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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.
62 Reviews
First Review by Katherinef
ErikvH.
Points +1646
Love this place! - Edit
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.
Read moreUpdated 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.
Guest
planteatinggirl
Points +157
Tasty and fresh food - Edit
Great Chinese vegan options, really fresh and lovely flavours, mock meat/fish options too.
Read morePros: Mock meat options , Large portions , Freshly made
Guest
stilleating
Points +225
Good food, massive portions - Edit
Good food, massive portions. Has 2 menus, one meat, one veggie, with almost all vegan options. Casual dining fun little place
Read moreGuest
TomRobins
Points +42
Amazing Vegan Food - Edit
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!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2021-11-14
Pros: Lots of vegan options, Good portion sizes
Cons: Cash only
Guest
TigsManley
Points +275
Big portions and lots of options - Edit
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.
Read morePros: Vegan/Veggie Menu, A lot of options, Big portions
Cons: Cash only
Guest
Nihaaaaalh
Points +273
It was so tasty that I couldn't stop screaming - Edit
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.
Read moreIf 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
Guest
wolfofwolves
Points +18
Fantastic ‘mock meat’ - Edit
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.
Read moreGuest
annihermi
Points +561
Good vegan Chinese food - Edit
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
Read morePros: huge vegan menu
Cons: very small and cramped
Guest
Ant1Plant1
Points +1817
Great vegan options - Edit
Great choice for vegans as many items to choose from including loads of mock meats.
Read moreGuest
mystic
Points +32
The manager is very rude - Edit
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
Read moreCons: Rude
Guest
paulshersingh
Points +19
Rude Chinese Woman Working On The Till - Edit
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.
Read moreGuest
Riotgoddess
Points +190
Local vegan favourite - Edit
Lots of mock meats. Cheap, cheerful and fast.
Read moreGuest
KarlieS
Points +46
The best Chinese food - Edit
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.
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options, Amazingly tasty mock dishes , Reasonable prices
Cons: Small seating area, Often very busy , Doesn’t deliver
Guest
ArranJenks
Points +64
Really good food - Edit
Salt and peper tofu is to die for
Read morePros: cheap, good food, nice beer
Cons: card not accepted
Guest
emilyr314
Points +89
Huge portions and good food! - Edit
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.
Read morePros: Lots of meatfree options, Lots of meat alternatives, Really generous portions
Cons: Quite loud
Guest
chp
Points +3454
Make sure you double check your food - Edit
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...
Read moreYou 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
Guest
BestVeganLife
Points +46
Soya veggie - Edit
Welcoming atmosphere, with friendly staff one of the best vegan friendly restaurant in Birmingham.
Read moreGuest
gembob
Points +44
Yum yum - Edit
Large variety of veggie food! Lots on offer, good and quick service. Easy peasy
Read moreGuest
AmieZing
Points +242
So much choice and great food - Edit
Ate like a king, food labelled well and great value for money
Read morePros: Good labelling , Good food, Good value
Guest
Danmiddleton
Points +304
Delicious Chinese food! - Edit
All the vegan options! Mock prawn, dumb, duck, lamb, chicken - all really tasty.
Read morePros: Loads of choice , Great fake meats , Good value
Cons: Didn't sell beer
Guest
ClareNewbold
Points +74
Great vegetarian options - Edit
Really nice place, the staff are helpful. I'm sure they also do vegan food. Really great vegetarian menu
Read moreCons: It is a llittle expensive for what you pay for
Guest
larafullerton
Points +102
Didn’t disappoint! - Edit
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.
Read morePros: Staff are helpful, Generous portion sizes, Short wait time
Guest
Ljmeep
Points +509
good food - Edit
I love eating here because you get so much choice and the staff are always helpful
Read moreGuest
JamesDaley
Points +163
Fantastic food - Edit
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).
Read morePros: Great vegan options, Mock meat dishes, Spacious
Guest
jayhay23
Points +234
Ode to Soy - Edit
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
Read moreGuest
djsilent
Points +36
Why O Why Cafe Soya - Edit
This used to be my favourite spot in Birmingham. I was able to have work lunches, celebrate birthdays and karoke parties here.
Read moreHowever, 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.
Guest
hillbill
Points +178
Nice Chinese food and vegan friendly... - Edit
Lots of vegan choice and the staff are friendly and know what a vegan can and can't eat!
Read moreFood 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
Guest
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