Why This Plateau Pizzeria Went Vegan, Less Than One Year After Opening | Eater Montreal

"After converting to an all-vegan menu on June 21, I watched the one-year-old Plateau pizzeria reinvent itself under owner DJ Bhate, who largely credits front-of-house manager Mike Long — a vegan for 20 years — for persuading him to go fully plant-based. Bhate admits he probably lost customers who ordered the Soprano (formerly his best-seller, stacked with chopped chorizo, sliced prosciutto, capocollo, and molten provolone) but thinks he gained others; he was also bothered that the shop had been discarding about two litres of meat every week and was swayed by Long’s warnings about industrial livestock’s environmental impacts. He felt his existing vegan pizzas were already excellent, especially the Lisa Simpson (sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, slivered almonds), which had become a close second and outsold most meatier options, so the new menu now offers 12 vegan pies, including a pesto with artichokes, roasted cherry tomatoes, and organic vegan cheese; a Thai-peanut pie with roasted red peppers, coriander, shallots, artichokes, and sriracha; and the Lisa Simpson. Positioned as the city’s only all-vegan pizza joint, Chez Zac also offers a vegan all-dressed topped with seitan instead of pepperoni, and is open Wednesday through Monday, 1 to 9 p.m., at 8 Duluth Avenue East." - Valerie Silva