Zero-Waste Vegan Eatery ‘Somebody People’ Opens in Denver

On September 20, new vegan restaurant Somebody People will open in Denver, CO. The team behind Somebody People—which includes husband-and-wife team Samuel and Tricia Maher and renowned chef Simonas Sungaila—has been testing the Denver vegan scene in the past year with pop-ups called “Scam Likely.” The restaurant is a brick-and-mortar extension of the pop-up that follows the same zero-waste principles. Somebody People will compost its food scraps, have a tiffin take-out system, feature barstools made from Piñatex pineapple leather, and will not provide single-use coffee cups, amongst other sustainability initiatives. The menu will feature a 60-bottle vegan wine list and dishes inspired by the flavors of the Amalfi Coast, including Charred Broccolini Tortolini (pasta stuffed with coal-roasted and charred broccolini mixed with fresh lemon and Calabrese chilies that’s finished with brined spinach buds, lightly poached broccoli, and tomato broth dripped through basil leaves) and Burnt Seeds and Radishes (a Mediterranean take on the Filipino dish labanos at pinaitum consisting of raw radishes served with an almond and burnt sunflower spread seasoned with some of the ashes from the seeds, pistachios, and chocolate mint.) “Somebody People is our take on the evolution and change we aspire to see in the world. It is the plant-based celebration of our cumulative experiences as well as the High Plain and the Rocky Mountain flora,” Sungaila said. “We are not looking to be an alternative or a substitute, our goal is to show Denver how sexy zero-waste, sustainability, and a conscious ingredient list are. We want our guests to be excited about what’s on their plate, how it got there, and the fact they are being a part of the positive shift the world needs.”