Dining

On the heels of Pride Month and with National Sugar Cookie Day quickly approaching on July 9th, Drag Queen baker, cookie decorator, and owner of Plenty O’Cookies, Alex Copeland is making a comeback after the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on his baking business, as it did on many other small businesses.

“With all the custom orders that were coming in, I was on track to have my best month before the pandemic hit. My business relies on baking for events, so as people were forced to cancel their events, they also cancelled their orders,” Copeland explains.

After being in operation since 2014, Copeland understood that Plenty O’Cookies needed to adapt in order to survive this global setback. He turned to social media and his website to advertise with Facebook Live and Instagram Live cookie decorating workshops as well as video collaborations with other bakers.

Ben and Jerry's were "inspired by Colin Kaepernick’s bold activism for racial justice" and made a new flavor: “Colin Kaepernick’s Change The Whirled Non-Dairy frozen dessert.” It’s made with sunflower butter, fudge chips, graham cracker swirls and chocolate cookies – and is 100% certified vegan, in honor of Colin Kaepernick’s committed veganism.

All his proceeds from the flavor will go directly to Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp (KYRC), an organization he founded “to empower Black and Brown youth and elevate the voices of the next generation of racial justice leaders.” The “Know Your Rights Camp hosts free camps across America and internationally, engaging Black and Brown youth around social justice issues through education and self-empowerment.” According to the Ben & Jerry’s website, “The idea for Know Your Rights Camp came five years ago after Kaepernick saw footage of the murder of Mario Woods by San Francisco police officers, yet another young Black man lynched by the police. He wanted to help young Black and Brown people not only survive encounters with police but thrive, grow, and find their power.

As Americans wait to see who will officially take the presidential oath of office in January, many of us are simply breathing a sigh of relief. Finally, one of the most tumultuous, indecent times in American politics has (almost!) come to an end. Life is slowing down again. The sun feels warmer and the tap water tastes better. Heck, some people are even sayingthe election of president-elect Joe Biden (after Rudy Giuliani confirms the results, of course) could usher in a return to the decency we once had in our politics. And while that may be what most of us fatigued Americans want, it’s hard to say if it’ll happen anytime soon.

Can’t Believe It’s Vegan is a fabulous 100% vegan option for your quarantine home delivery service throughout the greater Columbus Metropolitan area of fresh, delicious, healthy food. They are a breakfast and lunch catering service that provides nutritionally dense, flavor-rich breakfast and lunchtime meals such as Belgian Waffles with pecans or walnuts with sweet potato hash browns, Bagel with Garlic Mushrooms and Cream Cheeze, Chickpea Pasta Alfredo, Burrito Bowl with jasmine rice, black beans, mixed onions, cilantro sweet corn salsa, “meat” crumbles, lettuce and pepper jack cheese, or Buddha Bowl with jasmine rice, chopped tomatoes, black beans, BBQ jackfruit, avocado, and sriracha mayo and many more delectable options on their website. They also offer “Family Pans” on four of their menu items that serve small (4-6) for $49.95 to Large serving (8-10) for $89.95, which is great for business meetings.

See website for menu and pricing.

$20 minimum order.

Text 941-266-0056 to order

Breakfast orders must be placed by 8pm the day before your order

Vegans can live an enjoyable life eating the foods we were raised on in this nonvegan society using the amazing vegan alternatives we have been provided with in the modern, ever-evolving, 100% plant-based marketplace we have today.

Twenty years ago, we ate a more whole foods, an 100% plant-based diet that did not have such remarkable and comparable processed alternatives. While it was, undoubtedly, a much healthier way to eat, it required that we “give up” many of our favorite things and was much more like deprived martyrdom from the nonvegan perspective.

Perhaps this is more convenient and allows us not to feel the selfish notion of being deprived of our favorite and familiar comfort foods, yet that has never really been what veganism was focused on.

Portia's Diner, offering an all-vegan menu -- is now OPEN for carry out, curbside and free delivery within 5 miles.

Changed hours -- Mon/Tues - CLOSED. NOW OPEN Wed -10a-3p / Thur, Fri, Sat--8a-9p (with PIZZA 4p-9p!), and Sun--10a-3p.

In order to protect our staff and customers, they are implementing the following sanitation orders per the CDC:
• Using hand sanitizer before and after every transaction
• Sanitizing cash register, stylus, counter, door handles and doors –both inside and out—and merchandiser coolers, if touched, after each customer
• Providing hand sanitizer for customers
• Adhering to, and providing, the 6 ft distance guidelines for check out and pick up
• Providing curb-side delivery and free delivery (within 5 miles) to our customers
*Per the Governor’s orders they must request that customers that have any illness related symptoms to stay home at this time. Please do not come in if you have a fever, runny nose, cough, chills or body aches or sore throat. Thanks so much!!

The folks at City Barbeque have always prioritized helping their communities—both financially and with food—and this current public health crisis is no different. Everyone on the team wants to support those serving so selflessly right now, and has identified a way to thank the doctors, nurses, medical personnel, and hospital staff at Ohio State University Hospital for the incredible sacrifices they’re making. The fast-casual has launched a partnership with its guests to provide meals at no cost to the heroes on the front lines of this crisis.

For every $5 raised, City Barbeque will provide a slow-smoked sandwich and two homemade sides (valued at $12) to a health care worker fighting to save lives at Ohio State University Hospital. Guests are invited to help support and thank the medical professionals in their communities, and 100% of funds raised will be used to feed medical personnel.

Village Taco reopened their newest location last month on Parsons Avenue (formerly Hal & Al's and TatoHeads) with yet another 100 percent plant-based vegan menu to the greater Columbus metropolitan restaurant market. Sitting within a block of Two Dollar Radio and new vegan bar Daddy’s, this neighborhood is fast becoming nicknamed “Vegandale of Columbus” (following the vegan neighborhood in Toronto, Canada).

Their menu boasts much more than tacos, too. They definitely do the typical TexMex favorites one expects from a taco joint: fat burritos, chimichangas, enchiladas and holy Toledo – fried vegan ice-cream. They can even wow patrons with loaded double decker burgers, popcorn chickun and have a kid’s menu, too.

Lifestyle Cafe launched last month introducing yet another 100 percent plant-based vegan and organic when possible menu to the greater Columbus metropolitan restaurant market. They are located in Old Town East on the corner of 18th and Oak Street. We sampled an item from every segment of their menu, which had staples like avocado toast, fast start breakfast (just egg and bac’un on a croissant style roll with a side of sweet potato puree), corn chowder with bac’un, lettuce and tomato sandwich, avocado hummus and chips, and crispy waffles with fried chick’un. Every single item was packed with flavor and delicious. 

They had an abundance of baked goods from cookies, donuts, croissants, muffins, cinnamon twists to pop tarts to choose from as well. The restaurant and restroom are clean and bright, though seating is limited if you are there at lunch time and the menu is located at the kiosk, not printed or posted anywhere to review while waiting. Be sure to make a trip to Lifestyle Cafe for breakfast or lunch, you will be happy you did.

4th and State just opened in downtown Columbus – literally on the northwest corner of 4th and State in December 2019. What an exciting opportunity for folks working in the area to have easily accessible, fully-vegan breakfast and lunch equivalent alternative that has a fabulous affordable menu and vibe.

4th and State  offers breakfast: decadent French toast, pancakes, “vrunch” wrap and even vegan bac’un and “eggs” (for those who haven’t tried the humane, mung-bean-derived JUST egg here’s your chance). Lunch options include: salads, unique and delicious sandwiches (blueberry and mozz cheeze and the roasted red bell pepper and avocado are absolutely delightful!), smoothie and veggie bowls, and great sides such as sweet potato home fries, Mediterranean pasta salad (yes, vegan feta exists) and scrambled eggs!

If you are in the mood for donuts and coffee (with actual vegan CREAMER- not just plant-milk), it can be had here. They have really developed a fantastic menu that must be tried as nothing has disappointed. They even accommodated a side of vegan sour cream and blueberry compote for the “blueberry blintz” (my family tradition) pancakes I asked for.