Vegan restaurants take root in Halifax
The Wild Leek and envie serve up veggie-friendly options
HALIFAX — Move over, gourmet burgers. Halifax is welcoming two new restaurants this summer that focus on the greener side of the plate.
The Wild Leek on Windsor Street opened its doors Thursday morning but has a grand opening in three weeks, while enVie on the corner of Agricola and Charles Street will open in July.
“It’s super tasty, anyone can come to a vegan restaurant,” said Wild Leek owner Kirsten Taggart.
“I love cooking. I just wanted another outlet so I could continue on the journey of food,” said Taggart, who studied culinary arts in her hometown of Vancouver.
Taggart said as a vegan, she decided to keep her menu full of daily specials she could eat herself, like tofu ricotta wild mushroom tarts, sandwiches, tofu sliders and salads.
She said she also wanted to “embrace the community” of her west-end spot, and invited local artists to put up displays along the walls. Taggart also plans to have a graffiti artist decorate one side of the building.
Diandra Phipps of enVie returned home to Halifax after living in Germany for three years and learning to cook while helping out at a friend’s restaurant.
“(It’s) a comfortable, relaxing space that you can come in and enjoy a nice glass of wine, some great pastas and a lot of different kinds of food,” Phipps said. “We’re trying to do the new vegan.” Phipps is planning menu items people might not expect to be vegan, like artisan cheeses, creams and sauces plus gluten-free items to appeal to the growing market of diners with a wheat intolerance.
“A lot of people are skeptical about vegan food just because of the PETA, soapbox, save the animal campaign, but it’s not going to be that kind of place,” Phipps said.
Although “it’s funny” that six gourmet burger places popped up in a year, Phipps isn’t worried about attracting customers.
“I’m really confident about the quality of our food, and the service, and just the atmosphere we’re going to provide,” Phipps said.