Acclaimed Vegan Chef Opens Plant-Based Food Hall in Providence
Republished from the Providence Journal.
By Jenna Pelletier
Los Angeles-based vegan chef and entrepreneur Matthew Kenney owns restaurants throughout the country and the world, including six in New York alone. So when it came to opening his first Rhode Island location, you might have expected him to simply duplicate one of his popular existing concepts, such as Plant Food + Wine.
Instead, Kenney has created something entirely new and ambitious here: Plant City, which he describes as a vegan food hall.
Opening this Friday, June 14, on South Water Street, in the former location of Mile & A Quarter restaurant, the 10,000-square-foot complex brings together five of Kenney’s plant-based concepts under one roof: the Mexican-inspired Bar Verde, a newly developed vegan burger spot, Michelin-rated pizza spot Double Zero, a grab-and-go counter and a grocery marketplace with vegan and locally made products.
Menu items include vibrant vegetable-focused dishes such as pesto pizza with almond ricotta, zucchini lasagna, and beet and roasted mushroom burgers. Acai bowls, vegan macarons, and bio-dynamic wines will also be available, along with hundreds of other items. In addition, the space will host events on its lower level, including cooking demonstrations, yoga classes and book signings.
“I was inspired by the food halls in Europe, and more recently Eataly, and dreamed of doing a plant-based version,” Kenney said of the 225-seat, 100-percent vegan food complex.
