A Vegan Cheese and Dessert Bar Launches in Michigan

Vegan cheese and dessert bar Planthropie recently opened in Birmingham, MI. The new shop, founded by Rua Francis Oshana, specializes in vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free desserts and cheeses. It offers counter service with approximately 20 seats, including café seating, booths, and standing tables. Planthropie’s menu features desserts made primarily from house-made cashew cream such as cheesecakes, as well as dessert-flavored lattes, and cheeses in flavors such as white truffle and garlic noir, which are served on a mini cheese board with a selection of sauces, berries, greens, and artisanal toast. On weekends, the shop offers expanded chef-selected “tours” of the dessert and cheese offerings. In 2018, Oshana began hosting Planthropie pop-ups using recipes she created, including a sold-out, five-course dessert for dinner event at Chef’s Table inside the Detroit Foundation Hotel. After demand for her desserts and cheese grew, she decided to open her own storefront. “To me, it’s not just the product or the food; it’s an entire experience,” Oshana told Eater Detroit. In the coming months, Oshana plans to expand the Planthropie offerings at the shop.