The vegan restaurant dilemma

September 2, 2025 by
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A few weeks ago I wrote about how, after four years as a vegan-only establishment, Eleven Madison Park was adding meat back to the menu. The famed NYC restaurant is not the only vegan eatery to make changes in the current restaurant climate. Many once-beloved vegan restaurants have even closed permanently in recent months. Is this part of a trend in an embattled industry, or The Guardian asks do vegan restaurants have a bigger problem?

There are two main schools of thought regarding the struggles facing vegan restaurants. The first lands on the side of a larger problem facing hospitality as a whole, with worker shortages and sky-high costs making even well established eateries shutter doors. Add to that a hesitant dining public that is penny pinching due to increased costs for food, housing, utilities and other basic needs, and it’s no wonder restaurants are struggling.

Another theory is that the pushback against highly processed food is driving people away from vegan food because items like the Impossible Burger, while 100% plant-based, are heavily processed and contain a laundry list of ingredients. The counter argument is that veganism is still popular, as evidenced by the loads of TikToks and reels featuring vegan food, it is just that people are not eating out as much.

Whatever the reason, customers are disappointed when their favorite restaurant closes its doors. However, it seems that not all hope is lost: London’s Unity Diner, which had announced it would be closing after Veganuary, had such high sales during Veganuary that the decision to liquidate was reversed. Sales of their vegan Sunday roast carvery are robust, which indicates that the interest is still there. Unity Diner’s co-founder, Andy Crumpton, says that the restaurant is  “barely breaking even”, but if the current trend continues, they will be able to remain open.

Category: Antipasto

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8 Comments

  • FuzzyChef  on  September 3, 2025

    In contrast, vegan restaurants in Portland have been thriving. Two new high end ones opened last year and are doing well. The secret is to make food that non vegans like as well, and not rely so much on fake meat.

  • FuzzyChef  on  September 3, 2025

    It’s not veganism on its way out, it’s fake meat.

  • lilham  on  September 3, 2025

    I don’t like highly processed food. I have no problem eating vegan food if it contains ingredients I recognise as real food. Impossible burgers and meat substitutes? No thanks.

  • Lalamzo  on  September 4, 2025

    I’m sad I never made it to Modern Love in Brooklyn before they closed. As someone who eats 99% vegan, I try to eat whole foods and cook at home as much as possible (especially in this economy). I’ve never associated non-fast food restaurants with ultra-processed foods. Impossible burgers are usually the vegan/vegetarian option at non-veg restaurants, not a feature at vegan restaurants. So I don’t really understand these arguments. Restaurants (vegan or not) close all the time.

  • Dove1212  on  September 5, 2025

    https://www.theguardian.com/food/2025/sep/02/plant-based-problem-why-vegan-restaurants-closing-or-adding-meat-menu

    Isobel Lewis‘ article in The Guardian

    • Jane  on  September 5, 2025

      The Guardian article was already linked above – I have now added “The Guardian asks” before the link to make that clearer. We always link to the full article when we cover food news.

  • christineakiyoshi  on  September 5, 2025

    I am vegan and was sad to hear about Eleven Madison Park adding meat. I went in February and loved the meal. Sadly, I probably won’t go again because the allure was that it was a Michelin starred vegan restaurant, which is hard to find. NYC has so many great vegan restaurants so I will have plenty to choose from in the future. Anixi is my absolute favorite and I highly recommend it. The restaurant business is hard and many are struggling.

  • ccav  on  September 10, 2025

    I too lament that I was never able to get to Modern Love in Brooklyn! Love Isa’s cookbooks and have all of them. Hopefully she will be popping back up with another venture.

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