Interest in veganism is growing. In fact, some have dubbed 2019 as the “Year of the Vegan.”
At The Vegetable Hunter in Harrisburg, where they’ve been catering to the audience for five years, business is booming. A mix of dedicated vegans, those interested in learning more about plant-based diets and even celebrities – singer Kendrick Lamar, among them – have eaten the restaurant’s food.
The response has been so overwhelming, owner Kristin Messner-Baker on May 1 expanded the restaurant at 614 N. Second St. to the second floor with a more upscale menu.
“It has been amazing,” she said. “It’s everything I wanted it to be and it keeps going in the direction I want it to.”
“Upstairs at the Vegetable Hunter” serves a strictly vegan menu of shareable small plates as well as cocktails and the restaurant’s small-batch beers. It’s open Wednesday through Saturday.
On May 1, Kristin Messner-Baker opened Upstairs at The Vegetable Hunter. The Harrisburg restaurant has served vegetarian and vegan food for five years.
Right now there are a limited number of items on the menu for the soft opening but by June a full menu will be offered. Current choices include cheese plates (cheeses made from non-dairy ingredients such as tofu, vegetables, oats and probiotics), lentil walnut meatloaf, cauliflower steaks and beet tartare, among others.
The Vegetable Hunter also makes artisan cocktails such as Pina- Kale-ada, whiskey sours and raspberry mules with the option to add CBD oil.
Timing was everything for Messner-Baker when she opened the restaurant (originally named Crave & Co.) in 2014.
Originally, she wanted to open a coffee shop in the building she purchased in 2005, but life became busy after she married her husband, John Baker, and the two blended their families. Eventually she was ready to take the leap.
The first-floor restaurant with its eclectic décor and handful of tables serves vegetarian and vegan foods. Messner-Baker hopes to streamline the offerings and transition to 100 percent vegan later this year.
“It’s really exciting. It’s something so unique, and really right now is the time a lot of people are switching over or want to have more healthy food in their life,” she said.
In the near future, Messner-Baker will open a restaurant and brewery in Carlisle and hopes to sell Vegetable Hunter packaged foods and items such as kombucha at grocery stores. She also teaches an online vegan culinary class.
The Vegetable Hunter is open 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Tuesday and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Upstairs is open 5-10 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday.
https://www.pennlive.com/food/2019/05/the-vegetable-hunter-restaurant-in-harrisburg-expands-with-small-plates-more-cocktails.html 2019-05-14 14:16:00Z
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