Onion Maiden‘s brick-and-mortar opened Spring 2017, located at 639 E Warrington Ave in Allentown. After rocking the pop-ups and popping up around the 412 for so many the plant-based events, the vegan-fused trio of plant-based *bad*brains who flex their amazing take on Asian-American fusion finally found their hearth home. Here is a recap of a dope pop-up Onion Maiden dinner at The Vandal back in February 2016!
“A good appetite needs no sauce” – Old Polish Proverb
It took us a little while to finally dine at Apteka. Not for lack of wanting, the idea of vegan pierogi and Polish fare sounded amazing, but the time had to be right!
Cue the Autumn/Winter season. As light begins to wane and darkness becomes the day, the season of early sunset sets upon us. Chilly air and foggy breath make for ruddy cheeks and hearty appetites, a fitting climate to open this treasure trove of earthy, pungent, and rustic charm.
After ecoRDN got hip to the abundance of plant based options in Philadelphia (thanks Spat!), we packed our bags and hopped a bus to check things out firsthand! Below is a list of the exciting plant friendly places we visited in during our stay!
Before ecoRDN returned to Pittsburgh from NYC living we made a list of all the many vegan-friendly food hubs to visit upon return to our glorious city and Spak Brothers topped the list. Spak forged a path not many dared back when they first opened their doors. Sure Pittsburgh has seen a vegan-friendly boom over the last five years, but before that boom the vegan scene was practically crickets. There was the dope East End staple Quiet Storm, the Southside Zenith with their epic brunch and all-vegan dessert, however pizza and wings were not yet on the menu. Thus enter the Spak!
Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield are sugar superheroes, courageous candymen, bringers of caloric joy. Thank the gooey gods neither had success within the world of higher-education. As you do when institutional life kicks you in the pants, these childhood friends decided to take an ice-cream making correspondence course through Penn State University and opened their first ice-cream parlor in Burlington, Vermont on May 5, 1978. And thus, to this day, they’ve spread sprinkles and chunks of joy throughout the land for  *everyone!
Pittsburghers and beyond LOVE Thai Gourmet!
Thai Gourmet is a Steel City staple. Located at 4505 Liberty Avenue in a cozy lunchroom with table and counter seating, Thai Gourmet offers a relaxed environment and an abundance of vegan-friendly foods.
ecoRDN took to the streets on Easter Sunday and walked 13 miles during another epic bout of urban hiking. The destination? Zenith Tea Room in Pittsburgh’s Southside for their famous Sunday brunch!
Let it sink in; ALL-VEGAN, EVERYTHING! Vegan here and vegan there. Vegan, vegan everywhere!
Update: Loving Hut sadly is no more. As of Summer 2017 Loving Hut closed their doors. Buffet, no more. (sigh)
“Loving Hut is created with a vision that all beings can live in peace, love and harmony with each other and the planet. Loving Hut chain restaurants are newly opening around the world. It is an invitation to gourmet cuisine made with wholesome, vegan ingredients, and it offers an accessible starting point for those making the noble transition to a plant-based diet.”
(During this article’s genesis, Onion Maiden had yet to open their first brick-and-mortar and had primarily shared their amazing wares via pop-ups and the like. However, now they have their very own shop located at 635 E Warrington Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15210!!! More reviews to follow…)
It’s not often ecoRDN dines out, we are thrifty and enjoy cooking so much that most of our food consumption happens within the comforts of our hobbity domicile. We practice mindful eating so are in-the-zone for most meals in regards to the balance of protein to carb and vegetable ratio. Thus when ecoRDN does decide to check out a new eatery we don’t feel bad about eating comfort foods with a little extra in the way of heavy and/or unbalanced offerings. Sometimes it’s perfectly acceptable, and on the occasion in mention, our intro to the amazing world of Onion Maiden, we downed dawgs and tots with carnivalesque gusto to a backdrop of blazing metal and classic punk.
ecoRDN 