I first fell in love with The Hobbit Hole (as it was called then) about 30 years ago when it was located on Shepherd. I still mourn the ambiance of the old place, but the ""new"" location on Richmond is great in its own way, too.
It was the first place I was introduced to Smoothies, and wonderful vegetarian sandwiches on home-baked breads ... the freshest sprouts, cheeses, vegetables and avocados. And it was always fun to order my sandwiches and Smoothies known by the names pulled from the Hobbit books ... The Bilbo Baggins, the Gandalf, the Mithril Mix, etc.
The service has always been friendly, if sometimes a bit uneven. These are usually young people, often college students working their way through school, and so I feel comfortable ""giving them a break"" if the service is sometimes a little slow. I don't go there for Fast Food, I go there for the delicious, unusual dishes and the relaxed, laid-back atmosphere.
Unfortunately, I moved from Houston over a year ago, and dearly miss the place, the food, and the people. If you have the chance to visit The Hobbit Cafe, as my rating indicates, ""Run, don't walk!"" If you give it a chance, you will love it.
more