By: Sophia McDonald | October 03 2011
Posted in Eugene - Find It - Eugene

Photo by: Sophia McDonald

The idea of vegan comfort food may seem strange, even paradoxical, to people accustomed to ribs, fried eggs, and mac and cheese. 
Those people have never been to the Cornbread Café.

Vegan entrepreneurs Sheree Walters and Kristy Hammond are working wonders with tofu, cashew nuts, and tapioca cheese at their west Eugene restaurant. Patrons who dig into their Biscuits and Gravy, Southern Fried Tofu, and yes, even the Macaroni and Cheese, will never miss the meat and dairy.

Convincing meat eaters that vegan food isn’t scary is part of the point. But just as important, the Cornbread Café aspires to give vegetarians and vegans access to foods that other people take for granted.  “I can’t go to a restaurant and order something as simple as mashed potatoes and gravy, because at minimum it has meat stock in it,” says Hammond, who has been a vegan/vegetarian for the last 25 years.

The Cornbread Café started as a food cart. Walters had owned and worked at several food businesses, but what she really wanted was her own restaurant. In 2009 she put an ad on Craigslist stating that she was looking for a vegan entrepreneur.  Hammond responded, and the two went looking for a storefront.

Cornbread Cafe's cozy interior. Photo by: Sophia McDonald

In the end, the cost and the risk dissuaded them from signing a lease on a bricks and mortar location.  They decided to open a food cart instead. The business kicked off in January 2010 and got rave reviews from visitors. “Every day customers would say, ‘Are you going to open a restaurant?’” Walters says.

It wasn’t long before they gave into that demand. People were often chased away from the cart by the rain, and customers wanted the option of coming for dinner as well as lunch.  Besides, by that time they were pretty confident that if they opened a restaurant, people would come.  “Starting a business when you already have 600 Facebook fans is always a good thing.” Hammond says.  

When Walters and Hammond finally found a space, it was exactly what they’d dreamed of – a 50s style diner, complete with high booths and a counter with padded stools. Walters hopes to eventually convert it back to a drive-in, complete with a waitstaff on roller skates.
The restaurant opened in July 2011 and is going swimmingly. Their existing customers found them and came for established favorites like the Eugenewich, a hearty sandwich that features Southern Fried Tofu, hand-breaded onion rings, deep fried carrots (which look similar to bacon), and a smoky sauce. 

The hearty Eugenewich, burtsting with veggies & smoky flavor. Photo by: Sophia McDonald

Sandwiches and other main dishes come with sides, and Hammond says the Mashed Potatoes and Gravy and Uncle Todd’s Greens are among the favorites. The namesake Cornbread, in original and jalapeno, is also worth trying.       

Both women are very focused on sustainability and community involvement. Almost all the food is organic, and they source most of their produce through Organically Grown Company, which makes a point to buy local whenever possible. The Cornbread Café holds frequent fundraisers for nonprofit organizations such as Pro-Bone-O and the Shelter Animal Resource Alliance.

They’ve also made a point of developing lasting relationship with their supporters. “I swear we have the nicest customers,” Hammond says.  “Hardly a day goes by when I don’t get a hug from someone.”

And sometimes those customers say the darndest things. “My favorite comment is, ‘I’m not going to feel bad for vegans anymore if they get to eat like this!’” Walters says.

Try this recipe for Uncle Todd's Greens, courtesy of Sheree and Kristy. 

Cornbread Café
1290 West 7th Avenue
Eugene, OR 97402

Sophia McDonald is a freelance writer from Eugene, Oregon. In her spare time she enjoys reading, gardening, spending time with family and friends, and dreaming up new recipes.

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