Last year, a vegan restaurant mini-boom seemed to be brewing in Boise.
But after this weekend, only one will remain.
Ending a run that lasted just shy of two years at Chow Public Market and Eatery at the Boise Spectrum, 7709 W. Overland Road, Vegan Soul will shutter after a final “grand closing” brunch Saturday.
Offering Southern-style dishes, Vegan Soul has been a familiar brand in the Boise area for a few years. In 2020, it was highlighted in a PETA list of best vegan soul food restaurants.
Vegan Soul’s exit from Chow leaves High Note Cafe, 225 N. 5th St., as the only exclusively vegan restaurant in Boise. Not counting juice bars, acai bowl spots and the like, High Note appears to be the lone plant-based restaurant in the state of Idaho. (It’s always dangerous to deal in absolutes; I’ll update this article if that assumption turns out to be mistaken.)
Vegan Soul owner Mae Gaines wrote on social media that it was time “to embark on a new journey, focusing on building something even more impactful and profitable for our community and my brand.”