MNN - Mother Nature Network

Ohio just lost its one of its best full-on vegan restaurants.

 

Chrissie Hynde, the Pretenders front woman who launched "The VegiTerranean" in 2007, has announced that she's closing up shop. The Akron, Ohio, establishment was beloved by many, at one point being named among the top five vegan restaurants in America by BusinessWeek. Unfortunately, as Hynde pointed out on her site, the accolades weren't enough to help the restaurant survive America's economic meltdown.

 

"This has been a labour of love for me for the last four years," she wrote. "We tried everything we could to keep the restaurant going, but unfortunately due to the current economic climate this has not been possible."

"I'd like to thank everybody who helped me try to fulfill my dream. I discovered that vegan cuisine in Ohio has become more appreciated than I imagined."

 

Reaction to the news was as expected — with everything from extreme disappointment to encouragement to carry on the "VegiTerranean" brand with a cookbook.

 

"Totally devastated," expressed one Facebook commenter. "My husband and I are both vegan and live in Cleveland. It is the only restaurant we could ever go to and order anything on the menu. While many restaurants are now offering a "token" vegan menu option, they all fail in comparison to Chef Scot's [J. Scot Jones] creations. Hands down the best food I have ever eaten."

 

What's a vegan to do now that VegiTerranean has sunk? Your options in Ohio for all-vegan fine dining are limited, but you should nonetheless skip on over to VegDining.com to weigh your options. If you've got a recommendation, drop it below!