Image credit: Sage Regenerative Kitchen
Months after adding meat to its menu, California’s Sage Regenerative Kitchen, a formerly vegan restaurant, has closed its doors permanently.
Previously known as Sage Plant-Based Bistro & Brewery, the restaurant had been a mainstay in the Los Angeles vegan dining scene for over a decade. In April 2024, facing mounting financial difficulties, the restaurant rebranded as Sage Regenerative Kitchen. It began serving “regeneratively farmed” meat and dairy products. The move was intended to attract a broader customer base, but it alienated its loyal vegan patrons and sparked significant backlash.
Sage chef Mollie Englehart defended the decision then, stating, “I want to give meat-eaters an opportunity to purchase meat at a restaurant that comes from cleaner, healthier, better sources. That doesn’t really exist right now, and I feel like that is a wide-open space for me to move into.” She described the shift as a “more scalable path forward that is better for the animals.”
However, the decision drew outrage from customers, animal rights groups, and even Sage’s employees. Critics accused the restaurant of betraying its original values of compassion and sustainability. PETA denounced the move on Instagram, stating, “Regenerative Agriculture is a SHAM if it involves animals. This is such a huge betrayal to animals, the Earth, and your customers.”
Despite the pivot, the financial struggles persisted, leading to the closure of its remaining locations in Echo Park and Pasadena on January 5, 2025. The restaurant announced its closure via Instagram, explaining that it remained “in the same predicament” despite the menu changes.
The announcement was met with mixed reactions, with some celebrating the closure as a win for animal rights. PETA commented, “LA’s first and LAST regenerative kitchen. Serving humane-washed meat, dairy, and eggs under the sham of ‘regenerative farming’ betrayed animals, the planet, and kind customers who weren’t duped by your cruel choices.”
Another comment chimed in: “This is a great day for animals. One less butcher shop posing as a restaurant in town.
Sage is not the only former vegan restaurant in Los Angeles to introduce animal proteins to its menu—Hot Tongue Pizza, Elf Cafe, Burgerlords, and Margo’s have all made similar changes over the past year or so.
Rising operational costs, shifting consumer habits, and intense competition have created a difficult environment for businesses to thrive – vegan and non-vegan alike. These pressures have impacted even high-profile establishments, highlighting that the struggle is not exclusive to plant-based restaurants but a broader issue within the hospitality sector.