By Matt Kells
Baltimore Watchdog Contributor
Ordering takeout has its challenges, especially for those with allergies or those following a vegan diet. If that includes you, then take a look at these three vegan-friendly restaurants. They work to make the takeout experience easy—even for those on special diets.
Gangster Vegan
Gangster Vegan is a 100 percent vegan eatery that offers cold pressed juices, raw burgers, and salads among other options. James Yarborough, owner of the Baltimore Vegan Organics franchise, said more food options where they are scarce was the inspiration behind opening his profitable business in downtown Baltimore.
“We wanted to assist with eliminating food deserts in the DMV area,” Yarborough said.
Providing an eatery to an area where nutritional food stores are scarce is life changing for countless people. But the fact that it is a vegan restaurant is a trend that’s been up and coming for some time now.
Those who lead vegan lifestyles have been creative and experimental with creating products that resemble the test and texture of foods such as meat, cheese, yogurt, among countless others. And the popularity of a taco bowl shows the success of plant-based protein.
“The Ay Papi is a staple due to the reliability it has,” Yarborough said. “The walnut taco meat is similar to what you would find in meat-based tacos.”
Yarborough said offering cold pressed juices and raw burgers and salads make them stand out in the market.
“Most vegan eateries aren’t raw and most juice bars don’t have as robust food offerings,” Yarborough said.
Gangster Vegan is located at 1065 S Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21230 Wednesday thru Sunday 1p.m.- 8 p.m offering salads, bowls, juices, smoothies, wellness shots, burgers, as well as desserts that range from $6-$12.
Land of Kush
Land of Kush is a 100 percent vegan restaurant the offers wraps and sandwiches, burgers, salads, and several other entrees. Naijha Wright Brown, owner of Land of Kush, said that her restaurant is the brainchild of Chef Gregory Brown.
“He studies the African Diaspora and wanted to bring a modern day, ancient African civilization concept to Baltimore,” Wright Brown said, “Land of Kush was a real place in Ethiopia.”
While Land of Kush may be a successful restaurant, it isn’t the only industry they’re involved in. Naijha said how they support and expose other vegan and establishments through special events.
“We are a social enterprise,” Wright Brown said. “We are the co-creators of Vegan SoulFest, Baltimore’s premier vegan festival and co-creators of Maryland Vegan Restaurant Week. It’s not only about us.”
Even with offering a thorough menu, it wasn’t always that big in size. Naijha said they got their start in the business by vending at festivals and providing personal chef services. It’s also how they developed staple items on their menu
“KUSH BBQ Ribs, collards, mac, yams, and award-winning crab cakes,” Wright Brown said. “All of the items above, with the exception of the vegan crab cakes, were big sellers before we had a storefront.”
The Land of Kush is open at 840 N Eutaw St, Baltimore, MD 21201. They offer plant-based meats, salads, wraps, juice, milkshakes, smoothies, desserts, and even catering. The prices range from $1.49- $15.49, and are open 11 a.m. thru 9 p.m. Monday thru Saturday, and 10 am to 8 pm on Sunday.
Paulie Gee’s Hampden
Paulie Gee’s Hampden is a partly vegan pizza place on the north side of Baltimore. Owner Kelly Beckham said she pounced on the idea of having vegan pizzas on the menu and opened up shop in Baltimore.
“I wanted to expand the vegan offerings even more,” Beckham said. “Vegans responded immediately and have always been an integral part of the guests who visit my restaurant.”
Innovation in creating vegan cheese and plant-based meats are the reason why businesses can now offer vegan pizzas. Beckham said the Dollop Parton pizza, their staple vegan pizza, has flavors everyone can identify with.
“The garlic, basil and tomato sauce go so well with the wood fired crust and the cashew ricotta dollops offer a nice textural and temperature contrast,” Beckham said. “It’s both earthy yet bright and satisfying. The addition of vegan sausage and beetball makes for a vegan pizza which tastes more like just pizza than vegan pizza.”
With more and more people following diets today, the need for restaurants to satisfy the needs of the few have been increasing. Beckham said the sudden rise in vegan eateries nationwide.
“It’s amazing to see the explosion in new vegan restaurants, as well as to see the amount of thoughtful vegan preparations that are popping up on more and more menus in restaurants which also serve non-vegan options,” Beckham said. “It is a trend which is not going to stop.”
Paulie Gee’s Hampden is on 3535 Chestnut Ave, Baltimore, MD 21211 offering soda, wine, beer, a salad, and of course pizza ranging from $3- $22. They are open Tuesday thru Sunday from 4 p.m.- 8 p.m.