New Northside Lexington restaurant has many asking, ‘Are you sure this is vegan?’
Whenever one vegan restaurant closes, another one opens. Right across the street, in this case.
Last week, The Social Vegan in Greyline Station closed, to the dismay of plant-based eaters in Lexington.
But hold on, health nuts, help is on the way: Moody Mike’s, Central Kentucky’s first vegan food truck, is moving into 800 N. Limestone, in the former Broomwagon Cafe spot right across the street from Greyline. The bicycle shop cafe closed late last year.
Husband and wife owners Antoine and Michael Harris have operated Moody Mike’s food truck for a little over three years, working out of the Pasta Garage incubator kitchen or just up Delaware Avenue at Pivot Brewing to sell tasty and surprising dishes.
In fact, many off chef Michael’s menu items are clever switches that have diners doing a double take, asking, “Are you sure this is vegan?”
Like her “Arby’s roast beef.” Or the “Mike Rib” sandwich. Or the signature “bone-in” wings with 18 different sauces to choose from.
“I think one of the beautiful things is we appeal to people who aren’t vegan as well,” Michael Harris said. They might go in skeptical, “but after they eat our food they have to come back.”
Customers have to be quick to get specials such as “chicken” and dumplings or fried lasagna, which sell out quickly.
The Kentucky natives hope to open Moody Mike’s permanent location in March after some renovations to the space. They plan to keep the food truck in operation until the cafe opens and will use it for catering and events.
The menu will remain all vegan all the time but they plan on expanding it and adding healthier non-fried options as well as specials.
The cafe will serve coffee and breakfast food, grab-and-go items, salads and seasonal vegetable dishes sourced through nearby Black Soil.
There also will be sweets, such as “oatmeal creme pies” and other treats. And Michael Harris said they plan to have cocktails and non-alcoholic “mocktails.”
The cafe’s hours will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, said Michael Harris.
