What’s Clean
Early Girl Eatery utilizes many local ingredients and locally grown produce, when in season. Organic ingredients are scattered here and there throughout the menu and include organic coffee, grits, a few wines, spinach, maple syrup, and tofu. Most of the dishes are scratch-made in house, including the biscuits. The Tempeh is local and non-GMO. Although I was told at 2 different locations that the eggs, beef, and chicken were organic, 1 location denied those claims. In addition, those statements are not reflected on the menu, leaving me quite skeptical. Vegan and Gluten-free options are plentiful.
What’s Served
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served daily. Breakfast is served all day and the menu offers plates, bowls, omelets, and sides. Biscuit French Toast, Yam Scram, and an Organic Tofu Scramble are a few of the breakfast entrees. The lunch/dinner menu offers sandwiches and salads, along with a handful of entrees such as Heirloom Organic Grit Cake Stack and a Shroomie Garden Sandwich.
What I Ordered
I ordered the Apple & Barry Salad with the house-made balsamic vinaigrette as my dressing choice. The chicken was moist and baked to perfect doneness and the house-made balsamic dressing, which happened to be Gluten-free, was outstanding. Overall the salad was lovely as the greens and crumbled feta were fresh, the sliced fruits were perfectly ripened and sweet, and the candied pecans added a nice crunch.
The Vibe
The downtown location for Early Girl Eatery is in a bustling area of Wall St near the heart of downtown. Many tables are provided in the back area of the restaurant with lots of windows and a diner vibe.
The Takeaway
Known best as a local favorite breakfast food spot, Early Girl Eatery is nothing fancy nor gourmet. It offers mostly scratch-made Southern comfort foods and tasty vegan entrees made with a good amount of local ingredients. But honestly, pure organic ingredients are the minority. Early Girl Eatery has 3 locations; downtown Asheville, North Asheville, and West Asheville.
