Chef Jason Wyrick of Casa Terra and The Vegan Taste, in collaboration with Jozh Watson of Phoenix Vegan have launched the inaugural Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week. From September 12-18, the weeklong event will celebrate all things vegan in the Valley, including full service restaurants, fast casual eateries, bakeries, coffee shops, food trucks, meal delivery services, and more.
During the special week, restaurants and food purveyors will offer an exclusive multi-course prix fixe menu or showcase a specially priced item that best represents their establishment. Breakfast offerings will include an entrée and drink and be capped at $20. Lunch meals will feature an appetizer, entrée and drink and also be capped at $20, and a three-course dinner menu will be available for $33.
An extremely accomplished chef, speaker, author, publisher and business owner, Chef Wyrick has been serving the growing plant-based community for nearly 20 years. Since 2006, Wyrick has been operating The Vegan Taste, the world’s longest running fully plant-based meal delivery service. In 2019, he opened the Valley’s first vegan fine dining restaurant, Casa Terra, which has remained closed since the start of COVID.
According to Wyrick, “Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week is a celebration of plant-based cuisine in Phoenix. We want to raise awareness about everything vegan that’s now available in our city, get everyone excited, and out-and-about trying all of the great dining options.”
Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week is a great way for hungry Phoenicians to explore the Valley’s growing plant-based food scene, while supporting small businesses in the community. Whether someone has already adopted a plant-based lifestyle, is vegan-curious, or simply wants to go meatless a couple of days a week, Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week gives diners the opportunity to try out multiple establishments at a reasonable price.
Chef Wyrick is the executive chef of The Vegan Taste, the author of Vegan Tacos, a culinary instructor, caterer, a former diabetic, and founder of the world's first vegan food magazine, The Vegan Culinary Experience. He has co-authored the New York Times best-selling book 21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart with Neal Barnard, MD, and has taught alongside every major vegan medical and dietary professional. He was the first vegan culinary instructor in the world-famous Le Cordon Bleu program through the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, and has catered for major corporations such as Google. His website is www.thevegantaste.com.
According to Wyrick, “Restaurants are experimenting more with vegan cuisine and showcasing some really great offerings. Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week allows them to cater to a growing clientele and test the waters for expanding their vegan selections.”
Local tastemaker, Watson, is behind the vegan dining resource, Phoenix Vegan. He’s been a longtime vegan advocate, and he’s a social transformation and social inquiry professor. He’s encouraging non-vegan restaurants to participate in Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week. “We want to position Greater Metro Phoenix as a premier, inclusive dining destination,” said Watson.
The list of participating businesses is continually growing, and registration is still open. A sampling of participating eateries includes: Beaut Burger, Brunch & Sip, Chilte, Dilla Libre, Early Bird Vegan, Earth Plant-Based, Giving Tree Café, Ground Control, Hot Sauce & Pepper, Maya’s Cajun Kitchen, Pachamama, Positively Frosted, Salvadoreno Restaurant, Shameless Burger, Simon’s Hot Dogs, The Nile Coffee Shop, Urban Beans Café, Tesoro Vegano, The Vegan Taste, Verdura, and Wok this Way.
For a list of participating businesses or to register for Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week, visit www.phoenixvegan.com.