Veggieist: Focus on Espresso Royale

Those who keep a vegan diet will probably tell you that eating a healthy breakfast out can often be a challenge, especially when hoping to get something quickly. Breakfast in America is heavily focused on animal products and often the only options involve bacon, eggs, milk, or all three! Enter the chain of Bagel Rising and Espresso Royale cafes in Boston. These green-leaning, eco-friendly, and vegan-catering cafes are warm, inviting, and most importantly, delicious! While most mainstream coffee shops offer soy milk as an option (and charge up to $.60 extra!) that is where the vegan options usually end. BR/ER is, from our experience asking around, the ONLY cafe in town that offers tofu spread – they even have different flavors!! Their menu offer one fully vegan sandwich (the yummy Joy of Soy), and many others that can be made easily vegan (Chia Bagel minus the cheese). The also offer other vegan cookie and pastry options as well.

A sticker on the door of the Newbury Street location touts that BR/ER is a certified Green Restaurant, and they are indeed listed on Green Restaurant Association's website as: using a comprehensive recycling system, being free from styrofoam products, and performing other environmental steps. Just by looking around the cafe you can see they do make a concerted effort. Anyone dining in gets a nice big ceramic mug for their drink to cut down on waste, to-go lids are not standard on drinks - you must take your own if you think you need it, and patrons are reminded to limit their napkin usage and recycle accordingly.