Esau's Cafe — Restaurant in Carpinteria

Before I was plant-based I loved this place. Wonderful atmosphere and friendly and speedy service. None of that has changed.

But the vegan and plant-based menu items are lacking. There's so much food on this menu that it seems like there would be room for more vegan options. Especially with all the options nowadays and the fact that Southern California is a hub for plant-based cuisine.

Currently they have tofu tacos, a tofu scramble and tofu burrito. But. It is not scrambled tofu. They are cut in large chunks. Bigger than bite size. Bigger than a piece of meat. And grilled. I've eaten (and cooked) so many delicious tofu scrambles, I was hoping to see one here because I love this restaurant so much.

I ordered the tofu burrito without cheese once I discovered the scramble was not actually scrambled (mashed) tofu. There were some surprisingly tasty veggies in the burrito: broccoli, zucchini, bean sprouts. I ordered it with avocado and it must not have gotten through because it did not arrive with avocado in it unfortunately. I also didn't see many of the hash browns but it said it came with. And it was so loosely wrapped that I had to use a fork and knife to eat it because it fell apart when I tried holding it.

I was pleased to see that they had various plant milks for my coffee which was awesome.

And while I appreciate the attempt at more plant-based foods on the menu, unfortunately I was disappointed. I won't give up though and would go there again in hopes that the vegan menu items...

Came to Carpinteria to check this place out. After a reasonable wait out front, I asked if as a single it was okay to sit at the counter. The tall, quiet host who seemed bothered that people were there, showed me to a bar seat. Before sitting down, I noticed creamer spilled on the seat so I retrieved a napkin and wiped it down myself. I sat down with a smile, thinking the place had a pretty cool, old school, vibe. After saying hello to 6 different employees that passed, nobody acknowledged me or even brought me a water. Ten minutes, sitting there wondering if someone was going to acknowledge me. I picked out the Lox Benedict and was looking forward to comparing it to my local favorite. 5 more minutes went by and I was watching the chefs in the kitchen bicker a little, one with black gloves on the other, thicker, chef with no gloves. Then I watched in horror as the one with no gloves sneezed into his hand and then rubbed his nose briefly. I expected he would head to wash his hands but nope. Straight back to cooking. I glanced around a busy restaurant and thought, wow….nobody saw that? No thanks! I got up and quietly exited. Too bad. I had been anxious to check this place out since buying a place in...

What is perfection? Let me tell you. Swift service, kind employees, succulent, mouthwatering delicious food that leaves you completely full and satisfied. What gives you all of this you may ask? Esau’s cafe does. From the moment we arrived at the restaurant the workers were smiling and happy to help our large group of 13. They sat us quickly in a secluded patio next to the restaurant. They wasted no time, taking our drink orders and bringing us our drinks almost the moment we putt our bottoms in the chair. They gave us the proper amount of time to figure out our orders, then it felt like no time had passed and the food was right in front of our faces. It was spectacular. My chicken fried steak was soft, juicy, and flavorful. The house fries tasted what I imagine heaven tastes like, and the eggs were the perfect consistency. Overall, the quick service for our party of 13, the delicious food, and the kind employees made for the perfect eating experience. I don’t live in the area but when I come back to carpinteria, you bet your bottom dollar I will be coming...