The plant-forward restaurant goodbeet is shutting down its storefront at 29 Haddon Ave. in Haddon Township by the end of October, closing the book on nearly 11 years serving vegan sandwiches, smoothies, and its beloved coconut BLT to South Jersey regulars. The last full day of kitchen service is set for Oct. 9, though grab-and-go items, wholesale orders, and meal prep will keep the lights on through Oct. 31.
Staffing Crunch Forces the Decision
Owner Ashley Coyne cited broader challenges facing the restaurant industry, including a persistent struggle to find kitchen staff, as the reasons behind the closure, according to the Burlington County Times. Coyne described the search for cooks in stark terms, comparing it to looking into a black hole. She called her run in the industry, spanning nearly 11 years, an incredible one, even as she made the call to close.
“All good things must come to an end,” Coyne said, per the same report. The station's account notes that goodbeet will not disappear entirely — the brand is expected to continue in some capacity through popups and select wholesale accounts, building on offerings that already include mobile coffee popups, branded cans, and dessert orders.
From Layoff to Local Favorite
Coyne conceived the idea for goodbeet after being laid off, dreaming up the concept at age 26. The restaurant originally opened as Heart Beet Kitchen before she rebranded it as goodbeet in 2021. One account from the closure announcement places the Haddon Township opening in 2015, while South Jersey Food Scene reports the restaurant has been present along Haddon Avenue since 2016 — the two outlets differ on the exact timeline.
South Jersey Food Scene describes goodbeet's identity as built around a strong emphasis on plant-based, gluten-free, and dairy-free food, a reputation that helped the restaurant earn a spot among the best gluten-free restaurants in the United States. The menu grew to include vegan sandwiches and burgers, smoothies, salads, bowls, breakfast items, and weekly rotating pizza flavors, with the coconut BLT standing out as a signature order.
A Menu Shift That Drew Pushback
goodbeet was 100% vegan and gluten-free before Coyne updated the menu in 2025, introducing protein add-ons such as local, organic, pasture-raised chicken and wild-caught Jail Island salmon. The change brought some pushback from members of the vegan community, though it broadened the restaurant's appeal to customers seeking non-vegan protein options.
This is not the first time staffing pressures have reshaped goodbeet's footprint. The company expanded beyond Haddon Township into Ocean City and Bordentown, both of which have since closed. Coyne said staffing issues were the primary reason she shuttered the Bordentown and Ocean City locations back in March 2022, according to the Courier Post, with Bordentown's last day landing on March 31 that year. That closure came amid industry-wide issues ranging from inflation to staffing and supply chain shortages, the outlet reported at the time.
A separate Cherry Hill location opened under a franchisee in December 2019 and closed three months later. Coyne also expanded goodbeet to Ocean City, part of an expansion that ultimately didn't hold. Now, with the Haddon Township storefront's final full kitchen day set for Oct. 9 and grab-and-go service continuing through Oct. 31, goodbeet's next chapter looks smaller by design — built around popups and wholesale rather than a physical dining room.
