449 W 19th St

"Verdine, a new vegan eatery formerly known as food truck Ripe Cuisine, has officially opened its doors in a permanent location in the Heights. The restaurant opened its doors for lunch service this week at 449 West 19th Street in the Heights Waterworks development, according to a post to its Instagram account. As Eater reported back in July 2018, the restaurant is a project of Ripe Cuisine food truck chef-owner Stephan Hoban, who decided to give her 100% vegan eatery a new name that she could both trademark and use to reflect her philosophy of “truthful, green dining.” At Verdine, the menu ranges from appetizers like mac and cheese made with “nut-free, vegetable based cheese sauce” and gluten-free pasta and sesame-orange cauliflower to salads and a cheeseburger made with plant-based Beyond Meat. There’s also vegan tacos stuffed with smoked, pulled jackfruit and roasted corn salsa, and a quinoa-bulgur grain bowl. Wine, including natural and organic wines, is also on offer, along with a tight list of beers, kombucha, and lavender lemonade. Scope out the full menu here. Verdine is currently open for lunch, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Stay tuned for more details on when dinner service will be added." - Amy McCarthy