Columbus has developed into a full-fedged mecca for its plant-forward dining scene. Local vegetarian restaurants, such as Comune, have earned a persistent presence on top ten lists that were once historically dominated by omnivore establishments. The range of vegetarian eating opportunities expands from a fully-developed plant-based tasting menu option at a fancy place like Agni, to finger-lickin’ faux chicken wings at Seitan’s Realm.
Hitting the vegan diner angle is 4th & State. More specifically, it hits hard in the vegan breakfast arena.
You don’t usually think of vegan breakfasts. Of course there’s always a fruit bowl option, but outside that, breakfast foods typically involve milk, cheese or eggs that are scrambled, omeletted or sandwiched. The menu at 4th & State doesn’t shy away from those anticipated options. There, you’ll find a classic diner menu complete with omelettes, a breakfast sandwich and more importantly breakfast bowls.
The ingredients all just happen to be compatible with a vegan lifestyle.
The menu discloses the secret ingredient: Just Egg, which, for the curious, is a product made from mung beans. Mung beans are a legume, but you wouldn’t recognize them as such at the diner. As Just Egg, they make an appearance in the Breakfast Bowl ($15) along with a savory soy-based chorizo. The egg components are perhaps a little springier than their animal-based counterparts, but they harmonize in a thoroughly likable, conventional way with sautéed peppers, onions and pico de gallo. While there’s no gravy involved, a chipotle aioli and sour cream do good work in providing requisite unifying features.
Bonus: the bowl is also gluten-free.
On the lighter side, there are also French Toast Sticks ($10). Fried and cut in strips that are primed for finger food, they’re like an old friend…who disappears in a heartbeat.
While there are other breakfast options to explore on the lines of pancake bites and omelettes, 4th & State also hosts a robust lunch menu that features both sandwiches and pizza. And salads, but you’d expect that from any self-respecting vegan establishment.
So the sandwich section takes us to the burgers which are built on a reliable Beyond Meat base that benefits hugely from the kitchen’s creativity. One particularly interesting merger between the burger and sandwich departments is the Bacon and Bleu Melt ($14). It features a burger teamed with sautéed red onion, plant-based provolone, feta, tempeh bacon and blue cheese dressing. Served on toasted Italian bread, the end result is not as heavy as a meat-based product (you’d expect that), but if offers a powerful flavor profile that drives a clean plate.
In the pizza department, the Jalapeño Popper ($13) version provides a crossover opportunity with a curious mix of influences. It starts with a spiky Thai chili base populated with tempeh bacon, jalapeños, plant-based cream cheese and mozzarella. So, we’ve got Thai, Texas (the poppers), and it’s rectangular so, some Detroit too. It all oozes together in a glorious, cheesy merger.
Like every diner, the drinkable department hosts milkshake options in vegan-compatible variations. Unlike every diner, 4th & State also has a cocktail menu with beer and wine and a lot of mimosa options.
It’s open and serving weekdays from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, the hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. And it’s name aptly identifies its location at 152 E. State St.
For more information, visit 4thandstate.com.
All photos by Susan Post
