Vegan Eatery Vital Root Adds Animal Proteins for the First Time Since Opening in 2016

In 2016, Edible Beats founder Justin Cucci partnered with his former yoga instructor, Desiree Springer, to open Vital Root at 3915 Tennyson Street.

When he announced the project two years earlier, he told Westword that post-yoga, he and his business partner struggled to find a spot that served healthy plant-based food — which is why their fast-casual concept has long specialized in a “99 percent vegan” menu. Eggs and dairy products were the exceptions and were used sparingly.

But on Friday, April 12, Vital Root will begin offering animal proteins, specifically chicken and salmon, as an add-on to existing menu items such as salads, bowls and other globally inspired dishes.

Cucci says that substitutions, such as chicken in its lemongrass tofu banh mi tacos, will be accommodated but not particularly promoted. He affirms that the veggie proteins at Vital Root, which include mushroom “meat” and plant-based bacon, are all “really delicious.” So the big question is, why the change?

One reason is that Cucci hopes this shift will attract a wider clientele. “We're always trying to be inclusive at the restaurants, and always try to celebrate diverse ingredients and diverse people," he explains.
But he admits that as a mostly vegan restaurant, Vital Root has seen a decline in sales in the past year or so. In part, the drop-off can be attributed to consumer behaviors following the pandemic. Vital Root did well on to-go platforms when there were more limited choices, but now dining out is once again the norm.

“There are also restaurants opening every day, as there should be, and the competition is always going to be pushing us to be better," he adds.

Along with increasing day-to-day traffic, Cucci hopes that the change will spur a greater interest in event catering, which has become a big revenue driver at his other Edible Beats restaurants, which include El Five, Root Down, Linger and Ophelia's. But at Vital Root, he says, party planners are often concerned about opting for only vegan fare for an entire group.

More customers and greater sales aren't the only drivers of this decision. Health was another determining factor. When Vital Root first opened, Cucci told Westword that he felt better when eating plant-based food. But now, he says, “I’m older, and I went to a doctor for a wellness visit, and he's like, ‘You need to get twice as much protein a day.’”

There are many protein-dense, plant-based foods, including legumes like beans and lentils; tofu and meat alternatives; grains like quinoa and brown rice; nuts; seeds and so forth. But according to Cucci, consuming the daily 180 grams of protein recommended by his doctor proved difficult on a vegan diet. “You have to be really strategic and really plan out your meals,” he says.

Vital Root aims to address all of the above with its new menu additions while still staying true to its longtime fans. “We are not changing who we really are,” says Cucci. Animal proteins will not be the primary ingredient of any new dish — for example, the restaurant won’t introduce a chicken sandwich. “We want it just to be an add-on to what we feel is the star, which is the food that we have.” Cucci adds, “Anybody who came to us before, their experience is not going to change. It's not like they have to order differently. It’s not like they have to worry about cross-contamination.” All animal proteins will be processed, par-cooked and packaged off site at a different Edible Beats restaurant. Separate equipment will be used in handling all meats, including a separate griddle for heating them.

“With the chicken, we're doing a really flavorful brine — salt, sugar, black pepper, onion powder and paprika,” says Cucci. The salmon will feature the same broad flavors, allowing the proteins to complement a variety of dishes.

The restaurant has partnered with Colorado-based RedBird Farms to source its chicken. While it doesn't meet every ideal standard, Cucci admits, it does use a vegetarian diet and no antibiotics, preservatives or added hormones in raising its cage-free chickens. Of the limited options, he adds, RedBird proved to be the best.

Vital Root's salmon comes from Verlasso, a brand that claims it “is on a mission to be the most sustainably raised salmon in the world.” Several of its sites are Aquaculture Stewardship Council-certified, and Verlasso was the first to receive the “Yellow, a Good Alternative” recommendation from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program. Granted, as reported by IntraFish, Verlasso lost the latter distinction in 2020 as the nonprofit organization ceased to provide ratings at the brand or company level. Still, Cucci says, “Verlasso, from our research, was the best one out there in terms of their certification and mission statement.”

Time will tell what patrons think of the change, but staffers at Edible Beats, which became a 100 percent employee-owned restaurant group last year, took the opportunity to vocalize their thoughts during an April 8 company meeting. “Some of it was challenging," Cucci admits. "Some it was informative and some was opinion. Most of us were just really thinking ahead.”