Rockin’ VegiTerranean Vegan Restaurant

Since its opening in Akron, Ohio’s Northside District, VegiTerranean, an industrial-chic restaurant co-owned by rocker Chrissie Hynde and restaurateur Dan Duplain, has quickly become a well-loved hangout in northeastern Ohio. Overlooking railroad lines, crumbling brick buildings, warehouses, and the Little Cuyahoga River Valley, VegiTerranean and its creative, Mediterranean-inspired cuisine have brought new life to Akron’s downtown—the same downtown that Hynde and The Pretenders once mourned in the song “My City Was Gone.”

“I want to spend a lot more time in Akron,” said Hynde at the restaurant’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. “I’m really looking forward to having somewhere to go when I’m here. I promise you’ll love the food, and no one gets hurt.” A modern, 3,500-square-foot space in a condominium development called Northside Lofts, VegiTerranean is at once casual and elegant, featuring a coffee shop, bakery, lounge, and restaurant. Its long, gleaming glass bar—with embedded soft lights changing from green to purple to blue—metallic tables, and a large window opening out onto a terrace, all work together to create a spirit of openness, and the food mirrors this sensibility. VegiTerranean makes people feel comfortable, hip, and adventurous all at once. The menu changes seasonally, and executive chef Scot Jones uses organic and local ingredients whenever possible.

Sitting down in the sleek, bustling space, diners feast on fresh bread and a tomato, caper, and olive-oil pepperonata while perusing the menu—an enjoyable adventure in itself. The lunch menu features salads, panini, and burgers, and dinner offerings include a range of appetizers, soups, pizzas, pastas, entrées, and sides. VegiTerranean’s specialties include a mix of gourmet veggie creations, mock-meat dishes, and burgers, such as the lunch menu’s “The Biker Burger,” made with faux meat, heirloom tomatoes, and baby arugula. For dinner, appetizers range from the simple to the complex, including a tasty Zucchini Misto, a deep-fried tempura dish served with a basil horseradish sauce. The salads are fresh and inspired by Italy, including a lovely vegan version of a classic Caesar salad with caper berries, smoked dulse, and shaved “rawmesan”—Chef Scot’s mock-parmesan crafted from pine nuts.

Entrées appeal to the most hearty eaters, with dishes like the Italian Fritto Gardein Chicken, a tender and tasty herb-battered mock-chicken and served with white bean mashed potatoes and braised greens. The desserts are equally creative, including Key Lime Napoleon featuring crispy pastry layered with avocado and lime cream, and crème brulée made with thickened soymilk. The mock chicken and beef dishes on the menu are created with Gardein-brand soy-based products, which are tender and flavorful, working well with Chef Scot’s pairings of herbs, spices, and sauces. For those who prefer dishes without mock meat, VegiTerranean provides plenty of pastas and pizzas that rely solely on mushrooms, banana peppers, olives, pesto, Sicilian olives, artichokes, pine nuts, and a range of herbs and spices for their heartiness. “This is future food,” said Duplain. “If you can do it in Akron, you can do it anywhere.”