Providence has a long history with veganism and vegetarianism. In the 1970s and 1980s, it was home for the North American Vegetarian Society’s annual summer fest; it birthed Like No Udder, the world’s first vegan ice cream truck and now it has Plant City, one of the first vegan food courts in the world.
This rich vegan and vegetarian culture is the perfect environment for Providence Vegan Restaurant week, which starts October 30 and runs through November 8. Chris Belanger, who owns Like No Udder vegan ice cream with his wife, Karen, runs the event and spoke to us about its second iteration.
“The goal is to bring more vegan options to the community,” he said, explaining why so many local restaurants that are not traditionally vegan or vegetarian are participating. He said that the chefs of non-vegetarian restaurants are excited to flex their creative muscle and work with new ingredients.
The rules around the event are loose for restaurants. Some offer daily vegan specials, others offer discounts on vegan options and others are offering three-course prix fixe meals. The goal is to make the event feel special for attendees, but also, “we want to show restaurants that there’s demand for vegan options,” Belanger said.
Providence Vegan Restaurant Week runs Oct 30 – Nov 8. For a full list of participating restaurants, go to vegrestaurantweek.com or follow them on Instagram @pvdveganrestauranweek