Theres one easy way to supportrestaurants when they need it most:When you need a quick and healthy meal, show some love: Order infrom your favorite plant-basedrestaurant.When it comes to the plant-based landscape, theres no shortage of spectacular places inevery stateand now Yelp is prepared to help you find them. Justin time forVeganuary,Yelp has added a feature that allows you to search bytop vegan restaurants in every state, and once travel restrictions and eating inside allows, you can plan your next visitto friends and family around the chance to eat at these restaurants in-person.

For those who love Happy Cow, you know that that app has been tracking the best plant-based food and options by city for years now, and luckily, The Beet has a Happy Cow built-in widget you can still use any time! We call it Find Vegan Near Me. We also cover City Guides for every major city in the US. (Don't see one that you want covered? Write it up for us! Get in touch first and let us know which restaurants you want to cover and we can assign it to you!)

To create this list of the all-time best vegan restaurants in every state, Yelp analysts identified businesses in the vegan category with a large concentration of reviews mentioning vegan, then ranked those spots using several factors including the total volume and ratings of reviews mentioning vegan. Worth noting: Some of the restaurants that made the cut may not be 100% plant-based, but have been determined by Yelp [methodology] as the top-reviewed vegan/plant-based option in that state.

In addition to Yelp, try our go-to, Happy Cow, for finding vegan restaurant options nationwide and all over the globe. While quarantine life endures use this handy widget to find local vegan eateries by you and to bookmark must-try spots for future travel. With 3,000+ comprehensive listings for New York and 6,500+ for California, residents of these plant-strong states clearly have their work cut out for them.

For Yelp aficionados, its also good to keep in mind that if the v icon shows up on a given business page, its a vegan-friendly venue. And bonus points if you see the carrot icon on a listing, too, which designates healthy dining. Also, be sure to check out Yelps list of 19 of the best Black-owned vegan eateriesfor more inspiration.

Below, check out Yelps full list of the top vegan restaurants by state and see how many youve checked off your mac-and-cheeze and plant-based pizza bucket list.

Again, if you want to write up the best vegan or plant-based options in your own, city or state, get in touch at infor@thebeet.com. We want to hear from you! To know which ones we have covered (New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles (and the West Side), Miami, Brooklyn, Toronto, Houston, Seattle, Portland, Cincinnati, Santa Barbara, Austin, London, Paris, as well as New Jersey and Connecticut. Keep us current. We want to support more great plant-based eateries, with your help.

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Here is The Best Vegan Restaurant in Every State in the US - The Beet

And they came in full force fuller than he could have imagined. That's why it caught everyone off guard when, after Sunday's service, he was informed that the Vegan Deli & Butcher would be closing effective immediately, and that he and his kitchen crew were out of jobs.

"The owners wanted to go in a different direction," Bertke says. "No one really knows why this happened."

The owners in question are Heather and Jason Granger, also proprietors of the adjacent Peace, Love & Coffee. Since last summer, Bertke has been working alongside the husband and wife duo, helping them with the food component of their St. Charles coffee shop. In the process, Bertke has become a culinary phenom in the vegan community, drawing a loyal following for his talent in preparing plant-based cuisine.

However, as Bertke explains, personality differences arose between he and the Grangers over the course of their time working together, making the news that they were shutting down the Vegan Deli & Butcher shocking, but in some ways, inevitable.

"They are hippies, and I'm an old punk rocker," Bertke says, making light of the situation. "Hippies and punks never get along. I think it was our personalities clashing. My intense personality clashed with theirs."

According to Jason Granger, he and Heather were thrilled to have a chef of Bertke's caliber working with them. However, they felt that it was time for the three to part ways so they could both carry out different visions for their businesses.

"Chris has been fantastic; he has almost this celebrity status," Granger says. "People came in from Michigan, Kansas and all over to see us, so it's very humbling, but the fact of the matter is it's such a small place and a tiny kitchen. It just comes down to the fact that Chris needs his own place to grow and get bigger."

Bertke hopes that is the case. For now, he says that the Vegan Deli & Butcher concept is 100 percent shut down, unless he decides to resurrect it. He hasn't ruled that out, noting that he has always loved the idea of a plant-based butcher shop. However, he has no immediate plans to open a place of his own and is excited to do pop-ups as he figures out his next steps; his first one, a pizza pop-up, is happening this Saturday at Frida's in University City. He's also in talks with a wholesaler to produce his vegan meats, though he admits the idea of owning his own restaurant is more attractive.

"Wholesale would be fun, but I get bored easily," Bertke says. "I wouldn't have to answer to anyone, and I could do whatever I want. I like to keep food fun, dangerous, different and new. In the long run, I think my goal is to have a place of my own."

For their part, the Grangers plan to reinvent the food component of Peace, Love & Coffee. Drawing upon Heather's Italian heritage, they want to do plant-based versions of Italian favorites, and are taking the next few weeks to develop recipes and get their feet underneath them after the change.

"We're going to pare things down and make it more of a cafe with soups, salads and sandwiches all vegan of course," Granger says. "The plan is for us to get back to our original vision for what we wanted the coffee shop to be. Chris really showed us we can do so much with vegan food. We learned so much from him."

For his part, Bertke is not dwelling on the situation and is instead looking forward to the future. He's excited about the calls of support he's received, including words of encouragement, offers to invest, and even a message from a woman in Chattanooga, Tennessee, who suggested he take over her restaurant, free of charge, as she traveled out of town to open another business. For him, it's proof that what he does has an impact, and he's eager to keep that going.

"It's going to work out," Bertke says. "I'm not going to say shit happens for a reason, because I don't believe in that, but I'm going to land on my feet, keep doing pop-ups and take it day by day."

We are always hungry for tips and feedback. Email the author at cheryl.baehr@riverfronttimes.com.

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Vegan Deli & Butcher Is Suddenly Closed After Successful "Taco Hell" Pop-Up - Riverfront Times

Perry isnt the only one in the family who is going vegan either as she hinted that her beloved pooch Nugget has also been enjoying a more plant-based diet alongside her.

She told followers that My dog Nugget has been joining me on this journey for the past 4 months, which sparked a fierce debate among her followers.

Expressing their concern, a Twitter user wrote: I hope nugget has only been joining you for emotional support! Dogs shouldnt be vegan, so please continue providing their necessary requirements!

This is amazing!! Dogs should not be vegan, though! Their dietary needs are very different from those of humans, wrote another fan.

Another person expressed their apprehension over her decision saying: Dont put your dietary choices on your dog. If you want a vegan pet, get a rabbit. Unless your vet has diagnosed an allergy to all meat protein sources, feed your dog a balanced, feeding-trial proven diet.

For many vegans, deciding what to feed our companion animals can be a contentious issue with many unsure as to whether a do can survive and thrive without meat as they are omnivores.

According to animal rights charityPETA, dogs can follow a plant-based diet with the right planning and care. However, it is vital that owners ensure that their nutritional requirements are met, as is true of dogs following a non-vegan diet too.

Racing champion Lewis Hamilton recently came under fire forpraising a vegan diet for his dog.According to the plant-based athlete, putting his dog Roscoe on vegan pet food changed his life and improved various ailments his four-legged friend was suffering from.

Animal rights organisation PETA praised the stars decision to transition her and Nugget to a vegan diet, saying: Wonderful news! Were SO happy for youand for Nugget, too. Youll both love how it feels eating clean and helping animals.

If youre planning to transition your dog to a plant-based diet then please make sure you consult with your vet to ensure the change is healthy for your dog as recommended by the British Veterinary Association.

Find free-range and ethically-sourced pet foodshere.

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"I'm ready to be 100% vegan", Katy Perry tells 109 million followers - Vegan Food and Living

Superstar Katy Perry'slatest release isn't a new album, single, or an episode of American Idol on which she serves as a judge. Instead, this breaking newshasto do with what'sfilling the singer's fridge and on her plate. Perry announcedon Twitter that she is 95 percent ready to be 100 percent vegan after a year-long process of cutting out animal products. The singer said she is doing it with her dog Nugget, a favorite sidekick on her IG posts. An investor in plant-based meat brand Impossible Foods, Perry told her 109 million Twitter followers of her intention to jettison meat and dairy from her diet, joining the ranks of other famous artistswho champion a plant-based diet like Ariana Grande, Paul McCartney, Sia,and Billie Eilish.

During her pregnancy last year, Perry disclosed that she had become grossed out by red meat. She publicly thanked theImpossibleBurger for being a great meatless alternative to fulfill any burger cravings, of which we can guess she had many since the star loves cheeseburgers so much that she even wore one as a costume to the 2019 Met Gala after-party.Impossible Foods also revealed that Perry belonged to a long list of the company's celebrity investorsthat also includes Jay-Z, Serena Williams, and Jaden Smith.

Perrys fiance Orlando Bloom (who is baby-daddy of 8-month-old daughter Daisy, born last May), is reportedly vegetarian and been a constant source of encouragement for the singer-songwriter to adopt a plant-based diet,and it seems likethis encouragement has helped to fuel Perrys decision to plunge fully into a meatless diet. Perry is alsodiscoveringplant-based alternatives for her favorite foods and condiments, recently Instagramming a picture of Hidden Valley's new vegan ranch dressing, captioning it enthusiastically: "OMG PRAYERS ANSWERED." The star has also been giving fans a preview of her diet, posting pictures of bowls filled with leafy greens, tofu, veggie sushi, and mushrooms.

Perry and Bloom will not be the only two in their familymoving to go vegan:Perry also said inthe tweet that her dog, Nugget, has joined its ownerson this plant-based path. The decision to include her dog sparked a heated discussion about this lifestyle choice, with some fanscondemningthe decision, whereas others encouraged people to research the possibilities of a plant-based dog diet. Regardless of your opinion about vegan diets for animals, we're rooting for Perry as she embarks on her own plant-based journey. To find out where you can grab one of the star'sbeloved Impossible Burgers, here's a breakdown of the8,000 retailersthat carry the meatless brand.

For more information about whether a plant-based diet is right for your dog, check outthis articlewhere a veterinarian weighs in on the topic.

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Katy Perry Announces That She's "Ready to Be 100 Percent Vegan" - The Beet

This month, vegan brand Kite Hill relaunched its line of almond milk-based yogurts at major retailers nationwide, including Whole Foods Market. While Kite Hill previously offered almond milk-based yogurts, the brand relaunched the Kite Hill Original line with a new true-to-dairy formula based on customer feedback that delivers a thicker and creamier texture with 25 percent less sugar. The new yogurts retail at $1.99 per 5.3-ounce container (or $4.99 for a 16-ounce tub) and are available in a variety of flavors, including Vanilla, Blueberry, Strawberry, Key Lime, Peach and Raspberry, and Plain Unsweetened (which contains zero grams of sugar).

New year, new yogurtTo promote the new line and help more Americans ditch dairy, Kite Hill partnered with Ally Love, founder of wellness and women empowerment brand Love Squad, Peloton instructor, and in-arena host of the Brooklyn Nets. Throughout January, Love will promote Kite Hills vegan yogurt on her Instagram page to help her 531,000 followers ditch dairy.

I know how difficult it is to find dairy-free items, like yogurt, that still taste great and fit my lifestyle, Love said. Kite Hills Original almond milk yogurt lineup is a real game-changer in my house. I dig the variety of delicious flavors, because this gal loves her options. Im excited to partner with Kite Hill to help others realize that reaching their 2021 wellness goalsin the kitchen and in the gymis an option thats definitely available.

Win cash with dairy-free yogurtKite Hill is also giving away a $2,000 cash prize to one lucky winner through its New Spin on Yogurt giveaway. From now until February 12, entrants must post an in-feed photo on Instagram with the hashtag #NewSpinOnYogurt and tag @kitehillfoods and share how they incorporate Kite Hills new yogurt into their wellness routines and include ways they stay motivated.

At Kite Hill, we are committed to helping people feel their best, and we want our offerings to make a positive impact in the lives of our consumers, Kite Hill CMO Shannon Toyos said. We hope that this New Spin on Yogurt initiative will remind consumers that were here to help them reach their 2021 wellness goals, and that going dairy-free can be more obtainableand more deliciousthan they ever thought possible.

Love the plant-based lifestyle as much as we do? Get the BEST vegan recipes, travel, celebrity interviews, product picks, and so much more inside every issue of VegNews Magazine. Find out why VegNews is the worlds #1 plant-based magazine by subscribing today!

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Kite Hill Just Launched Vegan Yogurts that Mimic Dairy - VegNews

Ready, set, recipes! Here are our just published, fresh-out-the-mill recipes in one convenient place! These are the top vegan recipes of the day, and are now a part of the thousands of recipes on our Food Monster App! Our newest recipes include greek nachos and stew, so if youre looking for something new and delicious, these recipes are it!

We also highly recommend downloading theFood Monster App with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest meatless, vegan, plant-based and allergy-friendly recipe resource to help you get healthy! And, dont forget to check out ourPopular Trends Archives!

Source: Greek Nachos

Here, Greek flavors and ingredients are used to create a fun twist on classic nachos. These Greek Nachos by Francesca Bonadonna are topped with a homemade vegan tzatziki and some fresh vegetables and pack a ton of flavor.

Source: Acorn Squash and White Bean Stew

This Acorn Squash and White Bean Stew by Megan Calipari will warm you up on the coldest day. Its hearty and full of veggies and this recipe makes a big pot so you can eat dinner and lunch for a few days. Or you can eat it for every single meal while youre fighting off a gnarly cold like I did a couple weeks ago. No regrets.

Source: Triple Chocolate Baked Oatmeal

If youre craving chocolate for breakfast, this Triple Chocolate Baked Oatmeal by Lauren Smith is the breakfast youre going to want to enjoy!

Source: Greek Jackfruit Kebab

This vegan Greek Jackfruit Kebab by Andri Neocleous is the perfect option for a healthy yet comforting dinner. The jackfruit in this is super succulent and the mushrooms give an extra umami flavor. Served with a greek salad and vegan tzatziki.

Source: Baked Lentil Falafel with Beetroot

Who doesnt love a good falafel? Rhetorical question, no need to answer. This Baked Lentil Falafel with Beetroot by Maggie Wescott is an effortless meal that is bursting with flavor. This easy falafel recipe is perfect served inside a gluten-free tortilla, on top of a kale salad, or eaten alone as a snack.

Source: Smores Popcorn

This Smores Popcorn by Robin Runner is a perfect mix of all your favorite snack foods both savory and sweet. It is a treat that the entire family is bound to fall in love with and will constantly be asking more of! So make sure that you make a generous serving!! You yourself will not be able to get enough!

Source: Cranberry Almond Popcorn Bars

This festive treat is perfect for holiday gatherings but dont let that limit you! These Cranberry Almond Popcorn Bars by Azucena Noriega are also perfect all year round.

Source: 15-Minute Tofu Scramble by Lenny Wu

Looking for a new breakfast recipe? This tofu scramble is perfect! Its chock full of amazing ingredients and it only takes 15 minutes to make!

For those of you interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend downloading theFood Monster App with over 15,000 delicious recipes. It is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about theenvironmentalandhealth benefitsof aplant-based diet.

Here are some great resources to get you started:

For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily, subscribe to theOne Green Planet Newsletter!Lastly, being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high quality content. Please considersupporting us by donating!

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From Greek Nachos to Acorn Squash and White Bean Stew: Our Top Eight Vegan Recipes of the Day! - One Green Planet

Winemaking traditionally involves using animal-derived ingredients such as gelatin and fish bladders to filter out unwanted particles. There are now more vegan wines on the market - but where do you start?

The glug of a bottle of wine pouring effortlessly into a glass is a sound that echoes into the souls of millions across the globe. But is wine vegan?

Long, bustling days and stuffy commutes are often spent dreaming of a glass a wine at the end of it all. Indeed, whether a delicate Provence ros or a tropical Marlborough sauvignon blanc, wine brings relaxation, good feels, and so much more.

Behind eclectic bars lay bubbles eagerly awaiting an overdue catch up with a best friend.It is relief, the start of weekends, the perfect accompaniment to a meal.

However, there are complicated processes behind that perfect Pinot. Some of these involve animal products. Heres everything you need to know.

Wine is made from ripe grapes plucked fresh off the vine. Next, the production process begins:

So it would seem, based on those steps, wine is vegan then, isnt it?

What customers arent often told is that the winemaking process commonly involves several animal-derived ingredients including blood, fish bladders, gelatin, eggs, and milk protein.

Importantly, it is during filtration when this occurs.

However, despite this, vegan wines are on the rise. Additionally, celebrities such as Cameron Diaz and Cara Delevingne have brought out their very own bottles with soaring sales.

There are several parts of the winemaking process that utilize animal products, meaning a vast number of wines red, white, and ros arent vegan.

Animal products are commonly used during fining, according to vegan YouTube sommelier Nicole Vranjican, also known as NikkiVegan.

The yeast from the grapes feeds on the sugar inside the grapes, which is when fining happens, says Vranjican.

Egg whites or fish bladders are often used to collect the dead yeast. But, there are vegan-friendly ways to do this too, Vranjican told Plant Based News..

Using bentonite clay is one example and many winemakers use these vegan-friendly ingredients for reasons that have nothing to do with creating a vegan product.

Eggs, casein, gelatin, and isinglass are common wine fining agents. As theyre removed before bottling, they dont have to be labeled.

Bristol-based wine expert and vegan Emma Stowell, who runs Vegan Wine Box, says the use of animal-based fining agents is debated in the wine world.

She says the process typically rids wines of unpleasant aromas and tastes.

Animal-based fining agents include:

Egg whites are used to remove sediment that slips through the filtration process. Sediment and tannins stick to the egg whites.

One barrel of wine can use several egg whites, theyre removed after fining is complete.

Casein is the main protein in cows milk. It removes unwanted sediment common in white and sparkling wines.

According to the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI), casein prevents oxidation and helps reduce bitterness. Additionally, it removes unwanted colors caused by sediment.

Gelatin is made by boiling pig and cow tendons into a gelatinous substance. Its use in wine is to remove bitterness from red varietals.

The AWRI says its the most aggressive of the protein-based fining agents.

Isinglass is another popular method for filtering wine. It comes from the swim bladders of fish. Isinglass helps prevent cloudiness in wine and beer. In addition, it removes protein and yeast.

In recent years, demand for vegan wines has skyrocketed, with Harpers estimating the market being worth 1.5 billion.

Many large retailers have separate tabs to make things easier for vegan shoppers, which reflects the plethora of more plant-based products now available on the market.

Supermarkets in the UK responded to the trend, with Tesco adding an array of vegan bottles as part of its Finest range. Additionally, SPAR rolled out its own affordable vegan wine range. The Co-op followed suit.

The Vegan Society explains it is becoming increasingly common for supermarkets to label their wines vegan.

The Vegan Society suggests plant-based customers find wine by looking for the vegan trademark a list of which can be found here.

A handy tool for finding vegan wine, including those without the vegan trademark, is Barnivore. The website contains a large database of different brands and informs users whether theyre vegan.

Vegan Wine Boxs Emma Stowell suggests asking at your local independent wine store, they will tend to have lists of which of their wines are vegan even if they arent labeled.

In the US, it is not mandatory for a winemaker to put much info on wine bottle labels, and that includes noting whether or not the wines have been made using animal-derived fining agents. However, in the UK, the government only calls for wine labeling to list allergens. Ingredients include eggs and milk. Unfortunately, this does not include gelatin or isinglass.

Countries such as South America and Georgia traditionally use bentonite clay as a fining agent. However, they dont always print it on the bottle. This is an example of the confusing labeling process, Stowell explains.

Winemakers from countries where veganism isnt as popular, wouldnt even consider labeling their bottles as such, she adds. Thankfully, sellers including Stowell are working with winemakers globally to resolve this.

These wines suit all tastes and budgets, and most importantly: theyre all vegan. With a large market full of options, picking our favorites was a tricky task.

This award-winning wine producer stocks in the UK, and launched in the US in 2019. The brand proves there is no compromise on the palate with vegan wines whether a fruity Chilean merlot is your bag or a crisp sauvignon blanc.

To search for stockists near you, visit Proudly Vegans website.

UK supermarket M&S stocks a bulk of vegan wines. At the top of its vegan bestseller list for the reds currently sits the Las Dalias Malbec with customers branding it a smooth operator for its plum and bramble flavors.A bottle of this Argentinian malbec will cost you 9.

Order online.

Made in the vineyards north of Venice, Italy, Bellissima Prosecco is not only vegan but organic as well. In addition, the brand uses eco-friendly packaging.

Customers in the US can order online.

Given a high score of 89 out of 100 by Decanter, the German discount supermarket chains Coonawarra cabernet sauvignon wound up on a list of vegan favorites compiled by Which.

Order online via Lidl.

The UKs largest wine retailer, Majestic, lists the Definitions aromatic oaked chardonnay as a customer favorite. This could easily be down to its notes of peach and vanilla. Its from the Limoux region in France, which is where wines are more concentrated.

Its currently on offer on their website.

Juicy watermelon and strawberry flavors envelop this Argentinian chardonnay. Its one of NikkiVegans favorites and she assures us its incredibly delicious.

Order on their website, or from a range of retailers around the world.

Looking to order in bulk? The UKs widely renowned vegan capitol Bristol is home to a pair of vegan wine suppliers.

You can order a mixed box of vegan wines online.

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Is Wine Vegan? What You Need to Know (Plus 7 to Try) - Plant Based News

At Xilonen in Greenpoint, a vegan-leaning Mexican spot by the team behind the meat-friendly Oxomoco, the carrot tostada is a $14 appetizer posing as an avant-garde Christmas ornament.

Five thin carrot spears lie parallel to one another on a crisp tortilla. The top and bottom slices jut out over the edge, their Fanta hue magnified by the golden chip underneath. Maple syrup slicks the delicate treat; it shimmers in the sunlight. Before the pandemic, food like this would sit on a shiny white plate; youd relish the colors while listening to a polite waitstaff sermon about the name of the farm that sourced the corn.

Xilonen, which opened in December, does not regale diners with tableside speeches. The owners do not source custom plates engineered for their commodious negative space. The tostada comes in a brown cardboard box that you retrieve from a window. It is, Id argue, the right serving vehicle for this particular dish, or anything else here. In a pandemic-stricken culinary world struggling with a separate plague of customer entitlement as Khushbu Shah argued in Food & Wine theres something subversive about a compostable container being the only way a tasting-menu-worthy dish is served, whether you seat yourself at Xilonens semi-enclosed shed or back at your apartment. This isnt a concessionary, second-class way for the chefs to plate a tostada; its the only way they plate any dish here.

And inasmuch as chef Alan Delgado puts so much care into the visual side of the gastronomic equation, theres something wonderful about opening up an opaque, anonymous takeout box and finding something inside that looks like a one-of-a-kind gift.

It doesnt hurt that the gift in question is a gustatory masterpiece. Xilonens tostada reveals its bright flavors in successive waves. The aromas of the salsa a sharp kick of mint hit me while I was still wearing a mask. Then, after a bite, the sugars of the maple and carrots asserted themselves, followed by the vegetal earthiness of the same root, the cream of a silky bean puree, and, finally, the popcorn toastiness of the crisp tortilla.

Delgado, his arms clad in polychromatic tattoo ink, isnt just putting together some of New Yorks most visually striking platings; his ingredient combinations put Xilonen on par with the citys top purveyors of high-end Mexican cuisine. And in an era when venues like Empellon Midtown and Cosme remain closed, the aesthetically inclined fare of this Greenpoint newcomer fills a serious gap in our modernist Latin American scene. Its takeout-forward ethos also suggests a path forward for artsy dining outside of actual restaurants.

Eating at Xilonen will eventually involve sit-down dinner service. For now, queue up, pay at a cashier, pick up your order, and eat. Come early, as the venue closes at 4 p.m.

Consider the quesadilla ($17). Two tortillas, slathered in a black-bean puree with avocado salsa, sandwich a cilantro-heavy meat filling. It was one of the lightest and most fragrant pork chorizos Id ever sampled. A few days later, Delgado, who grew up in El Paso, Texas, and Jurez, Mexico, told me that it was vegan sausage, forged from tofu and mushrooms.

That bean puree, incidentally, spills over the quesadilla and onto the floor of the cardboard container. Its so inky that it takes on the shade of a fake Acme hole from a Wile E. Coyote cartoon. I always like food to be hidden, to make something look as simple as possible, but more complex than possible, Delgado told me.

COVID-19 has changed the way we look at food. Indoor dining is verboten. Alfresco patios become dim, chilly, and unevenly lit affairs after a premature winter sunset. And the ascendancy of takeout has a flattening effect on our nightly meals, which can all feel strikingly similar when theyre consumed from the same ubiquitous containers on the same apartment floor while watching the same reruns on Netflix. Make no mistake: Were grateful these restaurants still exist, and that we can enjoy their pleasures from afar. But still, theres no getting around the fact that the olfactory or visual cues that make our food taste better in dining rooms the smoky haze at a barbecue shack, the lush overhead track lighting at omakase parlors, or that fancy curvilinear bowl that perfectly frames an elegant tartare are largely absent in cozy Manhattan studios.

And even though artful plating might not be a priority during a time when many of us are simply grateful to be enjoying a meal we dont have to cook ourselves, it feels all the more luxurious when a chef like Delgado jolts our senses with optically inimitable, tweezer-leaning takeout fare to remind us of the whimsies of yesteryear. The flourishes allow his food to be transportive regardless of where one consumes it.

Xilonen plates its tacos flat Alex Stupak-style placing a grate of purple potatoes over a paper-thin tortilla. Staffers then cover the exterior with griddled vegan cheese. I thought it would look nice if all you could see is the nice golden crust, Delgado told me. He dabs little circles of green salsa cruda on top for acidity and verdant contrast. The result is a hash-brown taco, an ode to textures that are alternatingly stretchy, starchy, and soft.

Delgado keeps things even more Friday casual with the breakfast tostada ($13), where eggs serve as a backup player to the main event: a messy crown of salsa macha, a blend of nuts and peppers thats as crimson and aromatic as Sichuan chile crisp. The condiment spills off the eggs, drips down your hand, and emits the raisin-y punch of guajillos and smoke of anchos.

Finally, theres the fresh masa pancake ($15), whose packaging constitutes a bit of a pivot. Xilonen hacks the single breakfast treat into five slices so it can fit into a small box. Its a style of plating that would feel casual even by the standards of a McDonalds at a highway rest stop. When I asked Delgado about his thinking here, he said he didnt want to rely on round, pancake-accommodating containers manufactured from plastic. Accordingly, he carves the pancakes into triangles, or pancake toast points, if you will.

The cakes are pillowy and salty at first, like a good omelet. Then, when the pancake points cool, they betray a whiff of sweet maize. They exhibit no less complexity than the polished gemstone of a carrot tostada, but the plating is more appropriate for eating in front of an open refrigerator. Its still a very good look.

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Greenpoints Xilonen Bolts Out of the Gate With Stunning Vegan Mexican Fare - Eater NY

Watch: Piers Morgan and Pamela Anderson debate benefits of veganism

Pamela Anderson has hit back at Piers Morgans criticisms of vegans, claiming they make better lovers in a cheeky exchange.

Good Morning Britain host Morgan has made no secret of his disdain for veganism in the past, including a memorable run-in with a Greggs vegan sausage roll, so when he spotted a tweet from ex-Baywatch star Anderson claiming vegans were better in bed, he couldnt resist inviting her on the breakfast show.

But Anderson gave as good as she got, insisting her 30 years on a plant-based diet were all the proof she needed that vegans had a better sex life.

Asked about the subject, she said: Thats what I hear. Im vegan, Im fairly confident in that statement.

When Morgan pressed her about whether it had improved her sex life, she added: Yes, absolutely, but I think Ive always had a lot of fun in that department.

Anderson, a vocal promoter of veganism, had tweeted that cholesterol in meat, eggs and dairy causes hardening of the arteries (and not much else).

Morgan told her: The jurys out, Pamela. I did offer on Twitter to test this theory, Pamela, but I notice you didnt respond to my intrigue.

His co-host Susanna Reid cringed as she replied: No, because that was really sleazy.

But Anderson laughed it off, saying: Typical Piers!

Anderson also spoke about her battle to get her friend Julian Assange pardoned in the final days of Donald Trumps presidency.

She said: I know that he is debating and we will see what happens I hope he makes that decision.

Story continues

Read more: Pamela Anderson splits from husband after 12 days of marriage

That could add a positive to his legacy. Obviously he is against fake news, and WikiLeaks is against fake news.

She added: I believe Trump is going to pardon him. If that doesnt happen then we talk to the Biden camp.

Watch: Lily James and Sebastian Stan to play Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee

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All-vegan grocery store and caf Vegan Fine Foods in Fort Lauderdale, FL recently announced plans to open locations in every major city in the United States by 2024. Parent company Vegan Fine Brands, Inc.which encompasses the 5,000-square-foot Vegan Fine Foods store, Vegan Fine Body product line, and Vegan Fine Cafeis currently hosting an equity crowdfunding raise on platform StartEngine to expand its retail arm across the country through both company- and franchise-run locations. Vegan Fine Brands has so far raised more than $105,000.

Plant-based for allI spent years living in food deserts with little to no accessibility to nutrient-dense foods and I see how damaging that can be for underserved communities, Vegan Fine Brands founder Steven Smith said. Im competitive and driven and my extensive business background has given me the tools and connections to see this through. My commitment to increasing access to quality plant-based products for everyone deepens my conviction.

In 2019, Vegan Fine Foods raised more than $1.4 million through equity fundraising platform WeFunder, which has been used to implement a new point-of-sale and inventory management system, create an ecommerce platform (which has not yet launched), hire key staff, and purchase equipment. Smith, a former engineer at Procter & Gamble and PepsiCo., launched his vegan company in 2016 to provide a one-stop shopping experience for vegan and plant-based products. The company currently has confirmed franchisee partners in Atlanta, GA, Washington DC, and Richmond, VA, a prospective franchisee in Toronto, ON, New York City, and Los Angeles, and is planning additional company-owned locations in Florida, starting with Miami.

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This Black-Owned Vegan Grocery Store to Open Locations in Every Major US City by 2024 - VegNews