Philly for Foodies

Goop

Heralded as one of the country’s best vegan restaurants (and restaurants period), Vedge is bringing some serious culinary clout to the city of brotherly love. Today we speak to the chefs/owners (also husband and wife) Kate Jacoby and Richard Landau about their much-talked about restaurant, get their insider foodie guide to Philly and preview a recipe from their upcoming cookbook. Q&A with Kate & Richard of Vedge Q: Rather than being a really great vegan restaurant, it seems Vedge has succeeded in being a really great restaurant that happens to be vegan. Was this part of the plan? A: Yes, thanks. We wanted to be inclusive, not exclusive. So, we focus on the food (vegetables) and not the diet (vegan). Everyone, or nearly everyone, eats vegetables. People know they should eat more of them, and people are fascinated by all the cool heirloom things showing up at farmers' markets and in their CSAs (community-supported agriculture, meaning a veggie box scheme that comes directly from the farm to the customer). We've been able to reach a really wide audience, and it's great. Our forthcoming cookbook takes the same approach. Q: Many vegan/vegetarian restaurants tend to shy away from cocktails. How does your bar fit into the restaurant's ethos? A: I understand many people think that people are vegan and veg for health reasons and that those folks might not drink. But I love wine (and cocktails and beer) because I love dining, and I see it as an integral part of the dining experience. Our wines are "natural" wines from small producers, our beers are also smaller, craft brews, and our cocktails are approached the same way we think about food - fresh and made from scratch.  More