Winery Converts Retail Store into Chic Vegan Eatery

The Sand Castle Winery in Phoenixville, PA will open chic vegan restaurant TASTE in its retail store space on May 18. Chef Theo Charitos developed TASTE’s menu items around plant-based meats and cheeses from Minneapolis-based vegan company The Herbivorous Butcher. “When we sampled the ‘meat’ and products from the Herbivorous Butcher, we were blown away,” TASTE’s managing partner Chad Sletten said. “The ribs had the exact same texture, flavor and consistency as traditional meats.” The 50-seater restaurant will serve meat-free meaty dishes such as the Huli Huli Rib Sliders, Portuguese Chick’n and Sausage, and a Blackened Ribeye. “Rather than emulate the ‘leafy-greens’ raw foodism model that is commonplace, we sought to form a concept that provides a savory, gourmet menu which satisfies both the diehard and reluctant vegan,” Sletten said. The restaurant’s full bar will feature San Castle’s wines, beer, and cocktails created to compliment the menu using wine and spirits sourced from local companies. In March, The Herbivorous Butcher’s plant-based sausages became a baseball season staple at the MSP Kosher Hot Dog Stand inside of the Target Field stadium in Minnesota.