Vegan
Take-out
Caribbean
Southern American

Caribbean style vegan cuisine. Menu features jerk un-chicken, curry vegetables, tofu cutlets, marinated kale salad, iris moss drinks, and more. Reggae music played in the background; has Wi-Fi. Black-owned. Reported open May 2020. Note that hours are reported to be unreliable, even when checked ahead. Open Mon-Thu 11:00am-8:00pm, Fri-Sat 12:00pm-8:00pm.


Venue map for Healthful Essence
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63 Reviews

First Review by HoneydewBliss

Trishroberts

Points +90

Vegan
07 Jun 2015

Real Carribbean Ital! Delicious!

I went here with a pretty large group (about 10 of us) and the restaurant was large enough to accommodate with no problems. Nice Carribbean-style decor, and casual counter service worked out just fine. The food was amazing! I had jerk "duck," BBQ tofu, greens, fried plantains. Next time I go I'll have to order the jerk "chicken". I had a taste from my friend's plate and it was divine. Homemade sorrel was wonderful too! Service was pleasant. They don't accept restaurant.com coupons, though.

MizzB

Points +3833

Vegan
07 May 2015

Great food, friendly staff

Visited Healthful Essence Dec 1, 2009 while in Atlanta on business. Very helpful friendly staff gave me good directions to the location; about 3 blocks from West End MARTA stop. Close to public transportation.
Excellent food at very reasonable prices, all vegan, some raw.
Cooked - had the curried vegetables over rice with collard greens and un-fish cake. Curry hot and spicy like I like it.
Next day I had a raw sampler: Quinoa salad, with a kale salad and spinach salad on the side. Both excellent and well seasoned. Option for less spicy salad available.
Back in May 2015, as delicious as ever!
Desserts: sweet potato pie, cooked one day, raw the next. Both very good, though I highly recommend the raw one.
Appetizer: the nouri bites hit the spot and kept me revived during long meetings.
Highly recommend, and will return when in Atlanta.
Updated from previous review on Tuesday December 08, 2009

Pros: healthy, well seasoned food, good value, friendly staff

Cons: neighborhood in transition, closes early

calamaestra

Points +3408

Vegan
10 Jan 2014

Wonderful!

It's too bad this restaurant is on the other side of town from me...otherwise I'd go all the time. The curry veggies and un-goat were just the right amount of spicy. Everything was delicious! The staff was a little standoffish at first but that was probably because I don't know what I was doing. They warmed up. I shall return!

Veganessent

Points +109

Vegan
23 Jul 2013

Missing my Veggie Jerk Chicken & Curry Ungoat!

Great food with service to match. This was a regular spot for me when I was in Atlanta. Basically can't go wrong with anything on the menu - but there was no way I ever left tis restaurant without 2 portions of Jerk unchicken! I'd always struggled with soy chunks until I tasted the curry ungoat. Mmmmmmmmmmm!!!! Just down to earth real tasty cooking!!!!

lisammarshall

Points +44

Vegan
21 Jun 2013

A trip to Healthful Essence is mandatory

Wonderfully prepared food, great energy, joyful music...visiting Healthful Essence a mandatory for me when visiting Atlanta. Brought the cookbook to make sure I don't go into withdrawals. The food reminds me of home, healthier since vegan. Who says we can't be culturally grounded and eat right. Highly recommend you fall in love with Healthful Edsence as we did.and don't forget the drinks and desserts.

Pros: Healthy ingredients, Fresh ans abundant, Tasty

Cons: None!!

NaomiBlack

Points +56

Vegan
10 Feb 2013

Sweet Potato Corn Bread!!!

I couldn't help but name this review after my favorite item there. It has been some years since I have gone being that I'm no longer in the Atlanta area, but I do miss this restaurant so much just for my sweet potato corn bread! lol This is a Caribbean vegan restaurant. Humbly-sized with tables in the back and tall tables and chairs in the front. Very chill. They have both raw and cooked selections. The raw items include breakfast on certain days I think. My favorite raw menu items were the avocado seaweed wrap and the spicy kale! Delicious! Of the cooked items they sell such items as curry chunks and rice and peas. I wasn't too crazy over the cooked items, though. Customer service was ALWAYS friendly!

Pros: sweet potato corn bread, 100% vegan, friendly staff

Cons: not a large selection

PenneyKennedy

Points +106

Vegetarian
21 Jan 2013

Nice suprise

I visited Atlanta and was happy my family knew where this place was. It was great to sit and eat without playing twenty questions or worrying about getting sick. The food was great. Even to the meat eaters with me liked it. It was fun introducing them to food options they had not considered. I would/will definitly go there again.
Updated from previous review on Sunday January 20, 2013

Pros: great food, great hours, friendly staff

Cons: limited meal choice

AllanBarger

Points +45

Vegan
19 Sep 2012

Great meal. Good price.

I'm a very frequent traveler who lives in California but whose work takes me to much of the U.S. and occasionally overseas. I use Happy Cow to find places to eat and have very good experiences. This one was no different. Healthful Essence is a good vegan restaurant - a bit offbeat as almost all of them are and some might be put off by the location, but shouldn't be. It's off the beaten path, but worth the trip. Healthful Essence offers a range of both cooked and raw vegan entrees and sides. I had the curry ungoat over rice and peas. I asked for collard greens but was told they had kale instead on this occasion. That suited me just fine. The curry was not overly soupy - which I appreciated. The rice was sticky and tasty, balancing the curry ungoat. The kale was freshly cooked, not at all overdone (a frequent problem with "greens" especially in the South) and very tasty. The portions were generous and for this 3 course meal, my cost was $12.95 - a very fair price, especially in Atlanta. Thanks Healthful Essence for a great meal, and thanks Happy Cow for another great recommendation.

Pros: Good food/portions, Fair Price, Friendly staff

Cons: Neighborhood

HoneydewBliss

Points +44

Vegan
06 Mar 2012

Delicious vibrations in ATL!

I am so happy we got to visit Healthful Essence! The food was so tasty and healthy feeling. My guy and I shared a raw and cooked plate. We had the BBQ tofu, curried veggies and unfish cakes. Everything had amazing flavor, the unfish cakes were surprisingly delicious. Great for soaking up all the yummy sauciness. Could have eaten like 10 of those cakes. Also had a sample of the jerk unduck, yumminess! Enjoyed the raw veggie medley salad and daikon kimchi, definitely had a little kick to it. We enjoyed every last bite and drop. Flavors were spot on, food was fresh, we got to see how everything looked while we ordered. All of my questions were answered smartly. We finished off with one of their Irish Moss drinks. I've never had something like it! Sweet, thick and cinnamon-y... mmmmhmmm! I already want to go back and try their cheesecake and carob cookies. Raw pizzas and crackers looked great. If you live in ATL or are just passing through definitely check this place out. Affordable, quick, vegan, with tons of delicious options. In my opinion we need more places like this all over. I travel a lot and don't get to visit places like this too often. I am so thankful for the food & love Healthful Essence is providing!

Pros: Awesome Flavors, Great Selection of both raw and cooked, Cool vibes




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