Enjoying Little Treats at Little Market Café in Ellicott City, Maryland

By Emily Shoemaker, VRG intern

In the heart of Old Ellicott City (OEC) lies one of Baltimore County’s most beloved cafes, Little Market Cafe. While OEC has an abundance of restaurants and fun drink options, Little Market Café is the first shop to greet you upon entering the main parking lot of the town. It offers a wide variety of food options (breakfast, lunch, pizza, and coffee/drinks) with each menu featuring a dedicated vegan section. The location also features live music during their mini concerts on Friday and Saturday evenings plus Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

As a born and raised Catonsville native, many of my high school and college moments happened in OEC with the majority of them taking place at or around Little Market. I have tried many of their menu options in the past, but this time I got the special chance to bring Alex, my internship partner, to try out my hometown treasure.

We each got one of the breakfast sandwiches from their vegan breakfast menu, two sandwiches total. The first was the “7 Hills Road” sandwich with vegan Just Egg, Smart bacon, and Violife cheddar. The second was the “Humane Leaguer” with vegan Just Egg, Impossible Sausage, and vegan chipotle mayo.

Each sandwich was warm and savory; the “Just Egg” was fluffy and the bagels were soft and flavorful. For the “7 Hills Road,” the flavor was generally salty and rich from the egg and cheddar. The “Humane Leaguer” was a little spicy from the sauce and crunchy from the greens inside. Both were filling and delicious.

In addition, we got an oat milk iced latte and an iced oat milk matcha. While the matcha was very sweet, it was a bit hard to taste the green tea through the oat milk. The latte however had a nice, strong coffee flavor and was an enjoyable way to cool down as we walked down main street.

Before leaving to explore other stores, the Little Market storefront had a small station for free water before you left, next to the assortment of additives for your coffee or various other beverages. There were plenty of trash cans and seating available, making for a cozy and inviting morning. We were both beyond pleased with our meals and had a wonderful time at Little Market Café.

If you’re looking for other veggie restaurant options all around the U.S. and Canada, check out VRG’s guide here!