Veg Restaurants Edition - Openings and Closings and News
July 14, 2009
Hello all in BVS,
We have some exciting new openings of veg eateries in MA in recent weeks, and some closings as well. Our Restaurants page is updated with the latest info:
http://bostonveg.org/restaurants
* Today, July 14, will be the last day of business for TJ Scallywaggles Vegan House of Pizza and Subs in Allston. Stop by after 3 PM and partake of their final all-you-can-eat night, and thank them for the great effort they made in providing delicious pizzas without the meat and dairy.
* On the plus side, we look forward to the opening of a new vegan restaurant at 292 Centre Street in Newton Corner! Prana Cafe will be open Wednesday - Monday (closed Tuesday) for breakfast and lunch, 7 AM - 4 PM. Eventually they hope to open seven days for all three meals. Initially it will be counter service, later table service. Seats 45-50 in a spacious room. They aim to open at the end of July, and BVS will have an event there when they get their feet on the ground. Cuisine will be raw vegan, and read the alluring preview in Stuff Boston on our Restaurant Reviews page:
http://bostonveg.org/restaurants/RestaurantArticles.html
* While we're thinking Metro West, I can't not mention Masao's Kitchen in Waltham, which has been serving their exceptional high quality organic vegan cuisine for so many years. See details on our Restaurants page.
* Another exciting addition to the veg food scene is a new outdoor food cart in the heart of Copley Square! Now that the rainy stretch is hopefully behind us, they can be out in glory. From our Restaurants page:
Jack and the Bean Bowl
Copley Square, near fountain, opposite CVS at 587 Boylston St., Boston
No phone
Wednesday – Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., weather permitting
This outdoor food cart has been heralded as a welcome asset to Back Bay's street scene, drawing fans for its flavorful and nutritious one-entree menu: a meal in a bowl for only $5. The vegetarian bowls are made to order, so you can request the vegan version, or omit any item. Start with a bed of brown rice, add rich black beans, and top with fresh avocado, mild salsa, cilantro, cheeze and sour cream (vegan available). Add either of their signature almond-based vegan sauces, creamy lemon or smoky chipotle-lime, and you have a taste sensation. Cupcakes and Italian sodas round out the meal, offered by a very friendly husband-wife team.
Read their excellent review in the Boston Phoenix on our Reviews page:
http://bostonveg.org/restaurants/RestaurantArticles.html
* As we've previously reported, My Thai Cafe in Brookline closed in April, but you can get the same great menu at their sister restaurant in Chinatown at 3 Beach Street.
* Longtime small-but-popular Quan Yin in Worcester has closed, and owner Joanne is working with her brother in running their sister restaurant Buddha Hut at 415 Chandler Street, Worcester. A new vegan Asian restaurant named Veggie Corner will open soon in Quan Yin's location, run by the same spiritual group as Quan Yin and Buddha Hut.
* More Worcester happenings! Getting enthusiastic comments from diners is this new spot for vegan Jamaican/Caribbean cuisine. From our Restaurants page:
Belmont Vegetarian Restaurant
157 Belmont St, Worcester (on Rte 9, corner Eastern Ave., near UMass Memorial)
508-798-8898
Open Mon-Sat 10am-8pm, closed Sunday.
All vegan, Jamaican/Caribbean cuisine, serves mainly take-out, with two booths for eating in. Order and pick up at the counter. Daily changing menu with dishes such as vegan pepper steak, BBQ chunks, curried chicken, rice, tofu dishes, vegetable stew, cabbage, soup, patties. The combo plate comes with all of the day's selections. Free parking on the street.
* Moving west, earlier this year The Dancing Vegan enlivened the food scene when they opened in Pittsfield. From our Restaurant page:
The Dancing Vegan
239 Onota Street, corner of Locust St.
Pittsfield
413-443-2625
Monday - Friday, Noon - 7 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Closed Sunday
All vegan, organic take-out shop features locally grown produce and a changing menu to highlight fruits and veggies that are in season and picked at their peak. Owners Mariana and Yukiko have backgrounds in both gourmet and macrobiotic cooking, and bring healthy eating to heights of enjoyment. They offer freshly made dips, spreads, sushi, soups, salads made with quinoa or tempeh, entrees such as sesame noodles and lasagna, tempura, and an array of baked goods and desserts using natural sweeteners. No refined sugar used here!
Read their favorable review in the Berkshire Eagle on our Reviews page:
http://bostonveg.org/restaurants/RestaurantArticles.html
* If you are traveling in Western Mass this summer, you can take a self-guided veg restaurant tour to some great places -- the always wonderful Tofu a GoGo in Greenfield, The Dancing Vegan in Pittsfield, and the four greats in the Northampton area. See details at
http://bostonveg.org/restaurants/index.html#westma
* Back east, Vej Naturals in Malden celebrated its one-year anniversary, and has added a vegan pizza and sub night on Wednesdays, 5:30 - 9 PM. They have also added lunch hours Wednesday - Saturday, 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Nutritionist Lisa will be teaching a nutrition series at the cafe for five Monday nights beginning July 20 at 6 PM. Classes run 1.5 - 2 hours and cost $30 each, or $125 in advance for the full series. Call 781-388-0990 to enroll.
* A summer trip to the North Shore can't end without a stop at Rawbert's Organic Garden Cafe in Beverly, just blocks from the beach. Rawbert was the first to test the waters and bring raw vegan cuisine to MA, and continues to serve up gorgeous, inventive dishes in a pleasant atmosphere.
Eateries that do not serve the animal foods that most Americans crave take on an additional risk in the already risky restaurant business and deserve our support. Have fun reviewing our full list at http://bostonveg.org/restaurants, and Bon Apetit!
If you hear of any restaurant news, be sure to send us a note!