Main Squeeze — Restaurant in Columbia Township

My dog finished my leftover "Mac N Cheez" which was made with cashew cheez, vegan sausage and kale when I turned away for 2 minutes. So, pooch approved. Apparently this place is the only vegetarian kitchen for 100 miles, which is the reason why I stopped by. I am a NY native and a veggie lifestyler (strict as I can be) for almost 20 years. I have eaten all across the country and overseas and I have to say that certain areas of this country, specifically the area that Main Squeeze is located in, is pretty much a vegetarian and especially vegan dead zone. I've had more Taco Bell and subpar mexican takeout than I care to talk about. So I was willing to pay to have a "proper" veg meal. I was also really pleased to see that they make it a point to welcome people of all varieties as well as not only "allowing" breastfeeding (and as much as you can allow or disallow something that is already legal) but offering free product (tea) to nursing mothers. This place is really progressive and I'm glad I gave them business. The food (the main point) was really good, and the lavender lemonade notably delicious, but I did notice they are "highly conservative" about portioning. My BLT had a single layer of tempeh bacon- if you're not familiar, a layer is about an 1/8 thick. I know it's pricey but I'm paying over $10 for a sandwich after tax & tip, in Middle America, and no side dishes. And the rest of the ingredients are cheap. Come on!!! A compromise here could be a "double tempeh" option or "add chips for 50c" or something. The avocado inside was also overripe, making the whole experience kind of soft and slightly turned. Avocado slices on a vegan sandwich should be a focal point and always firm enough to slice. That didn't happen here. It was otherwise a well assembled sandwich. The pasta was much more filling and the sausage crumbles were nice and crispy and there was a good amount of them but like I said, my dog ate it. Wait time for cooking was slowish for counter service but I was willing to wait. I really wanted to try a juice but I had already spent $30 and didn't want to tip my scales. I should have done a juice instead of a salad, in retrospect, but what are you gonna do. I recommend but know the rarity of a place like this allows them to skimp on portions for certain items. If you're hungry go with one of the hot meals, not a sandwich. They have many condiments (nutritionally east, organic soy sauce, Braggs liquid amino's & apple cider vinegar, plum sauce, hot sauce, etc) and a really cool & inspiring decor.

4 for location, menu, concept, quality, and attitude. -1 for price for quantity (NYC prices here!!!) and...

So, good news / bad news. Sept 2024.

They are now a smoothie and ice cream shop / assorted vegan store / bulk refill store ... But .... Talking to the employee at the front counter, it sounds like the owner is selling the menu and restaurant name to a new owner and the restaurant should be opening back up again! Estimated in February of 2025.

There is hope for my favorite Reuben again!

They have their usual smoothies, including the classic Curious George.

We tried a good sized scoop of the Supernatural Chocolate and the Black & Gold Cookies & Cream ice creams that they just launched last week.

Both were good. The texture was reasonably creamy if slightly icy, it sounds like a blend of coconut and oat milk.

The Cookies were in big chunks with a couple of different kinds, definitely worth trying. The flavor was good.

The chocolate was pretty chocolatey, although with no chunks, flakes, or fudge.

An all Vegan / Vegetarian place, nice little college town style café. I'm a bit over-due to visit and update my review, I haven't had cause to drive through town for a while.

The Rueben is delicious... one of my favorites - I think I've only been to maybe one or two places that top it. Although its maybe not so traditional with lettuce and tomato, but has a nice fresh touch, with strong sauerkraut, nice thin slices of tempeh, and a strong house made sauce - great balance of flavors. Seriously, I go out of my way just for this one sandwich.

Has assorted other things, smoothies like their peanut butter and banana smoothie, typical old school hippie style food - like black bean burritos, Buda Bowls and the like.

Staff have always been friendly, generally appear to be local college students.

Café hours have been a little iffy on occasion, always good to have a backup plan. There have been some negative reviews about some issues and inconsistencies - I don't get through often enough to verify but have always had a good...

I hate making this review, but I’m heartbroken. This was my absolute favorite place to eat in como for years. It was a beautifully unique, plant-based restaurant with a warm and inviting atmosphere. I loved the local art displayed, and the space itself was a work of art! The menu was expansive, and there was always something for everyone to enjoy. The staff were always smiling and engaging. It was the perfect place to treat yourself with a nutritious meal or have a bite with friends and loved ones. The energy was just great there. However, now I doubt I will ever come back. The menu is an embarrassingly small fraction of what they used to offer. All the uniqueness and community collaboration shown proudly in the space is gone and covered with a more “sterile” feeling remodel and paint job (no hate to the mural artist, it’s pretty and I know the work you put into it was a lot). All the colorful tables and chairs are stark white. The staff weren’t rude by any means, but definitely not the kind and bright faces I got used to seeing there. You definitely feel like a wallet with eyes. This place is no longer the friendly, relaxed restaurant I treasured as my favorite. It’s a watered down, sterilized wellness market with exorbitant prices, a hot case and some coolers. As if we didn’t have plenty of those around.

I did order food, as I had already paid for parking to do so. The burrito I got from the hot case was dry and not very flavorful. The salsa was pretty good. And I got a purple rain juice (my favorite juice EVER from them). The juice was just okay, but I wasn’t expecting a big ol’ seed to hit the back of my throat 😂 (I’m fine and I’m not upset about the seed. It happens when you buy fresh juice. Just aggravated my mood about everything further.)

I truly don’t know the motive behind this, but if it was supposed to be a business move for growth, it was done without much consideration. I’ll miss the old Main...