Longbranch Cafe & Bakery

Unbelievable breakfast/brunch. The owner is super cool, and the place has indoor and outdoor seating. Very chill vibes. Great wait staff. Fakin bacon that’ll make you cry tears of happiness. Very much worth trying out if you’ve never been to a vegetarian place, and a staple for you if you love the vegetarian lifestyle.

This is a great vegetarian place to eat! Food is excellent and made with care and attention to detail. The coffee is always hot and delicious. The staff consists of people who have been there a long time and they provide very good service. The review reporting bad service does not reflect a typical visit to the Longbranch. Don't pass up the desserts!! They are all locally made by some wonderful bakers who use only the best ingredients. This is one of the best places in Carbondale!

I often joke -
"
Hipsters go to Long Branch,
Real people go to Harbaugh's.
"

They both serve Breakfast Burrito, which really is all that matters to me.
And they are both good.

There are many reasons to go to Long Branch Cafe;
1. if you want the authentic cafe ambiance
2. if you want a decent amount of clean, good food that makes you feel "healthier"
3. if you want to eat pastries that doesn't make you feel like you are eating a bucket of sugar
4. if you are on a date with somebody whom you suspect to be vegan and you don't want to risk it
5. if you want to run into somebody you know (if that's a good thing)
6. if you want to sit alone (they got tiny tables!)
7. if you want to show off your waxed beard
8. if you want to sit outside and enjoy the weather as you eat
9. if you want free condoms

Honestly, the food is pretty solid and I would certainly come here again if it wasn't for the employees. I see on other reviews here that apparently their has been some trouble with management, so possibly that is a cause. The employees have been rude to both me and my girlfriend on separate occasions. One time, for example, my girlfriend put a tiny piece of lettuce in my water just as a joke. I didn't care and continued to drink my water, until the waitress came up and said, "Well, guess you're done with this." In a very annoyed voice. She then took my water and I got no more for the remainder of my meal. Then, when she came to take dessert orders, she turned her back to me, as to not allow me to order, like she was punishing me with the silent treatment. I would have thought I had imagined this if not for the other two people I was there with laughing at the absirdity of what the waitress had just done. I'm sorry if the lettuce thing hurt her feelings but I feel she maybe took it a bit far. I have other experiences similar to this in which staff were very rude to us. A shame because we love vegan food and the food has always been solid.

This restaurant is my favorite in all of Southern Illinois - the food is delicious, the service staff is more than nice and the atmosphere is great! Definitely worth a visit!

Came here for a short break after hiking at Shawnee. The food was simply amazing. It was some of the best vegetarian food I’ve had in ages. And Elaine is one of the sweetest people I have ever met. I will definitely be going back if I’m ever in the area again.

Very cool ambience and excellent food! Choices are vegan/organic and wide ranging. Prices are reasonable considering it's a small business. Amazing local eat! Highly recommended if in the Southern IL area.

I've been coming to Longbranch for years. The tasty meals, interesting menu, delicious drinks, and awesome baked goods keep me coming back for more. If you ever see the mint chocolate fudge brownies in the bakery case, buy multiples. You won't regret it. I never regretted buying them, ever. I used to keep a few in my freezer wrapped in wax paper and thaw them out as needed to enjoy.
Food, baked goods and drinks here are a mix of vegetarian and vegan fair, with gluten-free options. You'll find tofu, real eggs, vegan or vegetarian meat substitutes, dairy and dairy alternatives. The knowledgeable, friendly staff are happy to make recommendations and answer questions.
Although a few years have passed since my last visit, I was in town and stopped in for some food with a few friends. Note that due to current COVID restaurant restrictions in Illinois, you are unable to sit down to eat inside the restaurant, but there is outdoor seating nicely spaced out (for social distancing) under a lovely pergola. You can also place carryout orders, which is what we did. Various bags of coffee beans and items with the Longbranch logo like mugs and t-shirts are also available for purchase.
Our food was made quickly and with skill. My meal was a super tasty vegan Buddha Power Bowl. Tofu and seasonal veggies like onion, zucchini, red cabbage, kale, yellow squash, red and green bell peppers are tossed in a red Thai coconut milk curry sauce, topped with chopped basil and cashew pieces, and served on a bed of rice noodles. Healthy, flavorful and filling. It was everything I wanted that day. I was lucky enough to enjoy a vegan dark chocolate ginger cookie, a vegan orange dreamsicle cupcake and a vegan pecan sandie cookie for dessert. All were delicious, but my favorite of the bunch was definitely the soft, chewy dark chocolate ginger cookie studded with chocolate chips. It reminded me strongly of comforting spiced gingerbread, but in tender cookie form.
Another thing I like about Longbranch is the art made by local artists available for purchase on the walls of the store. The proceeds go to For Kids' Sake, a local organization that fundraises for children, schools and orphanages in Bangladesh. There are so many different kinds of art by so many talented local artists. It's truly a treat for the eyes, and a worthy cause.

Well I didn’t realize that this place doesn’t serve meat. I didn’t research it on Google before going. My food had way too much hummus, but without it I bet it would have been good. They serve a Very Good Cuban Coffee. Next time I’ll just get a salad or a bean burger. They also have pastries and treats I believe!

The Longbranch is not only dee-lish, but they use organic and local ingredients wherever possible... when was the last time you had a big ol' melt-in-your-mouth fluffy waffle made with organic flour and free range eggs, served with real butter and maple syrup or homemade blueberry compote? They make their own veggie burgers, falafel, soups, artisan sourdough bread, biscuits and gravy (the best in the region for over 20 years). They don't open cans and nuke food, they actually cook it from scratch! Before the pandemic, I knew folks who'd drive 45 minutes just to have a piece of Longbranch's cheesecake. The bakery is still cranking out sweet treats that you want to devour just by looking at the pastry case! If you haven't ever eaten at Longbranch Cafe & Bakery, what are you waiting for?!?