During a recent stay in Cape Cod, I was ecstatic to discover a relatively new vegan cafe in Hyannis, Green Lotus Cafe. Located on the town’s quiant Main Street, this cafe is an absolute vegan haven in a place that is only slowly getting on board with accommodating vegan diners. (I’m encouraging local pancake houses to include vegan pancakes on the menu — craving a short stack with local blueberries!)

Owner/Chef Nate Fanara opened Green Lotus about five months ago. A native of the Cape, he lived in San Diego for many years before heading home and realizing there was a need for vegan fare that was based more on whole foods — no tofu here. He makes his own seitan on the premises, and will soon also be making tempeh on site as well. And, other than offering Daiya cheese as a vegan option (the menu caters to both vegetarians and vegans), look for ingredients like cashew cream and eggplant bacon rather than the usual processed vegan substitutes.

Everything sounded so enticing here that my husband Seth and I made two separate trips for lunch during our vacation. On the first day, we shared the E.L.T. and the Veggie Reuben. We came back a second time to try a couple of the other sandwiches. What I love about this place is the unique touches — such as using shaved slices of seitan in the Reuben or the eggplant bacon on the E.L.T — as opposed to the more typical vegan versions that use tempeh. And the coconut bacon on The Maui was a revelation. Wow.

Other delicious-sounding menu items include a roasted seitan wrap and a roasted red pepper hummus wrap. Beyond sandwiches and wraps, daily specials include vegan soups and seasonal ingredients for a “Build Your Own Salad” menu option.

Finally, the cafe has a nice selection of organic coffees and tea and some vegan baked goods if you’re looking for an afternoon spot to just sit and read for a while.

What a wonderful addition to the Cape Cod community — I’m looking forward to revisiting the next time I’m in town… and wishing Green Lotus great success! Moreover, I’m hoping Green Lotus will inspire other existing restaurants to start offering more vegan options, and maybe some additional new vegan-friendly places on the Cape as well.

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