Breakfast at Café Hey

One of the most popular sandwich choices for vegans is the VLT.

If I lived in Tampa, I could envision Café Hey being a humble part of my weekly routine.
This veg friendly, free wifi hotspot near the bus station of tall palm trees and vibrant red bloom was the first notch on this little mini pleasant weathered vacation. It's a spacious bricked place smelling of fresh brew where afro girls with Mos Def buttons on their backpacks have lunch, where a few visitors stuff vegan brownies and vegan tarts in their pockets, and where people sit at rounded tables with coffees, friends, and laptops. The music is a mixture of indie and classic rock and the staff behind the counter offer helpful advice for a new patrons. The whole spirit of the atmosphere, with a Cheers kind of vibe, is just what one craves from a coffee shop-- hip and unique.

Doughnuts and cats as Valentine's? So very perfect. This is the kind of romance I aspire to have again.

 Plus the art on the walls bring a smile.

Fresh baked vegan goods of the day included raspberry lemon and banana nut muffins, double chocolate brownies, and peaches and cream tarts.

Cute, cleanly ordered, sweet and spicy condiment station has all the straws, stirring sticks, sugars, siracha, and Tabasco that one needs to liven up their goodies.

Layout of bricked walls, small scale art, and rounded tables with black wingback chairs.

Many drink and syrup options. Plus no charge for vegan milks. Always a win!

Now let's break down the super amazing VLT. For some reason, I expected a cold sandwich, expecting veggie bacon to be cooked and chilled. Why oh why? I suppose I was hungry and impatient. The flavorful veggie bacon is hot, warming several kinds of crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and Veganaise. The toasted bread tastes divine-- it's crunchy yet retains sensible chewiness. Overall a yummy start to Florida foodie adventure.

I ordered the last raspberry lemon muffin and a honey free iced chai latte sweetened with simple syrup.

Bursting with pitted raspberry and citrusy lemon flavor-- the combination is a moist, tantalizing winner meant to complement any caffeinated (or decaffeinated) beverage.

Café Hey is a charming spot. Plus when bobbing your head to classic Smashing Pumpkins and The Pixies, life feels almost complete-- with refined sort of tastiness promised in the end.