Golden Girls Café to Serve Plenty of Vegan Options

Classic television show Golden Girls-themed eatery Rue La Rue Café is readying to open its doors in Manhattan this September. The café is a tribute to both the long-running show and to late actress Rue McClanahan, who played Blanche Devereaux on the classic show, and often used her fame to speak out against animal cruelty through various campaigns with the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). McClanahan’s friend Michael LaRue—no relation—began conceptualizing the café after the actress’ death in 2010. LaRue recently responded to a fan post on the café’s Facebook page noting that he would serve cruelty-free options. “How could we open a Rue McClanahan café and not have vegan options? Rue, the PETA enthusiast, would certainly find a way to come back and smack me,” LaRue stated. Last year, LaRue reached out to the show’s fans via an Instagram post asking for input on the eatery’s design, menu, and the best way to raise money for the animal charities McClanahan promoted during her lifetime. While an official menu has not yet been released, LaRue promises fellow castmember and animal rights activist Betty White would be honored in the dessert section, likely by way of cheesecake—a food that made a frequent appearance on the show. A vegan cheesecake would best honor both White’s and McClanahan’s efforts to stop animal cruelty.