Cacao Tree Café

Definitely hippie central, but wow, the salads are stupendously good! Expect to spend about $16 to $20 for a meal, which makes sense for the high quality of the food. That said, it’s pricier than what most folks are probably used to. Heads up—this is not the place for a quiet meeting or a laptop session. Blenders are constantly running just a few feet away from you, so it’s not ideal for work or a chill coffee hangout. Overall, high-quality food that’s worth the price, but maybe save it for when you’re in the mood for some loud, healthy vibes!

Cacao Tree Café is a little slice of vegan heaven in the Detroit area. We tried the ABLT, which comes with an amazingly tangy coleslaw, as well as the creamy cauliflower and potato soup of the day (OMG so good!). Both are specials so I have to go back when I am in town again and try some of the regular menu items or special dinners that happen, I believe, once a month if I hit the right timing. Owner Amber is such a lovely person and has created a lovely space to eat and chill, everything I look for in a vegan restaurant and a great break from all the veggie burgers and chik'n everyone else seems to make in D-Town! Kudos!!

Best salad in metropolitan Detroit!! Thank you Cacao Tree for your Royal Oak location. I wanted a healthy salad and you delivered. Grateful you exist, I wouldn't hesitate to visit you again.

This is what good, healthy vibrant food tastes like—Thank goodness for Cacao Tree cafe!! I’ve been a long time customer and I am never disappointed. The food and smoothies are excellent—plant-based, vegetarian and primarily free of gluten, dairy, eggs and soy . It’s flavorful and delicious. The interior is fairly small with a strong hippie vibe. Customer service is excellent and friendly. It’s not inexpensive, but I think it’s fairly priced given the quality of the ingredients. It’s definitely one of my favorite spots when I’m in Royal Oak

Had a great vegan "bacon" avocado, lettuce, tomato sandwich with killer cole slaw. The white bean vegetable soup was just the right accompaniment. Definitely a return visit is justified.

Absolutely amazing smoothie, I definitely recommend the Root Power. I also really enjoyed the soup special of the day: Zucchini Tumeric. Staff were super friendly & they were helpful with the menu.

My boyfriend Royal and I visited today 11/4/24 for our first time. Everything was phenomenal!!! We had the general tso salad and the Mexican salad. They both have so much flavor, especially the general tso salad!!! Every employees energy is pleasant and the atmosphere is extremely inviting and chill. We will absolutely be back to experience more of the food.

Edit: From my second visit, you'd never know this was the same place. Less than a week later I went back for lunch and the vibe and experience Totally Changed. I ordered the burrito which 90% was mostly brown iceberg lettuce with a small dollop of flavorless filling. I can let the pictures speak for themselves. I paid over $12 plus tip for brown iceberg lettuce. Such a big disappointment, I will not be back. Amazing raw food cafe. I had the zoodle salad, delicious. I highly recommend. The staff is super friendly and they play good music too. An all around great experience.

My friend and I both got the Mexican salad. Service was super friendly and excellent. I would've liked to try more items but I got full. Great option for those looking to eat healthy, gluten free and/or vegetarian. CTC has been around for many years so that is a testament to how much people love it.

Ok... stop what you're doing and go get yourself some OUT-OF-WORLD chocolate avocado pudding from CTC. It is the most refreshing dessert, that has all the healthy fats, but is equally creamy and dreamy. I was able to try to sampling after talking to Erin, who was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. They even make their own almond milk!! I sampled the pudding from their tent at the USA Wine and Food Fest so I haven't visited the storefront just yet but it is a cozy and quiet cafe tucked into Royal Oak. I will update my review soon once I check it out!

I only tried a smoothie - but it was perfect with no added sugar - exactly what I was looking for. They were so friendly and the place is very inviting and smells delicious. The soups on special sounded great, and I see and very much appreciate the whole-foods vegan approach to their menu. Literally everything sounds delicious and I can't wait to go back and try more food. I was happy to see that they were very busy with people picking up orders.

Food was good. My favorite was the cold brew protein shake, which I have been back for multiple times. The only down side is they only have gluten free bread, I don't care for the texture, personal preference. Service is great and staff is super friendly.

just the happiest place ever. and the owner immediately credits her great, happy staff! if you need a lift in spirit, appetite-wise or mood-wise, definitely add a stop here!! all are LOVED here, and maybe everywhere?

I stop into this cafe an embarrassing amount lately, usually just for a smoothie or treat from the refrigerator but recently ordered one of their salads for lunch. The staff is always very sweet and the food is usually made in 5 minutes or so. This is such a little gem downtown royal oak, especially for health nuts :) The Mexican salad had "meat" made from ground nuts with spices on them and I was really impressed with the flavor and texture for a vegan option. I also liked the flavor of the vegan sour cream. The veggies (pepper, tomato, avacado) were fresh. Other items that I've enjoyed in the past are the almond butter bar, sunshine smoothie and on a beach Hawaii smoothie. There are a few spots to sit down inside but most people seem to get the food to go.

My favorite spot in Royal Oak. Their General Tso wraps are heavenly and the owner Amber has such a lovely energy

Awesome place! You can taste the love in this food!! A definite must when you're in RO!

Nice place to grab some healthy "fast food" their smoothies, juices, soups, salads, dressings and sweets are all house made with healthy, non-inflammatory oils and wholesome ingredients.

Anytime I'm catching a movie in RO I always come early to stop here! Such a cute little place and the employees are friendly and informative. Lately I've been having the vegan BLT which is soooo good with homemade coleslaw. If I lived closer I'd be here more often. Their entire menu including daily specials always sound delicious I can't recommend this place more.

I love Cacao Tree! It's so hard to find quality food anywhere! We gotta support places like this :) always good, always consistent, always thoughtful! Much love for this place, you won't be disappointed

I've been dining at Cacao Tree on and off since they opened and most of my experiences have been quite enjoyable. However, today was different. I ordered a soup and salad combo. I discarded 3 of the salad lettuce leaves because they had rot. I know, fresh greens are hard to come by in this region. I was willing to let that slide. I enjoyed the rest of the salad. But the soup was a different story. It was their garden vegetable. After a handful of bites I had to stop eating it and throw it out. The first issue was a bite of super starchy non chewable vegetation about an inch long. Maybe a dried out broccoli stalk. That was followed by a couple bites that had that sandy or dirt grinding on the teeth. Followed by maybe a half inch of something that seemed like a dried twig. I couldn't eat anymore. Money down the drain. And I'm surprised by this. I'm posting this because a plant based restaurant should use fresh ingredients and care. Maybe it was a rare occasion. Maybe this is happening often. I will have to read recent reviews and find out.

Listen, if you like food that is nourishing to your body but also delicious, this is the spot. Every time we get Cacao Tree I profess my love. It's so consistent- balanced flavor and perfectly dressed. It's just so right on. If I ever decide to move, I'll likely look in Royal Oak solely for better proximity to this goodness.

Burrito and chocolate pudding were great! I'm not vegan and was surprised at how tasty everything was.

This yellow split pea is the best soup in the area! Long time cacao tree customer- this soup is topping my list right now! Keep up the outstanding work

My second visit to Cacao Tree was not long after my first; as much as I enjoy trying new places, I liked Cacao Tree so much I wanted to visit again. This time I parked at the theater, as I was seeing a movie later, and I walked to Cacao. It's a nice stroll and good opportunity to see and enjoy the area a bit more. I ordered the tomato basil soup. I also purchased another container of the kale chips to take home. As I was enjoying the soup, which is fabulous, I sprinkled some of the kale chips on it. Don't knock it 'til you try it It was delicious. Once again the team members working that night were pleasant and helpful. This place truly is a little gem.

I love trying out vegan places, so I had to try this one out. For the most part, my meal was ok. My friend didn't really enjoy his wraps either. The smoothie were on the good side too but I didn't like the almond meat at all. It just tasted like dried ground up nuts as a meat substitute and there was really no other protein sub except for the almond mixture. I wish there was a little bit more options or atleast something that wasn't so dry. I was a little surprised to see that a vegan place had no soy options at the time. I would maybe come again if someone suggested it and I could try something else, or only get a smoothie. Compared to the other vegan places I've tried in the area, this one just wasn't for me.

Enjoyed this restaurant! Hope to see more vegan restaurants in the Detroit area. I wish it opens on Sunday too. It a small place, not too many seats available. But it was nice and cozy. I got the salad and soup combo. The portion was generous. I like the white bean soup. The half salad is a lot bigger than I thought. I enjoyed the dressing, and love the bowl of green. I hope to come back to try more items on their menu. Love the places that you can satisfy your stomach and confidently about your body will also appreciate what you had.

Love their General Tso lettuce wraps. Order online.... Pick up and go. Great lunch item. Super fresh healthy food.

I am obsessed of the fact that there's healthy foods that taste so great in my living area. The only thing I wish is that the meals would cost under nine bucks plus tax. It's like 15 for one meal. I also wish that they would update their Instagram post; daily. Posting daily soups, snacks, drinks.. anything. Hopefully there's a awards program that once you buy so many meals eventually one will be free. My favorites are the southwest bowl, chips w / side of sour cream, kale soup, chili, broccoli cheddar soup and the breakfast blend smoothie.

This is THE best vegan restaurant I've ever been too and my favorite place to eat. I always go in there when I'm having a rough day and walk out with a smile and happy belly every time. Their cheery moods and delicious organic food are pretty unbeatable. God bless cacao tree! The superfood bowl and orange creamsicle smoothie really hit the spot.

If you added creaminess, meatiness, spiciness, tanginess, richness, and crunchiness all together you would get the Cacao Tree's Mexican salad. It includes a ground beef substitute (that most Mexican dishes contain) made from ground nuts and mixed Mexican spices. It also contains a cashew-based sour cream, avocado, red bell pepper, pico de gallo, and your choice of house-made nut-based ranch or house-made chipotle vinaigrette (ps 95 percent of the stuff here Is made in-house). I personally prefer the ranch, but the vinaigrette will give the salad a lighter touch. You may feel a little heavy after eating this, but all the flavor is totally worth it! Definitely way better than eating something that's been drenched in butter or grease because it's a whole food plant based meal! If you're more in the mood for a wrap to go, but want this same flavor, I recommend getting the Mexican burrito. It's essentially the same flavors and ingredients but instead of sour cream they use guacamole. If you want lettuce boats ask for the Mexican burrito on lettuce boats! If you want the burrito on a sprouted grain wrap, they have that too! As you can see, even though they're a mostly raw restaurant, they offer many ways to make eating their menu options catered to the way you desire!

This place is unbelievable. Everything is clearly made with love. I am so thankful I found you! My husband usually refuses to eat healthy food, but amazingly every time I have ordered from here (3 different occasions with 6 different dishes), he devours every bite! We love you and I wish I had enough self discipline to take a photo of your masterpieces before I eat them. Also, neither of us are vegan and the meals are very filling.

How could I 4-get how good the food is here? The General Tso Salad Wraps are insane. The wraps are made with fresh lettuce, red cabbage, sprouts, avocado, sesame nuts (meat) and a side of General Tso Sauce that is spicy & sweet. These wraps must be one of their popular entrees, it took my palate to a new level. The raw root vegetable juice is also a winner. I can't wait to eat those wraps again!

One of the best Vegan restaurants in the greater Royal Oak/ Birmingham area that specializes in a host of healthy raw/fruit drinks, salads with homemade dressings, soups and wraps. All ingredients used at this establishment are for the most part fresh and organic. The restaurants itself is a very small and rustic establishment located on Fourth street in Downtown Royal Oak. The food is very tasty where our personal favorites are the smoothies (grandson loves these) and the burrito wrap. On the downside, seating is a bit limited inside with some additional outside seating available during nicer months. As an option to getting around the limited seating they also offer carry out which is our primary option when getting food at this establishment. Even if Vegan is not your thing, the drinks, salads and soups by themselves would appeal to most people and this is an establishment that should not be missed if you're in the Royal Oak area looking for a meal on the lighter side.

I'm not even vegan and I'm in love with this place. I highly recommend the quesadilla and chocolate pudding. Their smoothies are also good. Pretty much everything I've had from here has been delicious. The staff is also very friendly!

The smoothies are soooo good. They have many healthy vegan/plant based options and so many yummy super foods to choose from. I want to go back and give everything a try.

The best vegan food in Michigan. Everything is so fresh. Their General Tso Lettuce Wraps (I ordered it in sandwich form) is sooooo yummy. I also ordered the Magic Bar (not sure 100% of the name) and omg, tasted like an Almond Joy. Contained chocolate, coconut shreds, caramel and maple syrup. I could eat their food every day. And the owner is so nice and helpful.

Best place in the area. They have all kinds of amazing ingredients. If you are a health freak and holistic this is the place to go. Their oatmeal, cheesecakes and soups are bomb!

I have been coming here for 6 years now, whether vegan, not vegan, hungry, not hungry ;), raw, not raw, hot, cold, everything. There are warming dishes and drinks and cooling ones for any mood, ailment, sickness, celebration, etc. It's also a small cafe that allows you to see everything made from scratch in front of you, locally and organically sources, and somehow is able to never let a single wilted green or sprout into your dish. There are great dishes for those who would never eat raw or vegan, and a ton to excite even those who have traveled the world visiting and working in raw food cafes like me! They use a variety of medicinal superfoods and mushrooms that are rare even for some seasoned superfoodists, and a description for each for customers. :) Staff is friendly and creates good relationships with regulars, and you can feel and see the careful intention behind every move of this business. Support local, ethical, and HEALTHY! They work SO HARD to provide this for us, please thank them and support them!

Spent serious cash here over the years, more on drinks than food. Having lots of experience with raw, vegan food, theirs lacks creativity and flavor. Anything that has mustard is overpowered by too much of it. Horrible experience with the GM Megan. I was destitute after the fallout of a traumatic #MeToo situation and asked for half a rollup on a collard green. Megan said "it's against our policy to do a half order, we don't want to waste half a tortilla". I pushed back and told her it's a collard green, how does the other half go to waste when it's used for all sorts of other things on the menu!? She continued her rote response "It's against our policy". I let her know of my years of experience in the restaurant industry and have never heard of refusing a half order sandwich/roll-up, EVER. Her nastiness continued, and they've lost us as loyal customers.

I was pleasantly surprised!!! The food is tasty. I ordered the quesadilla, the sloppy joe and the cinnamon bun smoothie. I've only been mostly plant based for about 5 weeks and both entrees satisfied a savory craving. All the veggies were fresh and they get brownie points for not over or under seasoning the food

Loved the smoothies! They were very nice when it came to answering our questions about the different fruits and powders in their smoothies. The orange creamsicle was a pretty shade of orange and it tasted just like a creamsicle. The "A Beach in Hawaii" was fantastic. It is green because of the spinach, but the tropical fruits blend together well to make a refreshing smoothie. Overall, they make delicious smoothies. They were refreshing and filling. They produce they use looks vibrant and colorful and I hope to try their other smoothies in the future.

I do like the Be Green smoothie, always add Chia and Hemp to it. This was my 4th time here. I want to like the food, but every time I eat actual food, I am thoroughly disappointed. I tried a cup of the veggie lentil soup, it was good, but much too runny, should be more hardy. I tried the General Tso for my main meal, but could only eat part of one leaf, it was too rich, the nuts was over powering and it turned my stomach within minutes. The sauce is overly sweet too, a bit of heat, but not enough to balance out the immense sweetness of the dressing. Needless to say I gave the rest to my friend, she thought it more edible, I didn't want to make myself sick, any further. I will have to stick to smoothies only when I come. I did get their sample of the hot cider, that was delicious, but I didn't like the sample of the Thrive or the Pumpkin drink. Overall, it was an expensive $12 for a dish I didn't like and more than upset my stomach.

I had a vegan burrito and a smoothie. Wow, I had no idea a vegan burrito could taste so good. The smoothie was also amazing very fresh and full of flavor. I also wood recommend the avocado pudding if you have a sweet tooth craving and want to keep it healthy, it is out of this world!

Well what can I say this place is amazing. The food is absolutely unbelievable, the people are super friendly whether you're a vegan or not you will love this place,give it a shot you will not be disappointed. I would give it 10 Stars if I could, but they only allow a 5 star !! I'm just grateful place like this still exists this is definitely a Grassroots operation and you can feel the attention to detail every time you order your food, I can't say enough about this place. Definitely give it a shot and if you like crazy funny interesting people,Amber, you take the cake, thanks for being amazing !!

Went here for lunch one Saturday. Great atmosphere and very helpful staff. Had the quesadilla and was very pleasantly surprised. Very high quality ingredients and good presentation. Had the detox juice as well. Both were very good and I will be back. The only complaint is the price.

This place is phen-nom nom nom nom- enal. See what I did there. Its super pricey BUT you get what you pay for. You're really not gunna find a restaurant that has really fresh ingredients that are organic and have it be super cheap. Sure, you can maybe make some of the stuff (like the smoothies and juices) at home for cheaper but the point is I don't want to do that nor do I have time. So that's why this place is awesome. As far as the food goes...good luck recreating that and have it be as tasty. First I'd like to mention that I am not vegan and I do not eat an all raw diet. But I occasional enjoy getting vegan options and trying vegan restaurants. So when I tell you that the burrito is amazing, I dont just mean in vegan terms. I honestly sometimes would rather have this raw vegan burrito than a real meaty fatty one! Its just THAT good. I forget that it is raw and vegan when I'm eating it. And its huge so its worth the price and you leave full and satisfied. Parking sucks but pretty much everyone in RO the parking sucks. One plus is that its right in front of the parking garage so if you decide to park in there its a very short walk.

This place is lights out. The staff puts a lot of love into the food and it shows. This is my 5th time eating here and every time it's been great. The Lentil soup and Mexican salad are two of my favorites. If your looking for healthy food made with care, this is the place.

Great food. Today was my first day here. The staff was great. The food was absolutely delicious. I had the white bean salad. It tasted so fresh. I will go back. Perfect place to have a healthy lunch.

Cute little cafe with friendly workers. I haven't tried many food or drink items but the ones that I have I enjoyed. Highly recommend this place!

I had the opportunity to check out Cacao Tree over the past weekend with some friends and I love love love how their smoothies are organic! I only wished the place was bigger (that's the only reason why I would give Cacao Tree Cafe four stars).

Amazing salads and smoothies- the avacodo pudding is to die for- love this place have been going for years

This place has some really great healthy & vegan options that are ridiculously tasty for being so healthy. My mum & I checked it out; we both ordered wraps and smoothies. Super delish! However, this is not a cheap place; it is actually quite pricey, which is understandable with all the products and effort they have and expend. If you're in the mood to treat yo' self and feel like a green goddess, come here.

I could literally eat the General Tsao Lettuce Wraps every day of my life. Staff and service was excellent! Cacao tree you never let me down!

I was looking for some healthy eats while in town on business and tried Cacao Tree at the recommendation of a coworker. I started the meal with the immune buIlder shot and a cup of the creamy mushroom soup. Next came the rainbow wrap with gluten free wrap. Everything was delicious and filling! I decided to take half of the wrap with me and splurge on some of their chocolate pudding, which was absolutely amazing! The staff was friendly, and the service was great! I'll definitely come again when I'm in town.

Not disappointed one bit!! The General Tso tacos were amazing. Delicious and filling. The "meat" has so much flavor and great texture. Definitely will forget you are eating vegan. Go! Grab some juice and some tacos and feel good!

Love this place. They have great treats and yummy smoothies. I have seen a handful of baristas and baristos cycle through here but they are very good about staffing kind and helpful humans. Thank you.

My wife and I stopped in today after we did a Google search for healthy restaurants in the area. We both ordered the vegan burrito and a smoothie. Wow, I has no idea a vegan burrito could tase this good. We were both definitely impressed with the food and the smoothies as both were delicious. The dining room is small so prepare to be close to the other guests. All in all it was a delightful experience. We will be back for sure. Oh yeah, the staff was extremely friendly. :)

I should preface this by saying (1) I am not vegan/vegetarian and (2) I would pick a place like this over a burger place, so keep that in mind. This place is pricey but worth it. It's the type of place where you leave feeling good because you had healthy, delicious, nutritious food. I appreciate how the menu changes and how creative the dishes are. I also love the smoothies! The nilla wafer is my favorite (and tastes better than an actual nilla wafer cookie, in my opinion.) Again, pricey, but they don't use ice in their smoothies so there's that. If you love health food, are vegan/vegetarian, and/or are looking for some fresh, delicious, creative food, stop in!