CONSCIOUS 108
Greenside

Of all the times I’ve scoured the web and my favorite restaurant-recommendation hubs, I had never stumbled upon Conscious 108 — and when I finally got around to visiting them I began to realize what a shame that had been!
Nestled in the heart of Greenside, Conscious 108 offers different fare to my usual local hangouts; pure vegan, ethically conscious deliciousness!
Conscious 108 is founded by 3 Vegan Buddhists who aim is to serve ‘comfortable, gratifying, love conscious treats and meals’ with their motto: Kindness…and the experience I had at this hidden gem suggests that they’re telling the truth!
For a meat-eating muggle like myself, I found the menu impressively vast — who knew plants could be fashioned into so many interesting dishes! I opted for the Very Deluxe pizza; a glorious mix of soya strips, roasted butternut, rosa tomatoes, toasted pumpkin seeds, avocado, coriander and their famed cashew nut cheese. The menu also includes breakfasts, starters, salads, ‘burgers and bunnies’, wraps and ’Buddha bowls and bakes’. Much to the delight of many gluten-fearing Jozi girls, many of their dishes are gluten (and soya) free!
The staff were friendly, warm and attentive without being too overbearing. A word to the wise: you may need the patience of a vegan saint to wait for your meal — ours took close on 30 minutes — albeit worth the wait.
The restaurant was quite quiet for lunch time on a Saturday but at the same time, pleasantly free of beer-guzzling Joburgers making the most of their Saturday before another week of work. The decor is basic but charming; Buddhism-inspired with quotes around the restaurant and plenty filament lightbulbs which I’m sure look lovely at night. Ultimately, this restaurant is not one of those ‘top 10 most Instagramable locations on earth’ — but who really cares when you leave feeling like a vegan Mother Theresa!
I will certainly be back — if only to try their treats and cakes which looked delectable!
To find out more go to their website or visit us on Instagram.
