While MOD Santorini launched at the end of last summer, it will be opening its doors for its first full tourist season—Greece’s peak season runs roughly from March until October—next week.

Originally built in 1980, the hotel is still undergoing renovations. But with four new luxury suites, a vegan kitchen, and a rooftop ideal for yoga with a view, owners Christina Boutrou, a Greek Australian who moved to the island in 2019, and Anargyros Fousteris, a Santorinian, are ready to swing open the doors.

The couple founded MOD to share their love of Greek food and culture (trip packages include local wine tasting and visits to some of the island’s traditional villages) but also their passion for plant-based living. Everything, from the sheets on the bed to the bathroom amenities to the food served, is 100 percent vegan.

Greece, an easy place to eat vegan food 

According to Boutrou, the hotel is a reflection of Greece’s growing vegan scene. It’s being driven predominantly by the country’s younger generations, but plant-based living is becoming more popular with everyone. “Greece is a small country, a small community,” says Boutrou. “People tend to do what others do.”

It helps that an abundance of traditional Greek dishes are already totally free from animal products. Fasolada, for instance, is a white bean soup, and gemista consists of rice-stuffed tomatoes and peppers.

Plus, in the run up to Easter, meatless diets are common across Greece, Boutrou explains. The Greek Orthodox Church encourages its followers to fast for Lent and to consume predominantly plant-based meals during that time. 

A low-waste, sustainable, vegan hotel

Boutrou and Fousteris follow a vegan lifestyle for their own personal health and wellness reasons, but they’re also extremely conscious of their impact on the planet. This translates into their business: everything in the hotel was built with local materials, the water in the bathrooms is heated with solar, and plastic use is limited.

On top of this, MOD is as low waste as possible. Boutrou and Fousteris wanted to do something to mitigate the impact of the tourist industry, which produces around 35 million tonnes of solid waste per year.

“It is an emergency for the planet, businesses need to change,” says Boutrou. “We have to do what we can to minimize our impact.”

Find out more about how to stay at MOD Santorini here.

The making of Atlas Monroe

Torres was raised on the diverse flavors of her multicultural household. But her love for food—and cooking it—may just run in her blood. Both of her grandmothers owned restaurants and her parents loved to cook, too. But there was one food they enjoyed most: fried chicken.

In July of 2015, her father was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes. After learning about the health benefits of eating raw vegan foods, the entire family decided to try the diet out for 90 days. Torres set about trying to recreate a plant-based version of her family’s favorite dish.

In lieu of soy, an ingredient used in many vegan meat products, Torres opted for wheat protein. “I wanted to stay away from [soy] because soy protein isolate, a lot of the time, is genetically modified. After the raw diet, we didn’t want to go back to eating genetically modified foods,” she explains. “So, I was thinking, ‘How can I make something that’s all natural, plant-based, made with as many organic ingredients as possible and that my family is going to love?’ That was my challenge initially.”

Torres says that the earlier versions of her company’s plant-based fried chicken resembled nuggets. After two years of trials, she finally developed a recipe that her family enjoyed. “I never felt like giving up. My parents are big foodies and both of their mothers had successful restaurants, so making a replacement they would actually like and approve of were major goals,” she explains.

Torres soon took her vegan food to the masses. She saved up money for a year, and then started a catering company—Atlas Monroe—in 2017. But, business took off before she could begin catering.

Organizers for the Vegandale Chicago 2017 food festival came across the Atlas Monroe website and offered Torres a booth at the festival. It felt like the big break she was waiting for. So, she convinced her family to drive from northern California to the Windy City with her for the event.

“The day of the festival, our line was longer than a football field,” she recalls. “The owners had posted a photo from our website and by the end of the day, the whole festival—the DJs, the artists—were coming to our booth saying, ‘Everybody’s talking about this chick’n, we gotta try it!’”

Deborah Torres: making it on her own

After attending other festivals and events and gaining traction on social media, Torres appeared on an episode of ABC’s Shark Tank in 2019.

Impressed by her product, the sharks offered Torres $1 million for her company. She turned it down. While some may have jumped at the opportunity that has made household names out of brands like Bombas and Cinnaholic, Torres declined it. The seemingly lucrative deal came with a 100 percent stake in Atlas Monroe, something that she was not willing to do. She feared that losing control meant losing her brand. 

“I’ve seen other vegan, women-owned companies kind of get taken over by sharks so to speak,” she explains, citing chef Chloe Coscarelli, whose business partner pushed her out of their fast-casual restaurant chain, By Chloe. The chain hit hard times during the pandemic, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020, then rebranded as “Beatnic” in 2021 following a years-long legal battle over using Coscarelli’s name to sell food that she no longer had any involvement with.

“I just felt like it would be devastating to see my company just taking off and multiplying and flourishing and I’m not a part of it,” Torres continues. “So, I went into it with the attitude of like, there’s no way that I’m going to get got on this show.” 

By taking a risk, Torres joined the ranks of successful female founders—such as Melissa Butler of The Lip Bar and Aisha “Pinky” Cole of Slutty Vegan—who bet everything on themselves even though the odds were stacked against them. Women founders face a multitude of imbalances but the most critical one is funding. In 2019, only 2.8 percent of venture capital funding went to women-led startups. This figure fell to 2.3 percent in 2020, according to Crunchbase. Women of color made even less. In 2018, only 34 Black women founders raised $1 million in venture capital funding for their business, Fortune reports.

Beating the odds

After appearing on Shark Tank, Atlas Monroe made $350,000 in sales, selling out its inventory within two hours. And in 2020, the company made more than $1 million. “We worked extremely hard and continue to work extremely hard. We were doing festival events and a lot of our followers have been supporting us from day one,” says Torres. 

Torres credits her success to the diversity of her clientele. Her vegan fried chicken doesn’t just attract vegans. Non-vegans like it, too. According to a 2020 report by consumer goods market research firm Packaged Facts, flexitarianism—a predominantly plant-based diet—is growing in popularity. Approximately 36 percent of consumers identify as flexitarian, and it’s a niche that Atlas Monroe is certainly catering to.

“More and more, I feel like non-vegans are ordering from us,” says Torres. “I think a big thing in America right now is that there’s a lot of dietarily blended families. So they’re looking for alternatives that both parties will like and enjoy. And I think that we’re that medium.”

Deborah Torres: building an empire

What does the future hold for Torres and Atlas Monroe? For starters, she wants to take her company public. And thanks to a recent partnership with Canada’s Copper Branch, her vegan fried chicken is now available internationally. Her latest product, Atlas Monroe 2.0—a “white meat” fried chicken—is available in breast, strip, and grilled form. “This new chick’n has a firm breast-like texture and is moist and bursting with flavor while still winning on providing an unparalleled extra crispy coating that we are renowned for,” she explains.

But crispy fried vegan chicken isn’t all Torres makes. Atlas Monroe also carries the likes of plant-based lasagna, cured bacon, apple wood-fired ribs, and more—which are available to order online. Torres’s vegan meats are also available in restaurants in California, Texas, Florida, Ohio, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Business is certainly booming for Atlas Monroe. In 2021 the company made $2 million in sales. She also opened a multi-million dollar manufacturing facility in San Diego, which has allowed the company to scale production from making 1,000 pieces of vegan fried chicken per week to more than 20,000. After being consistently sold out throughout the majority of 2020 and 2021, Torres says the plants allow her to meet the high demand for her products.

She also wants to ensure that plant-based foods are readily available in all communities, especially those of color. “I think that the biggest disparity is that vegan products are not available in certain spaces,” she explains. “And it’s really weird considering that communities of color are the largest growing vegan group.”

She also wants to continue being a beacon of inspiration for other women and women of color. “I want to see people who look like me win. I want to see women and children across the spectrum win. And if they need help with that, I want to be that person to help them.”

Greggs, the largest bakery chain in the U.K., specializes in making savory products like its famous sausage rolls and sandwiches. But recently, it has turned its attention to the plant-based food market, launching several new menu items and veganizing some of its classics.

In January 2019, Gregs launched a vegan version of its popular sausage roll, attracting a cult following and significant new revenue. For months after the launch, stores struggled to keep up with customer demand. The following August, CEO Roger Whiteside revealed that the company was hard at work perfecting vegan recipes for some of its fan favorites.

“We are working away to see if we can come up with a version of all our bestselling lines because people want vegan options,” Whiteside told LBC. “If we can produce something that tastes just as good as the meat version, then that will sell very successfully.”

Whiteside has since hinted that vegan chicken could be on its way. “[Vegan] chicken is a way forward,” he said at the start of 2020. “I have seen some good products out there.”

The complete guide to eating vegan at Greggs

Greggs uses the term “vegan-friendly” to describe its plant-based products. The company website states that items are not made within dedicated vegan sites, but that staff take as “many steps as possible […] to minimize the risk of cross-contamination” with animal products. Its vegan pastries are also free from animal products and come in a bag labeled “vegan.”

The bakery regularly updates both its menus and its ingredients, so it’s always worth checking the packaging and asking at the counter about possible allergens to make sure. For example, the Belgian bun can be vegan, but sometimes includes dairy.

Ready to dig in? Here’s a guide to vegan options you can get at Greggs.

Vegan sausage roll

The sausage roll that started it all. Three years ago, Greggs launched a vegan-friendly version of its famous sausage roll. It was an overnight sensation and sold out across the UK. Following the high demand throughout the year, Greggs topped £1 billion in sales for the first time ever.

The meatless sausage patty includes 96 “layers of light and crisp puff pastry” wrapped around a plant-based filling made by Quorn. The UK-based brand uses mycoprotein, a type of high-fiber, low-fat protein derived from a type of fungus.

Countless retailers have since followed Greggs’ lead and launched vegan-friendly sausage rolls and pasties, including leading supermarkets Tesco, Morrisons, Asda, and Sainsbury’s.

Vegan steak bake

Greggs also launched a Vegan Steak Bake, another veganized customer favorite. The new menu item was initially launched in 1,300 Greggs locations with plans to roll it out nationwide. Like the original plant-based sausage rolls, the steak bake features Quorn mycoprotein along with diced onions, and gravy, wrapped in dairy-free puff pastry.

After launching the pasty, Greggs struggled to meet the massive demand for its vegan steak bake and commented that the popularity was bigger than anticipated. Many shops sold out of the new menu item. To help out customers, Greggs even launched a “Locate a Bake” feature on its sites to tell customers which stores have the steak bake.

The vegan steak bake is currently unavailable, but Greggs regularly re-launch products.

Glazed ring doughnut

Just weeks after the launch of the vegan steak bake, Greggs added the glazed ring doughnut to its menu. The classic yeast doughnut is slathered with fondant icing and is made without the use of dairy or eggs. Perfect for coffee and tea. (The jam and sugar strand-topped doughnuts also do not contain animal ingredients in the recipe, but there is again a risk of cross-contamination.)

Vegan hot cross buns

What’s the Easter season without hot cross buns? These dairy and egg-free hot cross buns are an essential part of any vegan guide to Greggs. Sold in a four-pack, the vegan glazed hot cross buns combine spices, vine fruits, and feature a light citrusy flavor. These are only available during the Easter season, but that’s right around the corner…

Sweet mince pies

You don’t have to miss out on mince pies, even if you’re avoiding dairy. This mouthwatering seasonal shortcrust pastry is filled with sweet mincemeat made from vine fruits, Bramley apples, and candied orange and lemon peels. The sweet mince pies are lightly dusted with a sugar icing. Unfortunately, these are only sold over Christmas—not all good things last forever.

Vegan festive bake

Another festive favorite, this veganized version combines Quorn pieces and plant-based bacon with cranberries and sage and onion stuffing. (Think bubble and squeak in a pasty.)

Warm winter vegetable soup

Soup always hits the spot in winter. Greggs’ seasonal spicy vegetable soup includes parsnip, carrot, swede, onion, and creamed coconut for a rich flavor. It’s also gluten-free. (This soup is also currently unavailable from Greggs stores.)

Southern fried potato wedges

There was once a time when potatoes were one of the sole vegan items on any given restaurant menu. But, Greggs first introduced its southern fried potato wedges as part of an updated evening menu. The vegan-friendly potato wedges are available in the chain’s “Hot to Go” counters.

The wedges come lightly spiced with a combination of herbs and spices and are sprinkled with a special southern fried seasoning. Remember to get ketchup. (Fact: you can still never really go wrong with potatoes, and Greggs also serves a two-pack of crisp hash browns.)

Mexican bean and sweet potato wrap

Greggs first unveiled the Mexican Bean and Sweet Potato Wrap as part of a new summer menu. A makeover of the chain’s Mexican Bean Wrap, the wrap includes mixed beans, sweet potato falafel with tomato and jalapeño sauce, peppers, and leafy greens, all wrapped in a soft tortilla.

Unfortunately, the Mexican bean and sweet potato wrap is not currently available, but here’s hoping they bring this spicy, vegetable-based snack back at a future date.

Vegan ham and cheese baguette

This vegan ham and cheese baguette features “Vegan Ham with Quorn mycoprotein and topped it with mouth-watering mature Cheddar flavour slices,” though a few customers did suggest the company includes some sort of vegetable, salad, or greenery next time with this beige feast.

Vegan breakfast rolls

In the fall of last year, Greggs introduced several new vegan breakfast items, including the plant-based bacon roll and sausage breakfast roll—served at stores nationwide until 11 am. Served in a corn-topped roll, customers can also make additions to their breakfast sandwich (yes, including hash browns).

Vegan sausage, bean, and cheese melt

Another classic, the veganized sausage, bean, and cheese (or “Cheeze”) melt came after months of customer requests for additional plant-based pasties. It includes baked beans, sausage meatballs, and “gloriously gooey” melted plant-based cheese.

Vegan milk

The most recent addition at Greggs is soya milk, which customers can order as part of barista-style hot drinks such as its popular large cappuccino. As reported earlier this year by the social media page Vegan Food UK, it seems that the bakery chain is doing away with the small, individually packaged pots of plant milk they served previously, cutting down on packaging waste significantly. Perhaps this signals that more dairy-free milk options could be on the way…

What’s vegan in the U.S.?

When KFC first launched its Beyond Fried Chicken at Cobb Parkway, Atlanta, the meaty vegan options sold out fast. Really fast. While KFC wasn’t the only fast-food chain to add vegan meat to the menu in 2019—or to expand options in 2020—it may be the only one to sell 100 percent of its products in less than five hours.

Customers queued around the block, and their response to Beyond Fried Chicken was overwhelmingly positive. The company’s collaboration with Beyond Meat made KFC the first quick-service-restaurant in the U.S. to launch plant-based fried chicken.

Following the successful trial, the fast-food giant launched its plant-based chicken nationwide for a limited time. As of January 10, Beyond Fried Chicken is now available in more than 4,000 KFC locations across the U.S.

KFC says that its plant-based options may not be suitable for strict vegetarians and vegans due to the company’s cooking methods. But certain branches prepare plant-based menu items such as fries in a separate fryer. The Beyond Meat chicken itself is 100 percent plant-based.

In addition to Beyond Fried Chicken, KFC has a handful of other vegan—and finger lickin’ good—menu offerings, including BBQ baked beans (contain “natural flavoring” that’s undefined by KFC) green beans, secret recipe fries, and sweet kernel corn.

Vegan Kentucky Fried Chicken in Canada

In Canada, KFC has partnered with plant-based meat producer Lightlife on the Plant-Based Fried Chicken Sandwich and Plant-Based Popcorn Chicken.

The plant-based popcorn chicken was only available for a limited time. However, the Plant-Based KFC sandwich has been available permanently in Canada since August 2020. 

“The Plant-Based KFC sandwich delivers the same great taste of chicken,” said Dan Curtin, President of Greenleaf Foods, SPC, the owner of Lightlife. “But made with plants.”

KFC Canada also offers vegan-friendly sides, including french fries and coleslaw salad. 

Still, given the restaurant’s reputation, the decision to remove meat is impactful. It recently placed second on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, a ranking that was picked by a panel of more than 1,000 culinary experts. Its plant-based, autumnal Jerusalem artichoke leaves and pickled walnut dish was highlighted in the listing, which described Kofoed’s food as “pure art on a plate.”

Michelin-Starred plant-based food

It’s not the first time the chef has explored meatless cuisine. Last year, he opened up a temporary casual restaurant called Angelika, which only served plant-based dishes. (He says the pop-up is resting right now, but will return soon.) “We should inspire,” the chef continued. “That’s how I see my role. To inspire in a new direction.”

Kofoed isn’t alone. He joins a growing number of Michelin chefs who have distanced themselves from animal products. Earlier this year, renowned Monégasque chef Alain Ducasse opened vegetable-forward restaurant Sapid in Paris. And in the summer, Michelin-starred chef Josef Centeno chose to replace cheese with a vegan alternative at his Tex-Mex Los Angeles restaurant Bar Amá. And back in May, renowned three-Michelin Star New York restaurant Eleven Madison Park, helmed by award-winning chef Daniel Humm, went plant-based.

Geranium is set to reopen some time in 2022, but has not announced a date yet. “I like a challenge in my life,” said Kofoed. “My next challenge is to create amazing new dishes for the menu.”

Partnering with Project Earth, Selfridges’ sustainability initiative aiming for ultimate net-zero carbon goals by 2040, Kenney has planned an approachable, lively and forward-thinking new restaurant for the grand dame of London department stores. 

“Selfridges has a really comprehensive sustainability initiative focused on nature, healing, and sustainability, and we’re happy to follow that because that’s what we’re about as well,” Kenney said. 

Meaning “to be present” in Latin, Adesse will focus on local, seasonal fare that is both comforting and elegant. Joining Kenney’s restaurant Althea in Chicago’s Saks Fifth Avenue, Adesse is the second largest mainstream department store restaurant to debut as completely vegan, which lowers a restaurant’s carbon footprint significantly. 

“Selfridges feels, and we also feel, that it’s a great year to highlight the environmental synchronicity we have with them, and most importantly, how plant-based foods can be so pleasurable,” the chef said.

According to Kenney, Adesse will be so craveworthy, omnivores and flexitarians will barely note its plant-based menu. Instead, they’ll debate over which was better: the jackfruit crab cake with smoked red pepper remoulade or the kimchi dumplings with foamed ginger.

It’s all part of the mainstreaming of plant-based cuisine that Kenney says is perfectly normal—and incredibly exciting. We spoke to the longtime vegan chef about his soon-to-open restaurant and its fashionable future plans.

Plant-based culture is trending right now, but your restaurants have been treating it as the mainstream for years. You’ve always welcomed omnivores, flexitarians, and vegans alike. Is your message shifting as more people accept vegan menus?

You know, we’re a vegan company 100 percent, but we don’t push that, and we don’t really use the word on our website—we don’t even use the word “plant-based” on our site. We always expected this to be the path. 

We might say the word “plant-based” because it’s a little softer, but the real message we’re trying to send is we don’t have to make an apology and say you can’t get something here because it’s a vegan restaurant. With Sestina, our pasta restaurant, we truly can stand behind it being the best Italian food and a global restaurant. Plant-based is fashionable now, which is amazing. But that’s part of the plan: to recognize it as the cuisine, not a cuisine. Just as a non-plant-based restaurant doesn’t advertise that they’re not vegan, we don’t advertise that we are vegan. The paradigm is shifting, and plant-based is how we eat if we’re eating in an enlightened way. 

As that paradigm shifts, plant-based cuisine has gotten more creative, but also blander in some ways. How do you resist the monotony of the standard vegan burger?

We do that by finding a balance between our classics and more esoteric dishes. Adesse’s menu is 30 to 35 percent classics like heirloom tomato lasagna, geared toward seasonality because London is a seasonal city. We also have company classics like our “crab cake,” which has a smoked red pepper remoulade, and our poke, and a curried cauliflower with Indian spices, which is a cuisine that’s well-received in London. But some things are more esoteric, like our beetroot carpaccio with yuzu kosho and poppy seeds, our spicy udon which is made more unique with roasted cashew, radish and tempeh, and our kelp noodle cacio e pepe with snap peas, pea shoots, and dehydrated black olives. Every dish will pair with one of our extensive organic and biodynamic varietals or thoughtfully-curated spirits and elixirs. For dessert, we’ll stay comforting like the chocolate and salted caramel crunch, but with a twist, like the lime parfait with avocado and spiced macadamia.

Fashion is encountering a revolution toward sustainability similar to the food world. How will Adesse synergize with Selfridges’ Project Earth vision?

Our cuisine will be plant-based and local, because that’s in our DNA—so there are environmental benefits there. But I also think about our narrative and what’s going to be transformative right now—what’s going to provide our guests with things that are innovative and refreshing, so they’ll talk about it. I think about what’s going to facilitate change in the global market for food and plants and sustainability. I look at the entire supply chain and what we can do to impact in a positive way, not just at Adesse. So Adesse is part of a wider chain of sustainability in the plant-based movement.

Will the decor and cuisine reflect your Los Angeles style, and bring a bit of California and Plant Food + Wine to London, or will it be more buttoned-up? 

It’s not an over-the-top design, but it’s a little posh and elegant—very London and very Selfridges. It’s not a huge restaurant, seating about 60 or 70, but it has a really beautiful bar. It feels like a European brasserie in a way, but not from a classical French perspective, more that you can grab lunch, dinner or a late afternoon snack there. You might want a glass of champagne from looking at the decor—not that it’s fancy, but because it’s very celebratory. It’s warm and comfortable, with big windows, a beautiful view, and light streaming in.

Your restaurant Althea in the Saks in Chicago serves up all kinds of plant-based fare, like a porcini truffle cheese plate and a comforting brioche burger with sunflower cheddar. With the Midwest being especially meat-heavy, did that give you the confidence to launch Adesse to a London audience?

Definitely. It was really a big risk for Saks to do that as that was the only restaurant in that store, and we tripled the revenue that the non-plant-based restaurant had, and our audience is only growing. Adesse will be our London hub, and we’ll use it to build our base in Europe, to show our guests and colleagues—we have dozens of affiliates and strategic partners across Europe. 

Why is now the perfect time to open Adesse, and why London and Selfridges?    

The UK is one of the most important markets in the world for us. We’re excited about London’s proliferation of fast casual—like Pret a Manger, which has a fast casual concept with Veggie Pret. Selfridges is a high-volume and high-traffic location, and we know there will be the demand, but also there’s a little bit of space for something more elevated. London reminds me of Venice, which is very fashion-oriented and edgy, but the customer wants approachable food, and some of the restaurants that stood the test of time in London have been beautifully designed with great spaces and high quality ingredients, but with food that’s relatively comfortable. Londoners love to eat, so we’re being careful not to over-think or over-design it. 

You’re launching several other projects right now as well, including another Sestina, your beloved pasta spot. What else do you have in the works?

We’re launching four plant-based pop-up dining concepts at Expo 2020 Dubai, an event focused on human innovation that will go until March 31 of 2022. We’re highlighting the sustainability element of plant-based eating on every level, from food truck to high-end, and employing food tech like the JUST Egg in our burritos and breakfast sandwiches. It’s important for us to show our support for the food tech that will change the world.

Selfridges’ Project Earth vision is incredible, but as you said, you’re looking beyond lowering one restaurant—or even a dozen restaurants’—carbon footprints. On a broader scale, how are you affecting change beyond plant-based cuisine?

We’re really doing a lot with innovation and technology, and we partner with innovators and creators who are disruptive in their fields. We add value by bringing our audience to them. For example, we’re a partner in NOEM, the no-emissions company, which has an encapsulated indoor growing system. 

You’ve always been forward-thinking in your restaurants and your programming. What do you see happening in the future—what will be the ultimate impact of this current plant-based boom?

The future of plant-based food is as vibrant as the ingredients that shape it. This is no longer a trend—people are embracing a world with less animal consumption, and it’s becoming clear that it will continue to gain in popularity, which leads us to the impact. Aside from exploring new types of cuisine and experiencing the joy of plant-based eating, the environmental impacts are significant and we are already seeing evidence of that. I’m optimistic that we are working towards a sustainable world and to reversing climate change through the choices we make with our forks. 

Editor’s note: Since publication, the opening of Adesse has been pushed back to January. LIVEKINDLY has updated the article to reflect the new date.

Located in the Hillcrest neighborhood, the 4,500 square foot deli and bodega concept carries a wide variety of fair-trade and organic plant-based products. Items include frozen foods, pantry staples, personal hygiene and household products, an assortment of snacks, as well as beer and wine.

The deli offers freshly prepared foods like carrot lox bagels and sandwiches. Customers can also opt for ready-to-eat meals on-the-go, such as marinated tofu, eggless quiche, and chickpea tuna salad.

XMarket was born out of a partnership and acquisition between Chef Matthew Kenney and PlantX, an online marketplace founded by vegan entrepreneur Sean Dollinger in February 2020. PlantX stocks plant-based grocery items on its website. It also offers meal delivery options, house plants, recipes, and even a vegan restaurant locator.

As part of the acquisition, PlantX acquired New Deli, a vegan marketplace that Kenney opened in 2019. PlantX took over the Venice, California New Deli location in April, relaunching it as XMarket.

According to Kenney, the goal of the partnership is to “educate and provide more people access to a plant-based lifestyle. “Along with our retail and ecommerce initiatives, we are committed to investing in and developing innovative products that bring a sustainable and healthful change to the culinary landscape,” he explained.

PlantX plans to expand to reach a wider audience, making plant-based foods more accessible to all. “Our next location will be in Tel Aviv, Israel, and after that we have two locations opening up inside the Hudson Bay stores in Ottawa (Rideau), and Toronto (Yorkdale),” Alex Hoffman, PlantX’s CMO, said. “A few other locations are on our radar, but nothing finalized yet.”

PlantX Canada

PlantX opened its first brick-and-mortar store in Canada in May 2021.

Located in British Columbia, the Squamish Flagship Location—which is nestled in a town just north of Vancouver—features a variety of plant-based grocery and wellness products. According to the company, the 1,700 square foot store will help accelerate its efforts to “cultivate connections between plant-based vendors and customers around the world.”

In January of this year, PlantX also acquired PlantX Living Squamish Inc.—formerly called Score Enterprises Ltd. The 15,000-square-foot commercial space encompasses dining venues, including the Locavore Bar & Grill, Cloudburst Café, and Locavore Food Truck.

The Canadian store features a vertical garden where herbs and leafy greens are grown. PlantX will use the herbs and greens to make plant-based meals for the Locavore Bar & Grill.

These dishes can be yours at vegan restaurant weeks across the country, when diners can find vegan menus at restaurants across the city. Trip across the city sampling from diverse menus, from farm-to-table Cuban entrees to Zimbabwean appetizers, pan-Asian street food to Mexican fusion dishes. Hosted by local organizations seeking to showcase the very best of each city’s vegan cuisine, these dining events offer the ideal time to visit a city and sample its eats—often for great prices.

Vegan restaurant weeks allow everyone, regardless of diet, to explore the delicious possibilities of plant-based eating, while boosting local small business economies and attracting new, loyal fans. Indulge in these vegan restaurant weeks taking place across the country throughout the year. We’re betting you’ll order so much food, you’ll need a doggie bag.

V72X2, Richmond, Virginia — January 26 to 31, 2021

Ring in the new year with a fun collect-them-all, game-style vegan fest that’s super fun. Diners who rack up five or more stamps on their digital food passport at Richmond V72X2 win a decadent dessert.

This vegan week turns the city of Richmond into a vegan food paradise for 144 hours (get it: 72 x 2) as participating restaurants showcase new, mouthwatering vegan dishes. In previous years, the event was hosted solely by Vegan Action, but this year the non-profit teamed up with Richmond VegFest to co-sponsor the restaurant week (it’s also why the event ran six days instead of the normal three). Don’t be sad if you missed this one though–V72 is an annual event so you’ll have all year to plan your attack strategy.

Seriously though, you might want a game plan. Literally dozens of restaurants participated this past year, which means attendees can have a veritable vegan feast. Avoid the winter blues with some spicy vegan chili, and then at night, keep things cozy with some mushroom alfredo fettuccine. The next day, you could have yourself some tandoori cauliflower and then head into the city for some mint chocolate puddin’ pie before a stroll around downtown. Are you drooling yet?

Southwest Florida Vegan Restaurant Week, Cape Coral and Fort Myers, Florida — February 12 to 26, 2021

2021 marked the first-ever Southwest Florida Vegan Restaurant Week, and it was such a huge success that it’s going to become an annual event. Keep it on your radar for February again, which also happens to be the area’s high season. The event was (and will be) hosted by Lifestyle Solutions Healthy Planet, Inc. (LSHP), a non-profit focused on educating people about the health benefits of a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle.

At SWFL Vegan Restaurant Week, diners could hop back and forth across the Caloosahatchee River to grab some vegan bites at participating restaurants in Cape Coral and Fort Myers. Sure, the great food options were reason enough to go, like refreshing summer rolls, energizing acai bowls, and hearty Moroccan peanut stew. But there was even more incentive: All the restaurants were local, family-owned establishments, and it always feels good to support the community (especially given the past year or two we’ve had … ). Plus, customers had the chance to win prizes at each restaurant. Who doesn’t love prizes? Fingers crossed there are plenty of giveaways next year too. 

Maryland Vegan Restaurant Week, Baltimore City and surrounding areas, Maryland — February 2021, August 2021

Maryland Vegan Restaurant Week is so fun it happens not once, but twice a year, offering even more opportunities to check out the growing vegan scene in the so-called Old Line State. The summer round of the event happens in August, and the winter edition kicks off in February.

In the past, customers who voted for their best dining experience during the event had the chance to win a gift certificate from their favorite participant restaurant. It may be hard to pick just one favorite though, with so many diverse options available, from plant-based comfort food to Mexican street food to Filipino-inspired cuisine.

Just imagine: You could start your morning with some vegan mango vanilla oatmeal, dig into a vegan version of a Mexican Sonoran hot dog for lunch, and then end the day with some pineapple fried rice. Okay, well maybe not end the day just yet: You have to finish off with a classic, vegan ice cream sundae topped with housemade chocolate syrup and a cherry on top, right? 

Phoenix Restaurant Week, Phoenix, Arizona — September 12 to 18, 2021

Phoenix Restaurant Week broke ground as the first event of its kind in Arizona. Presented by Jozh Watson of PHX Vegan and Executive Chef Jason Wyrick of The Vegan Taste and Casa Terra, the event, which celebrates vegan cuisine in the Phoenix metro area, is on track to be held annually in September. If you’re elsewhere in Arizona though, you might catch their various one-off events in other cities like Sedona, Flagstaff, and Tucson.

Just a bit hungry? You can order the special representative dish at one of the participating restaurants, food trucks, or other food vendors. We’re talking things like vegan banh mi torta made from local bread, braised mushroom, veggies, and basil aioli, and lentil dal curry served with mango chutney and a side of shishito peppers. Totally famished? Opt for one of the establishments offering a prix-fixe menu. They range from two to five courses, and with heart of palm ceviche for your appetizer, vegan chile relleno as your entree, plantain empanadas for dessert, all washed down with an agua fresca—what’s not to love? 

The cool thing is these unique menu specials may not have been on the restaurant’s menu before, so it makes eating out an adventure even for locals. 

Lancaster Vegan Restaurant Week, Lancaster, Pennsylvania — September 18 to 24, 2021

There’s been a growing desire out of Lancaster City for more vegan options, and wishes have been granted thanks to Lancaster Vegan Restaurant Week. This annual event launches alongside the Lancaster VegFest, a weekend-long celebration of the plant-based lifestyle. The restaurant week event is normally held during the beginning of June but was moved to September this year due to COVID, so keep an eye on the schedule for the future.

You’ll be glad you have a whole week to enjoy the festivities given the variety of cuisines to try.  We’re talking vegan chimichanga, fried risotto, shepherd’s pie, spicy tomato soup … the list goes on and on. Walking around Lancaster City Historic District alone will bring you to plenty of participating places to try. 

In this case, eating good means doing good since a portion of proceeds is donated to Lancaster Farm Sanctuary, a non-profit animal sanctuary. Win-win!

Bellingham Vegan Restaurant Week, Bellingham, Washington — September 20 to 26, 2021

Running for two years now, Bellingham Vegan Restaurant Week is hosted by Bellingham Veg Fest, a volunteer-powered, non-profit organization—and the only all-vegan festival in the city. The event fittingly coincides with Bellingham’s “ALL IN for Climate Action” campaign, which is geared toward reducing climate emissions. Originally, the restaurant week started as a replacement for the in-person Veg Fest that never was thanks to the pandemic, but in the end, it was so popular that they’ll be back again next year. More delicious vegan food for everyone!

You may notice that vegan and non-vegan restaurants participate in this restaurant week, with the latter offering at least one vegan option. Regardless of where you go, expect something memorable like portobello mushroom fajitas, a seitan French dip sandwich, vegan mochi waffles, and more. And why not carpool or bike to the event with family and friends?

Philly Vegan Restaurant Week, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — September 24 to October 1, 2021

Philly Vegan Restaurant Week started in September of 2018. In the past, this volunteer-run event has been held twice (once in spring and once in fall), and pending the pandemic, that bi-annual schedule is what they have in mind for the future. More days of restaurant week means more days of amazing vegan food. Whether you’re in the mood for a single special menu item or you’re ready to go all out with a prix-fixe vegan menu, get ready for some incredible creations like mushroom bulgogi flautas with vegan mozzarella and kimchi, an oyster mushroom schnitzel sandwich with lemon caper aioli, a giant calzone made with lemon cashew ricotta, and more. 

It’s hard not to love an event that pairs good food with a good cause. Philly Vegan Restaurant Week has also raised money for local nonprofits and animal sanctuaries, such as Peace Advocacy Network and Misfit Manor. Due to the effect of the pandemic on the restaurant industry, establishments participating this fall 2021 will keep 100% of their profits.

Providence Vegan Restaurant Week, Providence, Rhode Island — October 29 to November 7, 2021

Providence Vegan Restaurant Week is an annual event, running for three years now, and it’s scheduled to align with World Vegan Day on November 1. Due to its popularity, it’ll be taking place for a little longer than a week this year in order to cover two full weekends. Time to tell all your friends that your weekend plans are set, because there is some amazing vegan food to be had.

By the way, Rhode Island may be small, but it has had a big impact on the vegan scene. Providence’s Like No Udder boasts itself as starting the world’s first all-vegan soft serve ice cream truck, and these days they’re just one of many eateries offering up mouthwatering vegan food. Depending on where you go (and there are many ranging from New American to Mexican to Greek), you can choose from either two to three plant-based specials, or order a three-course prix fixe menu. 

Don’t be shy to let the local restaurants know if you’re in love with their specials, because past participants have gone on to add these dishes to their permanent menu. Ah, there’s nothing like the taste of making a difference.

Colorado Springs Vegan Restaurant Week, Colorado Springs, Colorado — November 1 to 7, 2021

Colorado Springs Vegan Restaurant Week is an annual event that launches on November 1 (hello World Vegan Day!), and this year marks its fifth year in operation. Some participating restaurants create new vegan dishes specifically for the event, some offer specials on existing vegan items, and others create prix fixe menus. The point is, you won’t be starving for options, especially if you’re hanging out downtown where there is a good cluster of restaurants to hit up, one after another.

If the menus of Colorado Springs’ past restaurant weeks are any indication, there’s something to suit every kind of diner. Enjoy some barbecue tofu sliders with apple slaw, savory tamales served with fresh salsa, buffalo cauliflower tacos, and cinnamon French toast. And don’t forget dessert, including mini vegan donuts (served in a cute martini glass!).

Triangle Vegan Restaurant Week, Triangle Area, North Carolina — November 1 to 7, 2021

Triangle Vegan Restaurant Week is launching its inaugural event right in time with World Vegan Day. It’s not just restaurants that join in on the fun; there are also food trucks, bakeries, and breweries all getting creative when it comes to vegan cuisine. Better still, the participating establishments are scattered across Apex, Carrboro, Cary, Chapel Hill, Durham, Pittsboro, Raleigh, and Wake Forest, so wherever you are in the Triangle, it should be easy to get some grub.

Speaking of grub: Establishments will offer either at least two special vegan dishes or a special three-course, fixed-price vegan menu. Only have time for a quick lunch while running errands downtown? There’s something for you. In the mood for a romantic dinner in a stylish hotel restaurant where the food is as good as the company? No problem. Attendees can expect offerings from an array of cuisines, including farm-to-table Cuban food, Zimbabwean, soul food, pan-Asian street food, and more. 

Fort Wayne Vegan Restaurant Week, Fort Wayne, Indiana — November 2 to 8, 2021

There’s no better time to explore vegan cuisine than November, World Vegan Month, and if you’re in Fort Wayne, the easiest way to do just that is to attend Fort Wayne Vegan Restaurant Week, which is held during the first week of November. The year 2021 marks its third in operation, and it has been such a hit that the vegan restaurant week will be offered twice a year starting in 2022 (once in the spring and once in November). That gives you even more time to support local favorites and find new ones.

During the event, participating restaurants offer two to three special vegan options. With dishes priced at $8 and up, you won’t have to break the bank trying out multiple establishments throughout the week. Good news considering you’ll probably want everything when you see what’s on the menus, like vegan buffalo chicken pizza, Thai yellow curry with tofu, chorizo chickpea tacos, falafel pita, and more.

The internet search engine has launched a new feature that allows travelers to see a hotel’s sustainability efforts. Now, a Google search for hotels will show whether or not the establishment has been certified as eco-friendly.

Hotels that have been certified will feature an “eco-certified” badge, which means the “hotel was certified as environmentally sustainable by third party groups recognized by Google,” according to the company. Independent groups issuing the certifications include sustainable tourism companies EarthCheck and Green Key.

The hotel’s “About” tab expounds upon its eco-credentials, citing the company’s water conservation, waste reduction, energy efficiency, and sustainable sourcing efforts. For example, the H Hotel in Los Angeles, which carries the “eco-certified” badge, has energy conservation, towel and linen reuse, food waste reduction, and soap donation programs. The eco-certifications also indicate that the hotel offers vegetarian meals and doesn’t use styrofoam containers or single-use plastic straws.

Sustainable tourism

The new search feature is a step in the right direction in regards to minimizing the environmental impacts of the tourism industry. These include depleting natural resources due to over-consumption, pollution, and waste issues, just to name a few.

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, carbon emissions from the tourism sector are projected to increase by 25 percent by 2030.

But tourists are increasingly looking to “green” their travels. A global survey released this year by Booking.com found that 83 percent of travelers find sustainable travel to be important. Sixty-one percent of respondents noted their interest in sustainable travel has piqued due to the coronavirus pandemic. According to Google Trends, the term “green hotel” has increased four times its normal search volume since March 2020. 

A number of other websites offer services for finding sustainable hotels, including Ecobnb, World Nomads, and Green Pearls.

Google is looking to take things a step further. The search giant partnered with Travalyst, a non-profit organization that advocates for sustainable travel, to develop a method for calculating carbon emissions from air travel. Once established, travelers would be able to see the environmental impact of their flights.

“These updates are part of our commitment over the next decade to invest in technologies that help our partners and people around the world make sustainable choices,” Richard Holden, Google’s VP of Travel Products, explained.

Yup, that’s right—you heard us. At sports games this year, you’ll be able to order up an astounding array of mouthwatering plant-based options, from fully-loaded jackfruit nachos to potato tacos with roasted avocados and warm tomato salsa. Whether you’re relaxing in the heated indoor arenas of the NBA or shivering in the chill of the NFL’s open-air stadiums, you’ll no longer be stuck with fries and a pretzel. Instead, you’ll be dining deliciously, tucking into a vegan po’boy stuffed with marinated crispy tofu, spicy pickles and creole Vegenaise or getting fancy with a local, seasonal, herb-roasted veggies and cheese platter.

If you’re excited that these proteins, snacks and apps are making their way onto sports menus, you’ll need this handy guide to the best plant-based stadium food.

How to Eat Vegan at Sports Stadiums: Baseball

Dodgers Stadium, Los Angeles, CA

This renowned Los Angeles arena features a wide variety of plant-based snacks. Baseball fans can chow down on plant-based burgers, Dodger dogs, teriyaki bowls, tostada salads, big papa and hot mama pickles, and garlic fries in a helmet. For the sweet tooth, load up on Dippin Dots rainbow, Dole whip, king-sized pretzels, plant-based soft serve, Red Vines, Sour Patch kids.

Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

In addition to one of baseball’s most famous teams, Yankee Stadium is home to plenty of vegan eats. Food for game-goers includes avocado bites, Beyond Sausage, churros, Field Roast burgers and even veggie sushi. Check out all the delicious and diverse offerings here.

Citi Field, Queens, NY

At the Mets’ home base of Citi Field, a stand called “Vegan City” offers a whole bunch of delicious options. Hungry fans can dig into Vegan City nachos made with jackfruit chili, vegan cheese, pico de gallo and roasted salsa, or order up a Beyond Sausage with balsamic roasted onions and peppers on a house roll. If you never thought you’d have a grain salad at a stadium, you’ll be pleased to try the Southwest grain salad with wild rice, black beans, black-eyed peas, roasted corn, roasted peppers, arugula and pico de gallo. 

Oracle Park, San Francisco, CA

San Francisco’s vegan-friendly attitude has spilled over to the ballpark, home to the Giants. Just this year, the park opened a new concession stand dubbed “That’s Impossible” serving only Impossible products. While some items come with cheese or sour cream, they can easily be requested without. Options include Impossible chili with Impossible meat, beans, tomatoes, cilantro and spices topped with shredded cheese, diced onion and sour cream, plus an Impossible burger with cheddar cheese, caramelized onion and dijonnaise on a seeded bun. Other vegan-friendly items at the park include Field Roast franks, açaí bowls and chocolate Guittard Gelato bars. 

RingCentral Coliseum, Oakland, CA

Oakland Athletics fans can get their plant-based food fix with either an Impossible “cheesesteak” sandwich topped with melty vegan cheese and tender bell peppers and onions; or a flavorful, grilled Impossible burger topped with a fresh, crisp trio of lettuce, tomato and onion. 

How to Eat Vegan at Sports Stadiums: Football

Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, CO

While the Denver Broncos are still working through supply chain challenges, they’re already offering a variety of vegan-friendly selections. Entree options include Ozo plant-based burgers and Frank Bonanno’s Tuscan sandwich (if requested to be made without the mozzarella), topped with basil pesto, roasted red peppers, pickled red onions, vine ripe tomatoes, baby arugula, red wine vinaigrette, kosher salt and cracked black pepper on a hoagie roll. Or you can get a simple cauliflower hoagie with roasted peppers, onions and mushrooms. On the side, grab some hot tomato bisque and made-to-order loaded baked potatoes. Snackable choices around the stadium include chips and salsa, Bavarian pretzels, candy, peanuts, French fries and kettle corn. 

State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ

Arizona Cardinals fans are in luck with a wealth of vegan options available at their home stadium. The plant-based foodie fare includes fresh cut fruit, J&J’s soft pretzels, popcorn and chips and salsa in the main and upper concourse and club levels. In the lofts the options get even more enticing with a vegan cheese platter featuring local seasonal herb roasted veggies with vegan cashew cheese spread, pistachio cheese and smoked cashew “gouda,” served with toasted baguettes and lavash. You can also get vegan papas tacos with seasoned steamed potatoes and Daiya cheese wrapped and baked in corn tortillas served with roasted avocados, warm tomato salsa and marinated kale and corn salad, or vegan flats flatbread with spinach, potato, shiitake mushrooms, Daiya cheese and truffle oil. For dessert, dig into cinnamon sugar-baked apple “roses” in pastry crust served with vegan lavender whipped cream.

Lumen Field, Seattle, WA

Lumen Field, home to the Seattle Seahawks, has a variety of veg-forward options for fans looking for plant-based choices. Selections include savory vegan hot dogs at Local Dogs and Brats, buns at Din Tai Fung, colorful veggie burrito bowls at Cantina and more. 

Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA

The Philadelphia Eagles’ home turf highlights a droolworthy vegan po’boy made with crispy marinated tofu, shredded lettuce, ripe tomatoes, spicy pickles and creole Vegenaise on a gluten-free baguette. Also available for stadium snacking are decadent twisted soft pretzels and butter or caramel-flavored corn from Popcorn for the People. 

How to Eat Vegan at Sports Stadiums: Basketball

Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

This iconic Manhattan basketball arena, home to the New York Knicks as well as ice hockey team the New York Rangers, boasts a “Simply Vegan” stand stocked with an array of irresistible eats. Menu selections include The Big Deal, with two Impossible patties with vegan cheese, pickles and Rafter sauce on a sesame seed bun; grilled bratwurst with Beyond Brats, caramelized onions and classic German mustard on a toasted roll; and chili made with Impossible protein topped with vegan cheese, scallions and cilantro.  

Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA

Serving Sacramento Kings fans, the “Burger Patch Cart” is a 100 percent plant-based purveyor with a nostalgic take on arena eats. The choices include two scrumptious sourdough burgers. Choose between the Patch Burger, a Beyond Meat patty topped with a cheddar-style sauce, lettuce, tomato, two cheddar-style slices and grilled red onion; and the BBQ Patch Burger, which is essentially the same burger, but with barbecue sauce and Sweet Earth hickory strips. Munch on the Patch Brats and Spicy Patch Sausage menu item, which features a Beyond Meat sausage topped with mixed bell peppers and onions, cheddar sauce and creamy mustard on a sourdough bun. 

Chase Center, San Francisco, CA

The Golden State Warriors have plenty of vegan-friendly food to keep fans fueled before or after a game. Among the options at this arena are “The Sarap Shop,” a stand that offers an array of plant-based goodies including the vegan loco moco made with Impossible Burger, Just Egg, vegan brown gravy, and rice; and a chippy pie served with a vegan Impossible chili, vegan aioli, green onions, and corn chips. At the nearby “Room for Dessert,” you can satisfy your sweet tooth with a vegan brownie milkshake made with vegan chocolate ice cream, soy milk and vegan whipped cream, all topped with a toasted vegan housemade vanilla marshmallow.