10 Vegan Celebrity Restauranteurs – One Green Planet

These days, there are numerous vegan celebrities, although they occasionally prefer to keep their beliefs private and may not engage in any activism. Then, some go out of their way to promote veganism, Animal rights, and the like. A select few have also opened their own restaurants; while not all of them stayed open – for example, Moby’s Little Pine Restaurant shut down due to COVID-related issues – these individuals should be applauded for providing delicious, cruelty-free food to people who may normally eat a vegan diet. With the news that long-time vegans and activists Billie Eilish and Finneas are going to open a restaurant in Los Angeles, let’s look at 10 vegan celebrity restaurateurs – including those who ultimately weren’t successful. Note that not all celebrities are vegan, but their restaurants are/were. 

1. Pamela Anderson – La Table du Marche

Source: 60 Minutes Australia/YouTube

Actress Pamela Anderson has been vegan for more than 30 years, which makes her one of the original vegan celebrities (like Moby, who’s mentioned below). In 2016, PETA – who has collaborated with Anderson on numerous occasions – named her their Person of the Year in acknowledgment of her animal activism. She also regularly uses social media to promote plant-based eating and recently released a book called I Love You that features vegan recipes. At one point, she had a pop-up vegan restaurant in Saint-Tropez, France called La Table du Marche, which was meant to be temporary. For the restaurant’s opening, she partnered with a chef, Christophe Leroy, whose inn housed the restaurant. The restaurant was to be open for 50 nights in 2017, and to feature a fully vegan menu and a champagne bar. Dishes included asparagus risotto, tomato tartare, traditional Provencal stuffed vegetables, and vegan burgers.

However, just nine days after the establishment’s opening, Anderson announced she was departing. As she said on her website, she claimed that the spot didn’t meet her “expectations or agreements” and alleged that staff were mistreated, although she didn’t provide any more information. She said that there were “circumstances” beyond her control that forced her to remove her name from the collaboration with Leroy and that she couldn’t condone the way the staff were treated, as well as the “complete lack of respect.” The restaurant’s initial announcement was buried in what originally appeared to be a tribute to Julian Assange, her rumored boyfriend at the time, by sending an invitation to President Emmanuel Macron and his wife to meet at her restaurant. Despite the prompt closure of La Table du Marche, Anderson has remained active in her promotion of veganism. In addition to the plethora of activism present on her social media and the aforementioned cookbook, in 2023 she announced that she’d be hosting a plant-based cooking show, “Cooking With Love.” 

2. Billie Eilish & Finneas O’Connell – Argento 

Source: The Show Insider/YouTube

Oscar- and Grammy-winning singer-songwriters Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell (who are siblings) are long-time vegans who are also animal activists. Eilish has used social media to advocate for veganism and has made it a point to not wear designers who use fur. In 2023, Billie and Finneas announced that they were planning to open a vegan Italian restaurant named Argento in Los Angeles. The announcement mentioned that they will be teaming up with Nic Adler, an LA-based restaurateur, and that the restaurant will be focused on artisanal vegan cheeses in small batches, as well as vegetable-forward food. The restaurant’s bar menu will contain a selection of wine curated by Jason Eisner (it’s important to note that not all wine is vegan), Chef Scott Winegard will lead the restaurant. With a focus on farm-fresh produce – and an absence of processed food – vegetables will take center stage. Argento will take the place of former fellow vegan-owned restaurant Little Pine (see below). There are plans to reimagine the space by adding a chef’s table and enlarging the outdoor space, and the restaurant is to be inspired by more Mediterranean-like restaurants, as opposed to Italian-American ones.

Both Billie and Finneas have been vegan for about a decade, and their mother, Maggie Baird, is known for having founded the non-profit Support+Feed. Billie herself founded Overheated, a plant-based event focused on environmentalism and addressing climate change. Eilish’s goal with the restaurant, she says, is to make plant-based eating “more accessible,” remarking on the fact that vegan food is “more universal” than it was, say, a decade ago. Eilish has used her massive social media following to advocate for plant-based eating and cruelty-free living, including modeling with a Gucci faux leather bag. She has even encouraged her fans to go vegan, and in 2018, she showed her millions of followers the horrific nature of a dairy farm. According to Argento’s Instagram page, the restaurant plans to open this summer.       

3. Lewis Hamilton – Neat Burger 

Source: LDN Vegans/YouTube

British racing superstar Lewis Hamilton has been vegan since 2017, partly for health and environmental reasons, but also for ethical reasons. Hamilton eventually started a chain of vegan burger restaurants called Neat Burger, in hopes of making the fast-food industry more cruelty-free. In 2019, Hamilton’s company opened its first restaurant in London, followed shortly thereafter by a second branch, also in London. The chain now has 12 locations in the United Kingdom, one in Dubai, and one in the United States. They hope to expand to 1,000 locations worldwide by 2030. Hamilton’s rescue dog, Roscoe, is also vegan, and the athlete recently appeared on the popular series “Hot Ones” and suggested the host, Sean Evans, offer more vegan wings to save chickens. 

A couple of years ago, Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio joined Neat Food Co. as an investor. Despite being a vegetarian and not a fully-fledged vegan, DiCaprio has smartly invested in numerous businesses in the vegan/alternative food industry. At that time, Neat also announced the beginning of a Series B fundraiser worth $30 million. Per DiCaprio, his decision to invest in Hamilton’s company coincides with the actor’s belief in “alternative proteins” as a strong solution to combating Climate change, a cause close to his heart. Neat Burger’s plans included having 12 locations in the United States, with both ghost kitchens and storefronts. Perhaps because Hamilton was an early investor of Beyond Meat, Neat Burger originally used Beyond’s products for their burgers, but then switched to a “proprietary blend.” According to taste tests, their burger may not turn carnivores into vegans, although when it’s covered in melted vegan cheese, it’s hard to resist. Their chick’n burger is also said to be satisfying and a great alternative to a fried chicken sandwich. 

Last year, Neat Burger opened its first [permanent] location in the United States: in New York City – specifically, in the Nolita neighborhood. This expansion was substantially helped by DiCaprio’s investment. This establishment’s menu includes much of the same as what you’d find at its United Kingdom branches, including plant-based burgers and chicken burgers, hot dogs, kids’ meals, mac and cheese, milkshakes, and tater tots. To tailor the menu to NYC, some items are inspired by the city’s “rich culinary history,” with bodega staples such as chopped cheese sandwiches getting the vegan treatment. Neat Burger was even featured at this year’s Met Gala after-party event, providing celebrities with plant-based options until 5 a.m. Founder Hamilton himself was there, as well as fellow vegans like NYC Mayor Eric Adams. This was the company’s second year serving food at a Met Gala event. 

4. Kevin Hart – Hart House 

Source: The Late Late Show with James Corden/YouTube

In 2022, noted comedian and actor Kevin Hart opened Hart House, a vegan fast-food restaurant in Los Angeles. The goal of Hart House was to go up against non-vegan fast-food chains by offering delicious plant-based alternatives for all. Last year, he brought the restaurant to the University of Southern California’s campus, which marked the fourth location in Los Angeles for the chain. Hart House prides itself on providing a delicious, sustainable menu that is “plant-forward” and includes chick’n sandwiches, as well as vegan burgers and nuggets. The USC branch is designed to appeal to college students who are “looking for easy and delicious meals,” Hart said, as there is a fire pit, lounge seating, table games, and a water feature. Hart House was designed by Nicolette Santos and Studio 7 Design’s Kai Williams, and the space is meant to be “sustainable and welcoming” for employees and customers. According to Andy Hooper, Hart House’s CEO, there are plans to expand to other college campuses. 

But, Hart House’s goal isn’t merely to provide appetizing plant-based food that’s accessible to all. With the launch of its USC location, it planned to Donate 10 percent of those proceeds to the LA Promise Fund, a non-profit based in Los Angeles that helps prepare local students for success. Hart House has received positive reviews so far, including a thumbs-up from Keith Lee, a prominent TikTok food reviewer. Lee is a self-proclaimed skeptic of vegan food, so his largely positive review of Hart House’s plant-based fare is indeed significant. Lee praised the well-seasoned fries, crispy chick’n, and meat-flavored vegan burger. His review obtained upwards of 16 million views on TikTok and led to a personal thank you from Hart himself, who, despite being confident in the food quality, admitted to being prepared for any type of review. While Hart isn’t even vegetarian – he claims to be meat-free bi-weekly and refers to himself as a “flexitarian” – his commitment to providing plant-based food to the general public is still commendable. 

5. Chrissie Hynde – VegiTerranean 

Source: Cleveland Live Music/YouTube

In 2007, Chrissie Hynde – lead singer of The Pretenders – opened VegiTerranean, a vegan restaurant in Akron, Ohio, which stayed afloat for four years before closing. Unfortunately, the economy at the time made it difficult to “keep the restaurant going,” she said. While Hynde herself is vegetarian and not vegan, she was still grateful for the restaurant’s success during its run. In a post announcing the establishment’s closure, she mentioned that “vegan cuisine in Ohio” had “become more appreciated” than she’d previously imagined. At one point, VegiTerranean was named by Business Week as one of the top 5 vegan restaurants in the United States. The restaurant was beloved by both vegans and non-vegans alike, and the cuisine heavily drew from Greek, Italian, and Mediterranean influences. The interior of the place was even said to appear “non-vegan,” with its “crowd of young cosmopolitan diners” and black, cement, and steel “color palette.” Hynde originally opened the restaurant because she wanted somewhere to eat in her hometown of Akron. Some notable menu items include an artichoke appetizer with a red pepper puree and lemon-herb sauce, as well as the white bean salad, frito misto, and Gardein plant-based chicken offerings. The restaurant also catered to those with gluten allergies and/or sensitivities, with the ability to make pizzas and pasta gluten-free. Hynde claims that her dairy farm is cruelty-free, yet the dairy industry is inherently cruel. It’s unfortunate that some people still believe dairy farming to be kind-hearted and hurt-free for the animals, when in fact that is not at all the case. 

6. Spike Mendelsohn – PLNT Burger

Source: WUSA9/YouTube

Spike Mendelsohn, who was a finalist on the popular show “Top Chef,” founded the ever-growing vegan restaurant chain PLNT Burger in 2019. The restaurants offer a vegan version of the typical “greasy fast-food burger,” as well as, shakes made out of oat milk, and more. Their burgers are made from Beyond Meat and come with typical burger topics, along with melted vegan cheese and their signature sauce, and their chick’n sandwiches include faux chicken patties with special seasonings. While the various branches’ menus are typically consistent, certain branches may cater to neighboring areas. For example, the location that opened in Boston’s South End in 2022, partnered with Lovin’ Spoonfuls to rescue and distribute healthy, fresh food that would otherwise be discarded” in the Boston area. 

Mendelsohn, who co-founded the chain with his business partner, Seth Goldman – co-founder of Honest Tea and executive chairman of Beyond Meat – opened his first restaurant in Silver Springs, Maryland at a Whole Foods Market. (In fact, most of the branches are in Whole Foods stores).  PLNT Burger currently has more than 10 locations throughout Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C., and one brick-and-mortar spot in New York City. And, it recently opened a brick-and-mortar location in the Boston area: specifically, in Coolidge Corner. Mendelsohn is known as a celebrity chef, food policy advocate, and restaurateur who also founded a snack company called Eat the Change, which emphasizes “the power and flavor of fungi and vegetables.” Despite his focus on plant-based eating, Mendelsohn wasn’t always advocating for veganism or vegetarianism. However, after he started working in the D.C. area on food policy issues and became intrigued by the impact that plant-based living can have on our food systems, he was on a panel with Goldman, who brought vegan burgers with him. Impressed with the quality of the faux meat, Mendelsohn – whose wife was vegan – started partnering with Beyond Meat, which eventually led to his collaboration with Goldman. 

7. Moby – Little Pine 

Source: World of Vegan/YouTube

Singer/songwriter/musician/producer Moby is perhaps one of the most well-known celebrity animal activists today and has been vegan since 1987. Moby does not shy away from discussing veganism, including on his podcast, Moby Pod – alongside fellow vegan, Lindsay Hicks – and he once gave a TEDx Talk in Venice Beach called “Why I’m A Vegan.”  In 2015, he opened Little Pine, a restaurant and bar in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles. A working nonprofit, Little Pine donated 100 percent of its profits to different animal rights organizations. In 2016, it was named Restaurant of the Year by VegNews and, in 2019, VegOut named it the Best of LA. Unfortunately, Little Pine closed in 2022, primarily due to pandemic-related issues. In 2020, COVID-related shutdowns forced the temporary closure of Little Pine, which reopened later that year with Moby returning as a “silent partner” and a new group of plant-based investors helming the establishment. During the temporary shutdown, restaurant staff alleged that Moby was not responsive to their concerns and questions, and that he left them with no healthcare benefits. In an apology, Moby admitted that he could have handled the shutdown “much better” and that he took full responsibility for any messiness.  

Little Pine was known as a fine-dining bistro that served organic, Mediterranean-inspired food, and also had a retail section with books and art that were curated by Moby. The artist’s goal was to create a space that contained his numerous passions, including architecture, community, organic food, and veganism. His goal, he said, was for the restaurant to provide a “compelling representation of veganism” and for the space to be an extension of his community and neighborhood. The establishment’s decor was designed by Tatum Kendrick, an interior designer, and the building itself was of an Art Deco-style from the 1940s. There were 58 seats, and Moby wouldn’t allow his music to be played in the restaurant. For brunch, Little Pine served vegan versions of things like biscuits and gravy, French toast, and lemon pancakes. Entrees could include Parmesan spinach crepes and stuffed pasta shells, and ingredients were sourced as locally as possible. Beverage-wise, the restaurant served organic wine, beer, coffee, and tea. 

8. John Salley – Cafe Organic

Source: KCAL News/YouTube

Former basketball superstar John Salley, a longtime vegan and advocate for wellness, opened a vegan restaurant, Café Organix, in San Bernardino, CA in 2020. Salley collaborated with Shiloh and Terrance Thibodeaux to open the restaurant, after the three bonded above their passions for cannabis, food justice (particularly in communities of color), and veganism, and the Thibodeaux mention their struggles in finding healthy food in San Bernardino, their hometown. In 2016, the couple opened Plant Organix, a smoothie and CBD store, but it soon became too popular for the smaller space. When a larger space was available, they decided to ask Salley to partner with them to open a new cafe. Salley, who has said he went vegan while still in the NBA, agreed to partner with the Thibodeauxs on one condition: that the menu was fully plant-based, as opposed to the couple’s original plan to include non-vegan options. Fortunately, they complied.

Café Organix is situated near Loma Linda, which is considered a Blue Zone area – i.e., one of five areas in the world where individuals live longer than most. Opening a new restaurant during a pandemic was a risky venture, and Shiloh admitted that doing so was “scary,” but that it all ended up being “perfect timing” because people “cared more about what” they put into their bodies. Luckily, the restaurant was immediately successful, with lines out the door, and this was helped by deliveries. The customers were far-ranging, including both vegans and non-vegans, as well as people who wanted to Support Black-owned businesses such as this. The establishment became appreciated for its friendly employees, outdoor seating, reasonable prices, and overall vibe. The menu has featured various healthy beverages, such as espressos and coffee that have been triple-filtered, juices, and smoothies. The American Woman Cheeseburger has been a favorite, which contains a Beyond patty with vegan cheddar, the typical burger toppings, and their homemade aioli. Other favorites have included the Cajun Shrimp Po Boy and the Hot Damn Burger. But, don’t worry, there’s also dessert: fresh-baked brownies, cookies, churro plantains, cupcakes, and more. Still in operation in 2024, the café now also provides catering services, as well as group reservations, private parties, and various events like karaoke. 

9. RZA – Plant Grants 

Source: Lex Clips/YouTube

The Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA, a long-time vegan who gave up meat in the 1990s, technically has not yet opened his own restaurant. But, in 2021, he partnered with plant-based dairy company Violife to create Plant Grants, a grant program meant for Black-owned restaurants. This program aimed to introduce plant-based foods and ingredients to these restaurants’ menus and to teach these establishments’ chefs about plant-based cooking. As part of the program, specifically chosen applicants would receive $20,000 in grants. The first year was sponsored by notable plant-based brand Violife, and recipes were provided by vegan chefs Laricia Chandler Baker (aka “Chef Fab”) and Compton Vegan’s Lemel Durrah. The Wu-Tang rapper also created a streetwear line, High Snobiety, that is vegan-friendly. 

10. Lucy Watson – Tell Your Friends 

Source: Lucy Watson/YouTube

Lucy Watson, star of the “Made in Chelsea” reality show, has said that watching the powerful documentary “Cowspiracy” is what convinced her to go vegan. Since making this life-changing decision, she has released two vegan Cookbooks – both of which were bestsellers – as well as her own line of vegan desserts and ready-made meals. She once owned Tell Your Friends, a vegan restaurant in London, alongside her sister, Tiffany. Even though her father, Clive Watson, had started and sold several bar chains that were successful, Lucy herself claimed that she didn’t plan to get into hospitality. So, when the Watson sisters decided to open a vegan restaurant, they turned to their dad for advice. Tell Your Friends, which opened in 2018, provided service all day, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner available. During the daytime, the place also sold smoothies and sandwiches to-go and, at night, the establishment’s bar served drinks that were vegan-friendly. 

Due to Lucy’s particularly large following on social media, she knew that “Made in Chelsea” fans from all over the UK would check out Tell Your Friends. Thankfully, too, London was experiencing a boost in its vegan food scene, with vegan fast food locations and pubs opening. Lucy aimed for the restaurant to feature comfort food similar to what was featured in Feed Me Vegan, the cookbook she’d released in 2017. She hoped that this approach would appeal to vegans and non-vegans alike. Unfortunately, Tell Your Friends closed in 2020, after only being open for two years. It’s unclear why exactly it closed, but seeing as it closed shortly before the pandemic, that is not to blame. 

All of the celebrities mentioned above have made it a point to advocate for plant-based eating, and they’ve at least attempted to bring healthier, cruelty-free diets to more mainstream audiences. If a vegan restaurant opens in your town or within driving distance, Support it as often as you can. It’s difficult for any business to stay open, and it’s especially difficult for vegan restaurants. While traveling, use websites such as HappyCow to help you find local vegan or veg-friendly restaurants. 

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