarlieS

Points +46

Vegan
19 Nov 2019

The best Chinese food

The crispy mock duck and pancakes! I can’t even. Love this place, the mock dishes are very realistic and tasty. They even do chilli ‘prawns’ which are so good. Just amazing. Only downside is the dining in area is quite small and always very busy. More of a casual dining/cafe vibe than a setting for a nice meal out. Get takeaway often but I wish they delivered as parking nearby to run out and pick up is difficult. Can’t fault the food though.

Pros: Lots of vegan options, Amazingly tasty mock dishes , Reasonable prices

Cons: Small seating area, Often very busy , Doesn’t deliver

ArranJenks

Points +64

Vegan
12 Aug 2019

Really good food

Salt and peper tofu is to die for

Pros: cheap, good food, nice beer

Cons: card not accepted

emilyr314

Points +89

Vegetarian
27 May 2019

Huge portions and good food!

Huge portions and really good food. I was a bit tense because the meat alternatives were so realistic - kind of worried that I’d been given real meat by mistake! - but I’m pretty sure it’s just that they were very realistic. A lot of meatfree options and many of them were exciting - e.g. they offer mock seafood. Staff are happy for you to take leftovers away in a box.

Pros: Lots of meatfree options, Lots of meat alternatives, Really generous portions

Cons: Quite loud

chp

Points +3454

Vegan
23 Apr 2019

Make sure you double check your food

Cafe Soya is just one of those places that’s a bit like the weather - you don’t quite know what to expect on a given day. You have to praise the extensive menu, much of which can be made vegan, is all freshly cooked to order and is very respectably priced. This place, implied by the name, is a mock meat lovers paradise. Although...

You can only praise a place so much when they make consistent, numerous mistakes. As a member of Birmingham Vegans, I’ve heard consistently for a couple of years about how people make very clear they want vegan food and receive dishes that are not vegan (egg is often the culprit). Now that’s hearsay and I understand you may not place much faith in that which is fair enough but on my most recent visit, a sneaky serving of egg fried rice made its way to me, with me taking a few mouthfuls before realising the mistake. People make mistakes and that’s fine (in my opinion) because although no vegan wants to be served non vegan food, we are also human and people get tired, misread a ticket etc. The problem is Cafe Soya seem to be on the wrong side of what I’d consider acceptable mistakes as I just hear far too often that they do this and it makes it really hard to recommend here. Which is a damn shame as it’s really one of a kind with no other Chinese food place offering anything like the extensive menu here.

If you go, go knowing the mistake frequency here is higher than your average and if you have allergens especially, you should probably skip this place.

Pros: Big menu, Will veganise as much as they can

Cons: Mistakes happen too often

BestVeganLife

Points +46

Vegan
01 Apr 2019

Soya veggie

Welcoming atmosphere, with friendly staff one of the best vegan friendly restaurant in Birmingham.

gembob

Points +44

Vegan
01 Apr 2019

Yum yum

Large variety of veggie food! Lots on offer, good and quick service. Easy peasy

AmieZing

Points +242

Vegan
05 Aug 2018

So much choice and great food

Ate like a king, food labelled well and great value for money

Pros: Good labelling , Good food, Good value

Danmiddleton

Points +304

Vegan
21 Apr 2018

Delicious Chinese food!

All the vegan options! Mock prawn, dumb, duck, lamb, chicken - all really tasty.

Pros: Loads of choice , Great fake meats , Good value

Cons: Didn't sell beer

ClareNewbold

Points +74

Vegan
10 Apr 2018

Great vegetarian options

Really nice place, the staff are helpful. I'm sure they also do vegan food. Really great vegetarian menu

Cons: It is a llittle expensive for what you pay for

larafullerton

Points +102

Vegan
06 Mar 2018

Didn’t disappoint!

I ordered take-away. Only waited 15 mins! I had Vietnamese spring rolls (tofu and veg), garlic and chilli ‘mock chicken’ and a strawberry milkshake (made with soya milk and dairy free ice cream) - all tasted amazing and the portion sizes were very generous. The staff were friendly, helpful and were able to clarify the vegan options.

Pros: Staff are helpful, Generous portion sizes, Short wait time

Ljmeep

Points +509

Vegan
15 Feb 2018

good food

I love eating here because you get so much choice and the staff are always helpful

JamesDaley

Points +163

Vegan
30 Jan 2018

Fantastic food

I went to Cafe Soya for the first time last year & cannot wait to return. The starter platter was amazing, the first time I have ever tasted veggie/vegan prawn toast. Plenty of vegan options & mock meat choices (prawn, chicken, duck etc).

Pros: Great vegan options, Mock meat dishes, Spacious

jayhay23

Points +234

Vegan
25 Nov 2017

Ode to Soy

Lovely homely Chinese food with great vegan menu, well labelled, good portions. We have found service a little slow when we've been there but otherwise a great joint

djsilent

Points +36

Vegan
05 Sep 2017

Why O Why Cafe Soya

This used to be my favourite spot in Birmingham. I was able to have work lunches, celebrate birthdays and karoke parties here.

However, I believe my dish was cross contaminated on my last visit. I told the waiter that there was a piece of chicken in my dish and he was adamant that it was mock chicken.

Instead of him apologising and taking the dish away, he just shook his head and said no way is this meat as our kitchen uses different pots, blah, blah..

I would have given the restaurant previous to this incident 4 stars as it has been my go to Birmingham spot but cross contamination is no joke so I will have to rate it 2 stars until someone from Café Soya makes an apology and steps are made to divide the kitchen preparation area.

I will be contacting Cafe Soya directly based on mine and other reviews so this doesn't happen again.

hillbill

Points +178

Vegan
15 Jan 2017

Nice Chinese food and vegan friendly...

Lots of vegan choice and the staff are friendly and know what a vegan can and can't eat!

Food is standard Chinese fayre, if you like this kind of food, you won't be disappointed.

Pros: Vegan friendly, Lots of choice

Cons: Serves meat too :-(, Food can be a little oily




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