Vegan Wild West Saloon Opens in Manhattan

Vegan saloon Honeybee’s opened in New York City’s East Village this month. Vegan restaurateur Ravi DeRossi replaced his second-floor cocktail lounge Cienfuegos with the new concept that fuses plant-based barbecue and bourbon cocktails with a Wild West ambiance. The food menu features classic barbecue dishes such as buttermilk biscuits, cauliflower-based hot wings, seitan-based “burnt ends,” and highlights a selection of Mexican-American dishes, including corn-based ribs, queso dip loaded with chorizo, and spicy guacamole. “Barbecue is an inherently American concept that uses spices, smoke, fire, and slow cooking to produce concentrated and refined flavors,” Honeybee’s mission statement reads. “Using traditional techniques, and modern preparations, our team has produced an excellent plant-based menu that truly represents barbecue; with char, crunch and flavor that anyone’s grandmother would be proud of.” In 2016, DeRossi began transitioning many of his then 15 restaurant and bar holdings to be fully vegan to align with his ethical beliefs and has since developed a number of new concepts, including upcoming 24-hour vegan diner Dollface scheduled to open in the East Village.