I’ve never been a big fan of vegan food that tries to mimic the real deal. Miss me with the Impossible burger. I’ll also take a pass on the pseudo-Philly cheesesteak with mealy plant-based Steak-umms.

I’m simply not in love with the idea of trying to recreate the taste of real meat. The amount of processing that goes into the product, and, frankly, the oft-stark similarities kind of freak me out.

Where to eat vegan in Memphis

That said, I’m a sucker for vegan food that is delicious without pretending to be something it’s not. If you want to know what I mean, go to LuLu’s Cafe & Bakery near East High School. 

This entirely plant-based bakery and cafe opened late last year and has been a homestay for me ever since. Each weekday, Don Gaines, Stephanie Blanda and their small-but-mighty team pump out an assortment of savory and sweet vegan treats. But my go-to section of the menu is (unsurprisingly) where the sandwiches are.

LuLu’s has two breakfast sandwiches that qualify for the $10 Deal, both of which are must-tries and served all day. That’s right — another 2-for-1 $10 Deal, baby.

The Brekky Sando, $10, is a vegan take on a bacon, egg and cheese, and shadows the flavor profiles of all the ingredients without trying to falsify them. The “egg” is tofu whipped and griddled into a spongy, scrambled egg-like texture — very savory and delicious. For “bacon,” thinly sliced and smoked carrots are piled atop the tofu. The queso-like “cheese” is made from cashews and, along with an aioli-like spread, is distributed under the house-made sourdough bun.

Not least, the $8 Black-Eyed Pea Sausage & Biscuit is another successful play on a classic. Instead of a thin breakfast sausage patty, LuLu’s goes big with a thick, tender patty made from black-eyed peas, seasoned just like its meat-based counterpart. It’s stuffed in a house-made vegan biscuit and delicious on its own, but you’ve also got the option to add on a seasonal sauce for an extra $2. This summer, it’s a sweet and savory tomato jam. I say go for it.

$10 Deal: A behemoth of a fish taco at Elwood’s Shack

What’s successful about LuLu’s breakfast menu is that it reflects a well-read understanding of classic American breakfast nostalgia — say, an egg McMuffin from the McDonald’s drive-thru on the way to school in the morning.

With food memory at the forefront of the mind, LuLu’s takes the concept and makes it not only healthier, but also of higher quality. You won’t feel terrible about yourself after crushing one of these first thing in the morning … or afternoon. Why? It’s not fast food, and it’s not fake meat. The tofu tastes like tofu, and the peas taste like peas — but they’re good. Really good. They’re real, plant-based ingredients cooked with care and intention. It’s often harder to pull this off than it is to rely on meat.

I respect LuLu’s for this — it’s not easy to dedicate an establishment to affordable vegan food in Memphis, especially one that is entirely staff-owned and closed on Sundays. But somehow, they’re doing it. Be it for food, for the planet or for the industry, LuLu’s is worth supporting. Go get yourself some breakfast.

LuLu’s Cafe & Bakery, 3119 Poplar Ave., is open Tuesdays through Fridays, 7 a.m.-1 p.m., and Saturdays, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.