This weekend I visited Pepples Donut Farm for the first time. Located on San Pablo at 61st in North Oakland, this vegan donut shop serves a mean, all-vegan brunch on the weekends. When we arrived on Saturday at noon, we were surprised (and quite relieved) there was no wait.
I ordered the Organic Tofu Scramble made with mushrooms, tender greens, spinach, carrots, and curry, along with hash browns and Acme sourdough toast on the side. It was quite a treat. The tofu had a wonderful curry flavor, which made it so much better than the tofu scrambles I've had previously. I also enjoyed the hash browns and toast, two of my favorite breakfast sides. Although my friend was eager to try the Chik'n Waffle that's listed on their website, it's since been discontinued. Instead, she had the
Breakfast Burrito that came with organic beans, potatoes, chiles, tofu scramble, and more, which she enjoyed.
Although this brunch was pretty good, especially considering it pleased an omnivore and a vegetarian, the vegan donuts were the main event. They come in a variety of interesting flavors, most of which I wanted to try. After consulting with an employee about which her favorites were (choosing the right donuts is a very serious matter), I tried the Lavender Earl Grey, Salted Caramel, and Philz Coffee. My friend ordered the Seascape Strawberry, which any fan of strawberries would like. All of these "top shelf" donuts, as Pepples calls them, had the same cake donut as a base and a unique sugary frosting on top. The Lavender Earl Grey had the subtle flavors that I love (especially in
gourmet ice cream). The Salted Caramel was very salty, which added instead of subtracted to the experience. The Philz Coffee tasted like it was made with
real coffee, which it most likely was. If I had to choose, my favorite was the Lavender Earl Grey. They also serve many more types of cake donuts, raised glazed donuts, and jelly donuts. Vegan or not, Homer Simpson would wholeheartedly approve.
If you're looking for a solid vegan brunch, Pepples is definitely worth trying. Their prices are affordable (about $8 - $9 for most brunch plates), while their donuts are between $2 and $3 a pop. The problem is that you may want to try every flavor like myself. Their donuts are also sold at a variety of locations across the Bay Area, as indicated by the donut symbols on this handy
map. For the novelty photo inclined, they have a huge pink donut outside that makes a perfect photo op.
Craving more photos of vegan donuts? Grab a napkin.
