Chickpea

I recently went vegan and I go to school in Worcester so I had to try this place out. My favorite non-​vegan food had been buffalo chicken so I had to try the buffalo tempeh quesadilla and it was incredible. The menu is so diverse from breakfast to wraps to dessert and I can’t wait to go back again and many times after that.

I originally tasted one of Chickpea’s sandwich at Worcester Veg Fest and enjoyed it very much. I don’t live near Worcester but my brother in law was graduating so we where in the area and decided to stop in to their actual restaurant. It was a Sunday and we almost didn’t think they where open because the entrance is in the back and they are connected to a store and that store was closed.
The atmosphere wasn’t what I expected, very small and intimate. But that aside the food was delicious! I had the buffalo Tempe sandwich with chips and a vegan chocolate shake… (The shake was so good I questioned the ingredients!)
I gave this place 4 stars purely because of the atmosphere and prices ($ 6 for a shake, although it was delicious) the servers/​workers weren’t rude but weren’t overly nice either — just neutral (which is better then rude haha)
My husband got the Tempe BLT and he also very much enjoyed his sandwich.
Great options for vegans, menu is small but it was very filling and enjoyable.
*My husband and I tried the camomile donut… Not sure if they make them in house or they are from off site but they where not our cup of tea.

I wanted to love this place because any vegan spot needs a ton of support, but unfortunately, I cannot. I walked into Chickpea to get lunch, and they were out of EVERYTHING. I was clearly the first customer of the day and they didn’t have any food. Before you open, I think you should have some groceries.
The «chef» threw something together, which was fine. What was not fine was the giant RAT that ran past while I was eating my lunch. Yes, they have rats.

Chickpea is a locally-​minded, locally run vegan restaurant. While I love all of the vegan restaurants in the city, Chickpea offers a different variety of options than the other spots. On my last visit, I had the buffalo tempeh sandwich. The buffalo sauce is spicy and the ranch that goes on it is cool and creamy. The veggies are always fresh, and the potato salad that came with my sandwich was really awesome. My boyfriend got the reuben which he enjoyed very much. The weekend brunch menu is the stuff that dreams are made of, and the desserts and shakes are awesome. The location may seem odd, but is cozy and comfortable. I recommend to vegans and carnivores alike!

The people here were friendly, and the food was quite good. I would give 5 stars for that, but the rest of the experience was a little rough around the edges. It started with us waiting for 5 minutes while they looked for the menus. Apparently the menus were going to be changing soon which made it somewhat understandable, but still, being able to order food is kind of an integral part of the dining experience.
Once we ordered we had a seat in the dining area, which was smallish but charming, and had board games available for those who were so inclined. We entertained ourselves by watching another potential patron try to figure out whether the restaurant was open and how to get in. (It opens earlier than the store it’s in the rear of, so you have to go around the back to get in. He eventually figured it out.)
When my breakfast sandwich came, they forgot the home fries as well as the fruit salad I’d ordered. I also realized that the ginger ale I had ordered was not vegan. My brunch companion was an omnivore so it didn’t go to waste, but it’s annoying to go to a vegan restaurant and still have to check labels. Presumably it was just a mistake; if I go back and find they’re still serving it I’ll update my review accordingly.

Service was great. The food was delicious, especially the nachos! I followed another reviewers lead when I ordered the avocado salad by adding the chickpea&artichoke. They were out of the black olives, which was fine. I do think the salad needed onion and maybe one more veggie, but I did enjoy it. Definitely will be a repeat customer.

We have been here for at least an hour waiting for dinner. We had a fab appetizer after a half hour, but this is a little ridiculous. I give this 3 stars because the food is good, not because the food comes out in a timely manner. This is very annoying.
Edit: I changed my review to 5 stars because the dinner was great, and they gave us free ice cream for the wait!

I was surprised my friend and I found a vegan place that was open at 9 at night. The girl who took our order was sweetheart, and definitely made us feel welcomed. We were sad that they ran out of sweets, and that they didn’t have a lot of stuff on them when looking at the menu. Overall, Chickpea was a great experience and a good atmosphere. Everyone gave me a good vibe.

Service is super slow, so in the future I’ll call ahead for take out, but the vegan food is excellent. I had buffalo tempeh and couldn’t get enough of the dill dip. The beet burger was really tasty– a huge yummy patty, but it was kinda messy and fell apart– ended up being more of a eat-​with-​a-​fork burger, but tasted great. Can’t wait to try more from the menu. As others said, head around back of the building.

This place is great. The food is awesome and i really liked the relaxed environment. I was expecting it to be filled with some
stuck up vegans but not at all. Everyone was very nice and its great that they are open so late. Its also very very cheap. Definitely worth checking out, even if you arent vegan.

I’ve been here a few times now. The food is delicious! Yes, it’s a weird location — but this is their first location, so everyone has to start somewhere right?
The service has been a bit slow the first couple times even though there was only one other couple dining each time.
We also stopped here once on a late night because of the late hours, and we wanted to eat something vegan before driving 40 minutes home. We ended up waiting a solid hour or slightly more for the food… again, just a couple other diners before us. The main worker was alone at first but then had some help come in. She offered us some baked goods since we were waiting for so long which was very thoughtful and appreciated!
I think this place is great, but they are still working out the kinks with everything and finding their flow with everything.

Being from Texas and Vegan we thought it would be hard to find good food but holy crap this place was amazing!!! I wanted to go back but we did not have time. But we will for sure will return next year!!! Business is at back of building. We found it only because we decided to park in back & then noticed it. Highly recommend! We went to veggie galaxy it was ok but not good enough to return missing the wow factor but chickpea had the WOW factor for sure worth it!
Yes galaxy appearance as 50’s diner was cool but chickpea has food down & that matters more to us!
Thank you! Gals working were super sweet and even offered us a tasty cookie. :)
Just fyi guys
banners average $ 22.
Might need sign so people know your in back
(Matte is better that gloss)

Insanely slow service even though we were the only ones there. Location is in this horrible gift shop that is essentially the physical definition of cultural appropriation. Repulsive atmosphere.
I ordered the green tea and chickpea salad sandwich. Tea was underwhelming, sandwich needed some serious seasoning. The slaw that came with the sandwich was pretty good though, nice sweetness and tartness although the cabbage could be cut smaller.
Let me repeat how STUPIDLY slow the service was again because I was just irritated at the end.
I don’t recommend going unless you have a lot of extra time and don’t mind your ethnic culture mocked and sold for profit.

Love Chickpea! Though the location is bizarre and walking there from Clark felt a little sketchy. I went in through Funky Stuff and was utterly confused. The hippy gift shop faces the front of the street and chickpea is in the back. The second time I came here, Funky Stuff was closed because it was so late so I went into Spiritual Haze which is next door and then entered Funky Stuff and then walked to the back.
The service is slow because everything is fresh, and I like that Chickpea is open so late. Great for college.
I’ve had the Mediterranean sandwich, BBQ beet burger, buffalo tempeh, nachos, strawberry ice cream, and mango sorbet. All were great!
Even my non vegan friends were fighting over the last nacho and they despise vegan food.
I love Chickpea and I hope they get a less confusing location soon:)

The reviewer that said it is in an «economically depressed» was NOT exaggerating. It was next to impossible to find. It is attached to a hookah bar, so if you can find the hookah bar you can enter there.
They ran out of Daiya which was very disappointing as it significantly limited the available menu selections. My dining companion passed on the few things available, but I didn’t go through the «adventure» of finding this place to leave empty handed, so I got the macaroni & cheese (not made with Daiya) to go. The food itself was fantastic! The people were very nice. But running out of ingredients and the complete lack of a street-​facing entrance (or even a sign!) made this a frustrating experience.

I live in Cambridge and have driven out to Worcester just to eat at Chickpea. It’s that good! Easily my favorite thing on the menu is the buffalo tempeh quesadilla. It comes with delicious ranch dip and is just incredible. I also loved the chocolate chip pancakes (at brunch) and appreciate that their salads are available as wraps.
If you like gooey mac and cheese, ask them to leave the breadcrumbs out. I like the sauce but the breadcrumbs can dry it out too much.
The set-​up is a little unusual, as others have mentioned. There is a counter to order and if you want to dine in, seating is available in the gift store. Service has been great so far. The staff members are friendly and welcoming. I can’t wait to go back!

So glad a place like this finally opened up in Worcester!!! Had the Buffalo Tempeh sandwich and it was absolutely delicious. Not to mention the milkshakes are to die for. I will definitely be here more often! Especially for late night milkshake runs.

Oh my… Chickpea. So thrilled there’s finally a fantastic vegan restaurant in Worcester!
Everything I have had so far has been delicious. I would highly recommend the hummus appetizer and the BLT. All of the ingredients are fresh, and the dishes are well put together. Chickpea just recently opened, and it has already become one of my regular spots. I’ve had more meals here in the past week than I’m willing to admit. :) So glad you guys opened up in my neighborhood.

This place. God.
Listen, Chickpea; I’m vegan. Been vegan for more than 18 years. What I want, more than anything is to like you. I want ALL vegan restaurants to succeed. I want veganism itself to triumph. So I am pretty forgiving of rough edges. I REALLY want you to kick ass. I want you to make it.
But you’re not going to if you’re JUST rough edges.
This review is based on our visit on Father’s Day, 2015, 12:30pm.
The Good: The Chicken from the Chicken and Waffles was terrific! Corn Flake breading was crunchy and flavorful. The piece itself was large and well fried. Lovely golden color. Came with gravy and maple syrup. The Maple Syrup was real and delicious. The tofu scramble was colorful and tasty. Nicely yeasty. The home fries had some fennel seeds in them. A lovely touch! The orange juice was served in large mason jars. It was a lot of orange juice for a good price. Wish it was fresh-​squeezed, though.
The coffee was decent. I wish the person at the counter knew a little more about it than «It’s regular coffee.»
The Almost good: The gravy was almost good! It was made with tapioca pearls, which gave it a unique but not off-​putting texture. The smell was excellent. The color was appropriately gravy-​like. But it was over-​salted. Good counterpoint to the sweet syrup, but not great.
The Bad: The waffles of the chicken and waffles were undercooked. Limp, stretchy and sad. Should be golden and crunchy. They looked like they were made with Sadness. Just wait for the light on the waffle iron to go out!
«The Sausage, Egg and Cheese» was bad. For one thing The Egg was just a scoop of tofu scramble, and both the sausage and the English Muffin were dry as hell. I would’ve liked to have seen a little more embracing of and experimenting with currently available vegan foods, like the Vegg to make a poached-​egg-​like thing for this. But just plop the tofu scramble on there. BLORP. The home-​fries were soft; no crispness to them at all.
Other than the large piece of Chicken mentioned above, the portions were tiny. And sad.
The Ugly: THE TABLE CLOTH WAS DIRTY. OMG. GROSS. The whole ‘restaurant’ was a general mishmash of unmatched cutlery, plates, tables, chairs and glasses. Nothing matched. If done well and with purpose, that can look amazing. They didn’t do it well or with purpose. They seem to have just settled for it. It looks bad.
Every dish we were served had no garnish. None. It was like your friend handed you a reheated meal after school when you were visiting their house. They didn’t give a shit how the plates looked. No color, no contrast, nothing enticing. Just tofu on a plate. Boom.
Want an example of their poor presentation? This is a picture of their stuffed shells:
They DON’T EVEN WIPE OFF THE PLATE. And they’re using this as an what seems to be an image they’re PROUD OF.
THIS is a vegan cheese plate that I’ve gotten from a restaurant called Encuentro in Oakland, CA.
Look at the presentation. Gorgeous. I have personally received a plate that looked just like this. Because they are proud of what comes out of their kitchen.
I’ve been to greasy-​spoon diners that have tofu scrambles on the menu; their plates come with home fries and a little fruit and some salsa [if you want it; but they ASK you]
.
Chickpea gives you tofu and that’s all. The food is ugly. THEY NEED A CHEF SO BAD. Someone to make sure this kind of weak-​ass shit doesn’t get out the brazenly-​open kitchen door.
On the table: Just salt and pepper shakers. Ugly ones. No sugar for the coffee, no ketchup, no hot sauce; no condiments of any kind. I had to ASK for ketchup. Jesus.
The walls are a gross mint green, the open door to the kitchen is visible from every table and the restaurant itself is in the back of a dirty hippie junk store. And I DO mean dirty. There was a guy doing construction in there. Drill dust was billowing.
I got the feeling that the people running it have either never been to a nice restaurant.
Oh, put a sign out front so people know there’s a restaurant here. We had to call to find out where you were. Oh, and where were you? in the back of some gross, economically depressed collection of buildings with a beat-​up driveway, big ol’ piles of dirt out back complete with rust and chipped paint. Very welcoming.

Parking is a little confusing as you have to go around to the back of Funky Stuff and Spiritual Haze. Tables to sit and eat are actually in these two other businesses. I think this is cool bc it gets you into the businesses! What a cool collaboration!
That being said with the strange layout of the restaurant (you have to walk down the hallway to get to the sitting area in the back of Funky Stuff) and the random assortment of mismatched tables and chairs in the back of Funky Stuff it is not the MOST inviting place ever. I think that they should put some work into updating the table situation, making it more of a part of THEIR restaurant instead of feeling like you are an intruder in the back of another business. OR just focus their efforts on being a takeout place instead of a sit-​down place. I dunno.
The food is pretty good. The Buffalo Tender wrap is not very spicy, which I think that it should be, and the Ruben is very tangy and needs some kind of cheesey component, but I look forward to trying other options on the menu.
I WILL say that they are pretty slow. I get that they are probably making everything made-​to-​order but it does take a while. So bring a book or chat with your friends… or go check out Funky Stuff! The food is quite inexpensive which is cool, and not typical for a vegan restaurant.
Oh but on the weekend they have Brunch Menu only until 3pm. This was slightly annoying because it was 130pm and I wanted a sandwich, but I it ended up being fine and I got a tofu scramble with sausage and peppers and onions.
They have just opened recently and have to find their niche. I think it is an interesting business model, and just needs to be marketed in the right way.
I still havent been there for latenight hours. I think that its cool that I can get vegan drunk munchies at 1am but I wonder how much business they get at those hours.
Will definitely be returning to try other menu items and to see how the business is progressing!