Help keep One Green Planet free and independent! Together we can ensure our platform remains a hub for empowering ideas committed to fighting for a sustainable, healthy, and compassionate world. Please support us in keeping our mission strong.
Celebrity vegan chef Matthew Kenney is at it again. The days are getting shorter, the weather is cooling down, and sometimes we feel like we struggle to get out of bed and brush our teeth in the morning. If there’s one person whose vitality and drive we wish we could borrow just for a day, it’s Matthew Kenney’s.
Not only is XYST, his hard-to-read (hint: it’s pronounced “exist”) new Mediterranean restaurant opening up in New York on November 1, but the famed chef is following that success up immediately — by opening up another restaurant.
Yes, it’s true. Bar Verde, a vegan Mexican restaurant inspired by Kenney’s travels around Mexico will open in the East Village this fall, and we have to admit it sounds delicious.
Plant-based taco for your thoughts?
Bar Verde will be open every day from noon to midnight, with weekend brunches beginning at 11. The eatery will feature 56 indoor seats, with 24 seats being held on an outdoor patio, as well as a bar that will serve sustainable beer, wine, and agave spirits.
What’s on the menu, you ask? You’ll find all the staples of Mexican cuisine (such as nachos, chips and salsa, tacos, empanadas, ceviche, and more) made entirely vegan. To top it all off, Bar Verde offers a comprehensive dessert menu, with items like a mango cheesecake, churros, and a chocolate chili cheesecake.
Make Your Own Mexican Food at Home
Don’t despair if you’re not in New York — you can still make your own plant-based Mexican food at home. We dove in deep to the depths of our Food Monster App to bring you a few delicious recipes to try.
Tacos
These Buffalo Chickpea Tacos With Celery Ranch Sauce by Vegan Richa’s Everyday Kitchen are paired with a cooling, creamy dairy-free celery ranch sauce in a taco shell in this easy weeknight dinner recipe. Toss the chickpeas in Buffalo sauce, add some roasted vegetables and greens, top the tacos generously with ranch dressing, and supper is ready. This also makes a great appetizer for game day.
Ceviche Tostadas
These Cauliflower Ceviche Tostadas by Kate Ramos are so unique. Cauliflower is nature’s miracle vegetable. Lightly cooked cauliflower is the perfect stand-in for seafood in this ceviche. It’s cooked in salted water so it softens just a bit and it’s then tossed with lime juice, red onion, and kumquats. Served on a crispy corn tortilla, it strikes the perfect balance of crunchiness and soft, flavorful veggies.
Churros
These Cinnamon Churros With Chocolate Ganache by Holly Jade will allow you to enjoy one of your favorite street foods from the comfort of your own kitchen! These churros can be enjoyed with a divinely rich dark chocolate ganache that makes the treat all that much more indulgent.
Learn How to Make Amazing Mexican Food Without Meat or Cheese!
We also highly recommend downloading our Food Monster App, which is available for both Android and iPhone, and can also be found on Instagram and Facebook. The app has more than 8,000 plant-based, allergy-friendly recipes, and subscribers gain access to ten new recipes per day. Check it out!
Lead image source: Matthew Kenney Cuisine
Best of luck from the RestaurantReputation.co team chef Kenney on your new restaurants. Great job branding and marketing your new startups. Panem Vitae et Tacos!