The Moth Cafe: Vegan Eatery in Edmonton, Alberta
With its incredible vegan dishes and warm atmosphere, the contemporary Moth Cafe located just outside of downtown Edmonton, Alberta left me feeling nourished and more than content by the time I had finished brunching there earlier this summer during a quick one-night stopover in the city (before completing a weekend road trip back home through the Rocky Mountains).
While The Moth Cafe may be a vegan eatery, it doesn't mean you need to be a vegan to enjoy their healthy plates and creative (and extensive) drink menu. A little bit more about them, in their own words:
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The Moth Cafe is a little bit of magic in the midst of a revitalizing urban core, known as the Quarters, that aims to provide nutritious, medicinal and tasty plant-based food/drinks with notes of charm, sweet social pleasure, and hints of environmentally conscious undertones.
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Only a few minutes from downtown, The Moth Cafe can be found in a brightened-up older building in a neighborhood that appears to be slowly revitalizing itself (or so it seemed for the brief glimpse I got of it). In the warmer months, you'll find ivy creeping up one of the outside walls, while the interior of the place is filled with natural light, earthy tones, and white accents.
When I first leafed through their menu I was bowled over by the immense selection of drinks. You'll find everything from espresso to organic kombucha, herb-infused tea lattes to plant-based beer and wine, medicinal teas, cocktails, as well as natural tonics and elixirs that can be added to drinks or meals.
It was difficult to choose what to drink, but I tried the Plant-Based Bulletproof Coffee (espresso blended with coconut oil), Cardamom Rose Latte, and Lavender Lemonade Kombucha (all the kombucha served by the Moth Cafe is made by a company in Calgary, Alberta). While I loved the fizzy fruitiness of the kombucha, the creamy Bulletproof Coffee was energizing and just the right amount of caffeine.
Settling on a dish for brunch was an equally challenging task due to the varied selection of the menu, but my sweet tooth conquered all and I went with the Gluten Free Chai Pancakes which were served with baked cinnamon bananas, walnuts, fresh berries, and delicious whipped chai cream.
I'm not sure what persuaded me to order the pancakes as I never normally order something topped with banana, but I was not disappointed by the flavor of this dish, which turned out not to be too overly sweet.
The other dishes served at our table looked equally appetizing, colorful, and healthy, and by the end of brunch everyone agreed that the food was delightful. I was slightly sad when it came time to leave the cozy and inviting space of the Moth Cafe - if only it wasn't so far away from home, this would definitely become one of my go-to places for a down-to-earth and tasty dining experience.
The Moth Cafe
Open everyday from 10 am - 10 pm
(I went on a Sunday right at 10 am and the cafe seemed to fill up pretty quickly shortly thereafter. I would recommend getting there early if you plan on going on a weekend.)
