One of the auction items I won at the Hoot! chimpanzee fundraiser was a Café Flora gift card. So last Saturday, I went out with my husband to enjoy dinner at Flora, a great vegetarian restaurant in Seattle’s Madison Vally neighborhood. I’m not the only one who thinks that: They were voted best vegetarian restaurant in 2014 by Seattle Magazine. Travel + Leisure Magazine also lists them as one of the top vegetarian restaurants in the US.

The only way they could be better is if they were an all-vegan restaurant. Still, there were lots of vegan options and we had a great time.

We started with drinks–and they didn’t disappoint. Hubby stuck with his martini and I tried a refreshing springtime mule, a vodka-based cocktail with home-made ginger beer and raspberry bitters.

We gobbled up the paté platter so fast I didn’t get to take a picture. It centered around a lentil-pecan paté and included red onion confit, pickles, olives, red pepper and apples.

I suspected I might want dessert too, so I made a salad my main course. Vegan Caesar salads are few and far between so this was a real treat! Hubby loved his Italian black bean burger.

Several vegan dessert options tempted me, but the chocolate brownie with mint chocolate chip ice cream and chocolate sauce was irresistible.

On the way out, I saw the Café Flora Cookbook on display, along with a fantastic vegan children’s book: That’s Why We Don’t Eat Animals. I bet the cookbook is fantastic, and I recommend the kids’ book for all the little animal lovers in your life. I’m glad Flora had a copy on display. It’s a great way to talk to kids about the ways animals are exploited and how to help.

If you’re in Seattle, check out Café Flora!