Bay Area residents eagerly anticipating the opening of new Vegan Mob locations can mark their calendars for the San Francisco and Santa Rosa establishments. The original Oakland-based restaurant, which closed its doors earlier this month, is making way for Vegan Mob's plans to expand its irresistible meat-free delights across the Bay Area. A new location is slated to open in San Francisco on September 30 and another in Santa Rosa in early October, according to SFGate.
Upon its debut in October 2019, Vegan Mob, a vegan BBQ and soul food takeout restaurant, instantly became a neighborhood sensation, attracting long lines and selling out of its renowned smackaroni and plant-based fried chicken within hours on opening day. The restaurant was the brainchild of former rapper Toriano Gordon, who sought to meld vegan fare with hip-hop culture and the dishes he enjoyed while growing up in San Francisco. The southern-inspired cuisine, which is as tasty as it is eco-friendly, has resonated with Bay Area locals and celebrities alike, including Danny Glover and Mistah F.A.B.
Gordon started his journey with Vegan Mob as an Uber driver just a few years ago as per the Food & Wine blog. He went vegan in 2017 for health reasons, which prompted him to pursue making his own vegan barbecue. By selling his culinary creations out of the trunk of his car and at farmer's markets, he soon gained a loyal following. His initial venture into brick-and-mortar began in Oakland on Lake Park Avenue. Over the last four years, Vegan Mob has gained immense popularity, with over 150,000 Instagram followers and the opening of a food truck on Valencia Street in the Mission District and a ghost kitchen in San Jose.
Despite the bittersweet decision to close the original restaurant, Gordon deemed it necessary for his business' growth and his family. With its lease ended in 2022 and extended on a month-to-month basis, the Oakland space was always intended to be a temporary home. By opting for a fast-casual concept, Gordon moved forward with his vision to open a new location at 90 Charter Oak Avenue in San Francisco's Bayview.
The San Francisco location will be a smaller, 24-seat operation, focused on pickup and delivery orders, featuring a self-serve kiosk and some outdoor dining. This deliberate decision allows Gordon to concentrate on building a franchise concept, starting with the Santa Rosa outpost, which will be a much larger destination space with 162 seats, a bar, indoor lounge, art gallery, and movie screen.
With plans to return to the East Bay by bringing a food truck back to Oakland within the next year, it is evident that Gordon has no intention of slowing down. His ambitious vision also includes bringing Vegan Mob favorites to Whole Foods and Safeway stores in the form of frozen meals by early 2024. Additionally, fans eager to recreate the mouthwatering vegan barbecue dishes at home can look forward to a cookbook published by Penguin Random House, featuring 80 plant-based barbecue recipes and Gordon's story about his journey in the restaurant industry.
