Sluggo's North Vegetarian Cafe
501 Cherokee Blvd.
Chattanooga, TN 37405
(423) 752-5224
First off, let's get one thing straight. Omnivores need to pursue vegan food with the proper frame of mind. I dislike the phrase, "meat substitute," because tofu, seitan, soy bacon, et. al., are not like meat and if you order vegan food with the idea that it
should taste like meat you will be disappointed. If, however, you accept that vegan food tastes like vegan food you will be fine. That's my experience with the thing.
Sluggo's is a cozy little cafe on Cherokee with an artsy style befitting the area. It's a low-key operation with a small staff. Often when I saunter in there I have the place to myself, but if it is packed, and that happens too, it's worth your wait. As with some of the other small restaurants in town, they do run out of certain items, but there are a lot of menu options so this isn't a big deal. The prices are inexpensive, with appetizers averaging $5, sandwiches and bowls $7.50, and entrees under $10.00. The portions are quite generous--more on that later. They have a small but well-selected beer inventory with can staples (Pabst Blue Ribbon and New Belgium Fat Tire) and some bottled treats, like Samuel Smith, as well as 5 taps, including New Belgium (Fat Tire, 1554) and the Chattanooga Brewing Company. They also offer specialty varieties of soft drinks made with cane sugar.
I feel comfortable saying the food is good overall but I'm never exactly sure what I'm getting into. I'll be honest with you, half the time I don't really know what I'm eating. Case in point: the Potstickers. What's going on in there? I have no idea, but they're good and I don't care.
The biggest problem with vegan food, for me, is texture, as soy and tofu are usually fairly soft. Sluggo's often handles this with strategic placement of carrots and other raw vegetables as well as the use of seitan (wheat gluten). If you want a chewier texture go that route. No matter what you do to tofu at the end of the day it still has the mouthfeel of tofu.
I've got some favorites. First, the Tahini Goddess dressing is amazing. Second, you must have the Potstickers. They are fabulous--they're actually better than dumplings I've gotten at Asian restaurants. I have no idea what they put in those things, but God bless them, God bless their creamy dipping sauce, and God bless whatever they stuff them with. Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks so, because in my experience it's a menu item that frequently runs out. My favorite "meal" was probably the Cajun Carrot Cakes, and I understand it's technically an appetizer but it's huge and delicious and the soy remoulade was perfect. The Culture Club is a great choice when you're in the mood for a serious sandwich.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Mushroom Walnut Burger didn't quite do it for me. It was a surprisingly bland. Also, Sluggo's apparently doesn't stock mustard or ketchup. I suppose I didn't realize how many condiments I put on a burger until I didn't have any. I also learned I'm not a huge fan of spicy seitan--the Cheeky Wing Wrap was a bit too cheeky--but I did like the mushrooms, salsa, and garlic ranch that accompanied it.
I really enjoy Sluggo's. I'd recommend it with the understanding that a veggie burger isn't supposed to taste like a hamburger. If you're down with that you'll be fine.