A different kind of butcher has opened in east Allentown.
The Vegan Butcher, a fast-casual restaurant offering “healthful food options for all diets,” opened Monday at 768 Union Blvd., according to co-owner Ayoub Abboud.
The building previously housed other restaurants, including Taco Bell and, most recently, Joy Donuts & Comfort Food.
“We’re not targeting vegans or any other group,” said Abboud, who’s operating the eatery with his nephew, James Shleiwet. “We’re just looking to promote healthy eating by offering everyone quality, fresh food at its best. I like to call it elevated fast food.”
Abboud and Shleiwet chose to open their restaurant on the city’s East Side in order to provide more healthful options in an area replete with fast-food chains.
They also implemented low prices — menu items top out at $10 — to attract a clientele from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
“We want to attract everybody, including that demographic of people who may have thought they don’t have the resources to eat properly,” Abboud said. “The reason a lot of people aren’t eating healthy is simply due to where they live and the very limited choices that are available to them.”
Abboud and Shleiwet consulted with physicians, dietitians and nutritionists in developing the menu, which will expand to include salads, juices and more in the coming weeks.
Some options, including burgers, tacos and banh mi sandwiches, are available in traditional and vegan styles.
For example, customers can choose between a beef or tofu barbacoa banh mi sandwich, which includes pickled red onions and jalapenos, daikon radish, carrots and cilantro aioli on a French baguette.
They also can choose between pork belly or tofu street tacos, which feature homemade tortillas, pickled ginger, cilantro and creme fraiche.
“We grind all of our meats on-site and we also do a lot of braising, where we only use veggie stock,” Abboud said. “We also plan to use only vegan cheese instead of customary cheddar or American.”
Three burgers, available with a beef or plant-based Impossible patty, include the Guapo (pico de gallo topped with avocado dressing), the Rose-Marie (diced tomato and red onion topped with rosemary aioli) and the “ChiPs” (caramelized onions drizzled with chipotle aioli).
Other menu highlights include a breakfast sandwich, soy fried rice bowl and sides such as soy bok choy and fries (lemon or truffle).
For vegans worrying about cross contamination, Abboud stresses that separate utensils, cutting boards and other equipment are used for all vegan dishes.
Abboud, who most recently worked as a cook at Allentown’s Union & Finch restaurant, has been involved in the restaurant industry for decades, starting as a bus boy at age 13.
In 2006, he graduated with a degree in political science from the University of Buffalo, which led to financial jobs in Boston and New York City.
The corporate jobs did not satisfy him, however, and he eventually moved back to Buffalo to operate a slider-focused food truck for four years.
“Cooking keeps luring me back,” said Abboud, who won several cooking contests while working in Buffalo. “I’ve worked with some incredible chefs, who all took me under their wing, and I owe so much to them. I just feel at home in the kitchen.”
The Vegan Butcher, which is on Instagram, features a wide array of retro decor, including a wall of cassette tapes and displays of old vinyl records, VHS tapes and action figures.
Soft opening hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, Abboud said. Following the restaurant’s grand opening in early April, hours will expand to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
