Pie is, for obvious reasons, the main reason people flock to Mission Pie. You can't help but love this retro-cozy spot with it's neon sign, friendly waitpersons, and righteous values: They buy directly from local farms, display a list of the foods they're using and their places of origin, and host interns from nonprofits seeking to provide clients with valuable job skills.
In addition to sweet pies, Mission Pie offers a variety of savory options: pot pies (both vegan and carnivore), quiche, and salads. Then there is the homey-sounding "supper," a bowl of comfort food available to both meat eaters and vegans. A recent menu listed a meaty supper of braised pork, black beans, and coconut.
Vegan supper was listed on the chalkboard as lentil and cauliflower stew, which I happily ordered. A few moments later, a charming waiter dropped by my table to inform me that, in fact, the new option was one featuring potatoes and Rancho Gordo beans. "Do you like walnuts?" she asked, showing me the list of ingredients, and I agreed to try it.
Minutes later my supper arrived. Half the dish held a hearty looking combination of vegetables and beans, the other two quarters rounding out the meal with generous servings of farro and chard. While the grains and greens may change, the two are always a part of this entrée. The farro was pleasantly chewy, the chard cooked just enough to retain a slight crunch. Most satisfying was the stew with its skin-on diced potatoes, flageolet beans, carrots, bell peppers, walnuts, and raisins for a hint of sweetness. A garnish of chopped pickle delivered an unexpected tartness that contrasted well with the richer garlic/lemon/parsley seasonings. It's the kind of dish you'd expect a doting vegetarian grandmother to serve you on Sunday afternoon.
As a light lunch, vegan supper is spot on; at $8.50, it's also an affordable and healthy choice. Plus, there's pie. The currently featured peach raspberry, banana cream, or vegan strawberry rhubarb pies, for example. Go on, finish your supper, then you can have dessert.
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