The Detroit Jerky Mega Guide To Local Vegan Eats (all of which will be at VegFest)
Let me explain exactly what this post is.
For starters, as we’ve said we were fans of Detroit Jerky before we acquired the company. So of course we were fans of plenty of other vegan food companies. Restaurants, food trucks, bakeries, snack makers and really anything vegan (including you know, just – vegetables).
Always on the hunt.
Well if you find yourself on the same hunt or even if you’re just curious, you can be the proverbial kid-in-a-candy-store this weekend on Sunday June 2nd at VEGMichigan’s Spring VegFest Presented by Unburger from 10-4 at Eastern Market in Detroit where WE are proud sponsors and will have a booth in shed 5! So COME GET YOUR JERKY!!!
But come hungry and bring lots of cash. You can splurge and stock up like very few other opportunities, and we want to highlight ALL of the vendors we are familiar with so you know what you HAVE to try.
And to be clear, a few ground rules here:
1) This guide will serve you long after this event if you follow these folks online and continue to enjoy their food and support them.
2) We don’t know ALL of the vendors so these are not the ONLY vendors you should seek out. Some of the ones we don’t know look awesome. Actually this is really just a list of the options I (Doug) personally have tried since I’m the one writing this, and it doesn’t include ALL vegan options in Metro Detroit of which there are many – just the ones which will be at VegFest.
3) I’ve included a couple photos that I was able to go back and find – but sometimes the food doesn’t last long enough for the camera or I wasn’t thinking “blog worthiness” at the time when I snapped and/or deleted the photos.
***Oh, almost forgot the added little shameless plug – you can always get your jerky here on the site if you miss VegFest.
Okay now that we know the rules let’s get to it.
The Detroit Jerky Mega Guide To Vegan Eats
I’m pretty much going to go right down the list at the VEGMichigan website which is in alphabetical order and by category. BUT – I’m starting with:
Zella’s Bakery Starting with Z lands you at the end enough, and sisters Tolani & Maia Anthony whom we recently met at Stone & Spoon’s Vegan Spring Fling are too cool to simply be a victim of obligatory “save the best for last” condescension. Hehe… They are awesome, and their sweet and spicy Brussels sprouts are out of control good. We first encountered their products at the Detroit People’s Food Co-op (also represented at VegFest) where we tried the lemon citrus and oatmeal cranberry cookies – also great. Everything they do is vegan. Both the garlic and BBQ potato chips are fantastic and the Ozella’s Carrot Cake is a MUST. Whoa.
Chive We’ve been fans of Chive for a long time. Ally even surprised me for my 50th during Covid with a full Chocolate Beet Cake for a little socially distanced outdoor surprise party she got me with. That cake is special – incredible. Chive is located in downtown Farmington and they specialize in catering and private events – everything we’ve ever tried there has been great (not just desserts).
Chive’s Chocolate Beet Cake!
Craveable Food Trailer We just met these folks at Stone & Spoon as well and they did a really nice General Tso’s for that event. Their little cheesecake cups were amazing… I liked the berry one.
Fork In Nigeria Okay can we talk about Fork In Nigeria? Let’s just say they know me there at their food truck on the Avenue Of Fashion in Detroit. If you’ve never had Fufu & Egusi you’ve made a big mistake that you need to fix. Not to mention their jolloff rice & plantains are the bomb as well. Not everything on their menu is vegan, but the vegan options are worth seeking out. Have fufu? Will travel.
Shimmy Shack If you’re a vegan or like vegan food in Detroit you probably already know Shimmy Shack. They were Michigan’s first and only 100% vegan and gluten free food truck and they are still at it. Currently I’m a fan of their Cowgirl Cookie, the Strawberry Loveprint Cookie and especially their Pride Cookie! They have plenty of savory options and you should chase down that truck if you don’t get to them at VegFest.
The Kitchen by Cooking With Que What a cool concept – Que does meal prep, special events and classes at her store on Woodward close to the New Center. We were there for a an “Afterwork Wine Down” on a Friday evening where they had a DJ and had the most awesome cauliflower buffalo bites – OMG. Not 100% vegan but a big emphasis on vegan options.
More Life Foods Another one we met at Stone & Spoon and their peach cobbler is OFF THE HOOK. Pretty sure I had two of them.
The Mushroom Angel Company YUM. Amazing mushroom based vegan burgers – seriously great texture and flavor – and you can usually find them at Eastern Market. A family biz and they are really nice.
Unburger I haven’t been down to Unburger in Dearborn in a minute but the couple times I went it rocked. I’ll also always have a fond memory of taking my parents there probably five years ago (?). Great vegan joint and they have gone all in sponsoring this event! Give them some love.
Vedged Out! I first tried the Vedged Out! food truck at Orchard Mall for the Food Truck Rally there where we have our other business Frameable Faces Photography and I fell in love with their burritos – so good.
Good Cakes And Bakes We met these folks at the Corktown Block Party recently and they’ve also perfected the vegan carrot cake. WOW.
Give and Grow Mushrooms This is our go to at Eastern Market whenever we go. Amazing variety of fresh mushrooms that they grow themselves with the exception of the wild Morels but they often have a bunch of those too. Always helpful with recipes that they give you the printouts for too!
Nakee Butter Our current obsession which you probably know if you follow our Instagram stories… lol. So damn good and we love their approach to the business. Spreads With Benefits!
A couple of jars of Spreads With Benefits!
Of course we love vegan products from a couple of chains that will be there too like Ben & Jerry’s (the best vegan ice cream in the game for my money) and Cinnaholic (forget about the cinnamon rolls – I’m there for the banana and lemonberry cakes).
So there you go – tons of options this Sunday and in Metro Detroit in general, and if you are elsewhere some of these vendors will ship to you! Give them a try – you won’t be disappointed.
