Plant-based breakfast and brunch menus have sprouted beyond what they used to be: emulating what meat eaters normally eat as the first meal of the day. Breakfast sandwiches. Omelets. Bacon.
Now, chefs are being more creative, moving away from the expected and rolling out new innovations that are entirely plant-based.
“We are trying not to use meat substitutes,” says Julia Simon, owner of Plant Joy in Charlotte, N.C., which celebrated its first anniversary in January. It is the younger sibling to Nourish Charlotte, a local vegan-meal delivery service. “We are actually trying to reach a little further. We’re trying to use whole foods.” For example, the grilled greens omelet: local greens grilled like Spanakopita and sandwiched with homemade tomato jam, fermented coconut “feta” with Kimchi ranch.
“It’s definitely not the same as an eggy omelet,” she says. “This is super lovely: crispy, umami and gluten-free.”
“The only product we use that’s not ‘artisanal’ (or house-made) are vegan cheeses,” Simon says, referring to the brand Viva Raw, its chive cheese woven into Plant Joy’s Yam and Cheese Sandwich. While she doesn’t knock brands like Just Egg or Impossible Foods’ faux meats, they just aren’t for her culinary team. “Plus, other local plant-based brunch menus use (those substitutes),” she says.
This is more than trying to create Instagram-friendly plating. Or competing with other plant-friendly breakfasts in the local market. Most diners who adopt a meat-free diet are in pursuit of greater health, or more sustainable choices. Pre-made products—such as egg or meat substitutes—don’t fit into that. Though of course, there's still a massive market for things like TiNDLE Chicken and other plant-based meats.
This nudge towards emulating a whole-foods menu is a sentiment also shared by David Lee, co-founder and executive chef of PLANTA, with plant-based eateries serving breakfast and brunch in seven U.S. cities, including Miami Beach, Fla.; New York City; and Bethesda, Md.. A location also is opening soon in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
“I don’t use the meat-substitute products,” says Lee. “If anyone can read the ingredients and try to understand them, kudos to them. But it’s not for me and it’s not for my guests either. Why can’t we craft a meatless burger and say ‘This is the best burger I’ve ever had?’”
In this quest he’s not leaning on dairy or meat substitutes to do the work. Instead, he’s relying on local farmer’s bounty, often the key to a menu’s success.
“There’s so many great farmers around us,” says Lee. “Why can’t we put that on our plate and in our bodies?” One of his pride and joys on the menu is the Ahi Watermelon Nigiri, under the Sushi section. Instead of tuna, watermelon is the ahi, placed on a bed of rice. Lee thinks this dish is more innovative than its traditional descendant. For starters, the watermelon must be cured for 24 hours. “It’s a process. There’s more labor involved for me to do that,” he says.
Challenging diners’ perceptions of a plant-based restaurant (that it’s casual, low-budget and basic) is a mission for Lee. The interior design of each is striking and not cookie cutter: no two locations are the same. Botanical wallpaper, blush-pink plush chairs and — of course —plantscapes are three examples. This is the type of décor one would expect in a fine-dining restaurant.
“We don’t want to skip a beat,” says Lee. “We have a concierge. We are a full-service restaurant. The difference is that it’s plant-based.”
Conversely, Plant Joy’s 400-square-foot eatery operates mostly on to-go orders with limited seating. But both restaurants are united by their desire to earn a profit while also encouraging healthy dining.
Simon and general manager Shirley Griffith strive to spend 30% of the budget on ingredients and another 30% on staffing. “We’re still in analysis phase,” says Simon. “We’ve changed the menu a few times. We’re still learning.” One drawback with plant-based menus? The bulk of it all is produce, which can spoil within a few days. “We’re constantly dating things and going to the freezer first,” she says, to avoid food waste.
“For PLANTA, the value that we give is towards the guest,” says Lee. “We don’t have a steak on the menu for $150 or $200.” Plant-based dining typically costs less than their meat counterparts, already making the concept attractive to diners.
Getting the word out that plant-based dining is innovative and colorful has been easy for PLANTA through its social-media channels, particularly Instagram. Posts feature images but also facts about why and how a plant-based diet is healthy. Some posts even feature sunglasses crafted from cabbage leaves and flipflops from banana peels.
“It was about making it cool,” says Katerina Salgado, who handles PLANTA’s marketing and publicity, “and not sacrificing the flavor and the quality of the food. We’re more educated than we were a few years ago. We’re seeing our audience (on Instagram) engage as well.”
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