ӣƵ is home to an incredible array of restaurants, and many of the city’s best spots for vegan, vegetarian and plant-based dining are owned and operated by Black women. From SweetArt Bakeshop + Café and Adina’s Vegan Cuisine to Bougie Bites STL, these eateries have redefined how the city experiences and understands vegan cuisine.
Despite the restaurant industry’s notorious instability, these businesses and their owners have managed to feed and nourish ӣƵ through the years, not only becoming leaders in their communities but also exposing more people to the benefits of plant-based food. Statistically speaking, about 41 percent of restaurant businesses are minority-owned, according to the National Restaurant Association. Only 9 percent of those are owned by Black entrepreneurs. However, according to the Pew Research Center, “a nonpartisan think tank that provides insights on social issues, public opinion and demographic trends,” Black-owned businesses in the U.S. have experienced significant growth in recent years. And in the U.S. in general, Black business owners are more likely to be men than women.
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So, what’s the link between these broader statistics and the plant-based food ventures led by Black women in ӣƵ? Reine Keis, owner of SweetArt Bakeshop + Café and SweetArt Too, theorizes that the world has not traditionally associated plant-based eating and lifestyles with Black culture. “I know when I first opened in 2008, I was making food that I was eating at home, and my family and friends were also eating that way,” she explains. “Now, veganism is becoming more associated with Black people, and we’re added into the construct of what good vegan food is. It’s definitely something that’s associated with the culture; we want delicious vegan food that makes us think of our upbringing and that’s soulful, flavored and seasoned.” Growing up, Keis’ grandparents always had vegetables on the table – salad, greens, sweet potatoes, corn and more. They weren’t vegetarian, but they cooked and prepared mostly whole foods and plenty of vegetables. “I think a lot of Black people gravitate toward vegan and vegetarian diets because they care about their diets,” Keis continues. “They want to offset some of the things that have been associated with Black folks in the culture – high blood pressure and diabetes and things like that. We’ve always wanted to take care of ourselves and eat better.”
At Adina’s Vegan Cuisine, opened in Pagedale in 2022 by Cheryl (Adina) McKinney and her daughter Vicki (Ahturah) Jordan, McKinney points to the fact that the world of plant-based food can be tricky to navigate – especially if you’re not sure how to incorporate more vegetables into your routine. “We make dishes that most people know and love but with a healthy twist, so the dishes aren’t completely foreign to someone who’s new or curious about vegan food,” she says. “There’s an awakening that’s happening, and we as a community are starting to realize how important health is. The food you eat has a direct correlation with how healthy you are or will be in the future.”
McKinney began her journey into vegan eating more than 28 years ago after becoming ill at a restaurant and having to be hospitalized. By that point, she and her husband had already started to think about food from a health standpoint. “[That experience] felt like a clear sign to change,” she recalls. “From there, I wanted to make sure I continued to create dishes that my family would eat and love. This got my creative juices flowing.” She and Jordan have been coming up with new ideas for recipes ever since.
So far, entrepreneur and Bougie Bites STL owner Latoya Elnora Thompson has been using a food truck and ghost kitchen to prepare her vegetarian and plant-based fare. Her brick-and-mortar location is due to open this year. Thompson founded the brand because she wanted to offer plant-based food that feels “indulgent, familiar and accessible.” She didn’t grow up vegan – nor did many people in her community, she remembers. But like McKinney, Thompson wanted to focus on creating plant-based comfort food that was anything but intimidating. “[Some] people assume vegan food is bland, overly ‘healthy’ or just not for them, and I love proving them wrong,” she laughs. “By making plant-based food approachable and crave-worthy, we’re creating space for more people – whether they’re vegan, plant-curious or just looking for something new – to enjoy food that aligns with their values and tastes good.”
Thompson says she values the link between plant-based eating and Black culture, that her restaurant ownership is part of that dialogue. And in her cooking, she aims to honor her roots while pushing positivity forward. “The connection has always been there; it’s just evolving,” she explains. “If you look back, our ancestors were eating plant-based food long before it was called that. Fresh produce, grains, legumes – that was survival, that was culture. Now, more people in the Black community are rediscovering that.”
Keis remains hopeful that future generations will see continued progress – both in the growing appreciation for plant-based eating and in creating more opportunities for Black restaurant owners. “Being a Black woman in this industry … you’re not even thinking of how hard it is because the industry in general is very hard,” she explains. “I’ve never been invited to the club of ‘those in the know.’ [As Black women], we’re constantly on the outskirts. This is not an industry designed to highlight women at all, and it’s hard for everyone. You do it because you’re passionate, and you get your customers. That’s who you’re doing it for.”
For Jordan, one half of Adina’s, concentrating on the growth of Black-owned businesses – and nourishing ӣƵ in general – is essential. “We just continue to do what we love to do, which is prepare delicious plant-based food and share it with the community,” she says. “We receive support from vegans and non-vegans who are black, white, men, women, et cetera, [all from] diverse backgrounds. We love serving the community, and the support we receive in return makes it all worth it.”
And rather than giving too much thought to the statistics, Thompson concentrates on the present moment, the matters close at hand. “Being an entrepreneur in the food industry … comes with challenges – from being underestimated to navigating spaces that weren’t built with me in mind,” she says. “But I don’t spend time thinking about who’s in the room – I focus on making sure I belong there. … What I see is a growing community of people – especially women, especially people of color – who are stepping into food spaces and changing the narrative. Representation matters: Not just in the food itself, but in who’s leading the business.”
Adina’s Vegan Cuisine, 6746 Page Ave. Ste. 120 A, ӣƵ, Missouri,
Bougie Bites STL,
SweetArt and SweetArt Too, multiple locations,
