A popular California vegan restaurant, Sage Regenerative Kitchen & Brewery, is closing after 14 years, blaming financial troubles made worse by backlash from its loyal vegan customers, New York Post reports.
The restaurant, with spots in Echo Park and Pasadena, was a favourite for plant-based diners. But owner Mollie Engelhart said adding meat and dairy to the menu this year to draw new customers backfired.
The decision to serve items like bison burgers and cheese, sourced through regenerative farming methods, was intended to align with Engelhart’s passion for sustainable agriculture. “I thought maybe we could merge these two things, my restaurants and my passion for regenerative agriculture, and come to some new pathway,” she told Eater, a digital media brand that covers food and dining in Los Angeles.
The change upset Sage’s loyal vegan customers, who felt betrayed. Angry diners flooded Yelp with one-star reviews. “Will never eat here now that they serve meat,” one wrote, while another said, “You’ve abandoned your core values and the animals. So disappointing.”
Despite their efforts to revive the business—Engelhart and her husband even sold their home to inject funds—Sage struggled to recover. The backlash came to a head when the restaurant announced its closure on Instagram.
Animal rights group Peta was among the critics, commenting on the closing saying, “Serving humane-washed meat, dairy, and eggs under the sham of ‘regenerative farming’ betrayed animals, the planet, and kind customers.”
Many vegans celebrated the closure, calling it “karma” for abandoning its roots. “This is what happens when you betray the animals and your customer base,” read one comment.
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