More Details on Passyunk Square’s Soon-to-Open Vegan Commissary


Photo by J. Fusco for GPTMC

Photo by J. Fusco for GPTMC

There are two reasons that I’ve been ridiculously excited about Vegan Commissary, the soon-to-open vegan cafe in Passyunk Square, ever since I read about it on Passyunk Post: 1) A new vegan restaurant! Yay!, and 2) It’s in my neighborhood! Woo! I chatted with owner Steve Laurence to get some more details about what we can expect.

Vegan Commissary will be located at 1703 South 11th Street, just a half block off Passayunk Avenue, in the space where Laurence’s wholesale business already operates. (You’ve seen his vegan spreads, scrambles and sandwich fillings at Sook Hee’s Produce in the Comcast Center, the Last Drop at 13th and Pine, and Good Karma Cafe at 22nd and Pine.) The cafe is currently in build-out mode, with an official opening date pegged for sometime in November. It’ll be a neighborhood joint through and through—a casual vibe, farm-to-table food, and a blackboard menu that changes regularly—with the goal of eventually being 100 percent organic.

His plan as of now is to offer dinner—small plates, pasta, veggie burgers, et al.—and weekend brunch (Sundays only at first, with Saturdays being added as demand grows). They’ll also offer a curated ginger-beverage list (fun!), vegan sushi on Fridays and Saturdays, and a BYO happy hour on Thursdays, with suggested wine pairings for individual items. When it opens, Vegan Commissary won’t offer carryout, but Laurence said they’re working on securing a delivery contract through a bike-delivery service.

“We want this to feel like a community center where vegans can come and eat a good meal without spending a fortune,” says Laurence, adding that nothing on the menu will top $20. “This restaurant was six years in the making, and we couldn’t be happier with how it’s coming together.”