After 13 years serving hearty vegan eats in downtown Tempe, Desert Roots Kitchen is uprooting from the tree-shaded courtyard it has called home since 2012.
On April 30, the deli-style lunchtime eatery served customers for the last time at its location in the eclectic and cozy Courtyard Shops mall, which is tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Mill Avenue.
The decision to move – or as owner Leslie Robin prefers to call it, “re-root” – came suddenly on April 2, when Robin was informed her rent would be “significantly” increased. She knew the new rate would not be feasible and decided to close…