Austin, Texas is about to get a new cafe completely dedicated to vegan cheese.
Founded by Kirsten Maitland and Fred Zwar, the new cafe, named Rebel Cheese, will also serve wine, as well as tofu instead of eggs, carrot lox instead of salmon, and a variety of vegan meats.
“We strongly believe in the transformative power of plant-based food. It can positively change our health, improve animal welfare, and reduce our impact to the planet, but it has to taste good,” notes Maitland and Zwar on the Rebel Cheese website.
The cafe will serve a variety of sandwiches, including the Reuben, which consists of vegan corned beef and thousand island dressing. Smoked gouda, aged brie, blue cheese crumbles, and garlic and herb cream cheese also feature on the menu.
Customers can also choose from a Ploughman’s Platter, a Rebel Cheese plate, and a Charcuterie board loaded with vegan meats and cheeses.
“We started Rebel Cheese because we yearned to once again create a picnic with artisan cheeses, to throw together a pizza with meltable mozzarella, and be able to show our friends that vegan cheese can taste good,” add the founders.
They continued, “Our goal is to prove to the world that less harmful alternatives can exist, hopefully convincing people to give plant-based diets a try, even if only for a couple of days a week.”
Meat-Loving Texas Embraces Plant-Based Foods
Meat-heavy Texas is becoming more vegan-friendly; at the end of last year, the opening of a new food truck called Plow-B-Q was announced. it was revealed that the Austin-based truck would serve half chickens created from vegan Beyond Meat, as well as vegan shrimp and pulled pork.
In fall 2018, plant-based burger chain Next Level Burger opened a new location in Austin. Like Plow-B-Q, the restaurant serves Beyond Meat, as well as a selection of veggie patties, vegan milkshakes, and hot dogs. Last summer, the state’s first-ever vegan butcher Hip Peaz — based in San Antonio — revealed it couldn’t keep up with the demand for its plant-based meats.
Rebel Cheese is set to join Texas’ growing vegan scene this summer, opening on Aldrich Street in Mueller, Austin.
