HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- The Richmond Black Restaurant Experience (RBRE) is a week-long event celebrating 37 Black-owned restaurants and 25 Black-owned food trucks throughout the Richmond region. Founders Shemicia Bowen, Kelli Lemon, and Amy Wentz said the purpose of the event is to highlight the diversity of cuisines within the Black restaurant industry, increase visibility, and help minority businesses grow while giving back to the community.
CBS 6 anchor GeNienne Samuels spent a week visiting some of the participating restaurants to provide an inside look at the businesses.
In Southside Richmond, she found Philly Vegan to be a perfect example of the diversity within the Black culinary industry.
She said Philly Vegan makes plant-based cuisine that tastes great and has not only grabbed the attention of those in Richmond but also a celebrity.
Actress, writer, and social media personality Tabitha Brown, who produces videos incorporating veganism, humor, and motivation, recently called Philly Vegan to cater her 45th birthday. Brown was in town for a book signing.
"What was going through your mind when you all received that call that she wanted you to cater for her?" GeNienne asked Philly Vegan co-owner Celicia Hartridge.
“What?!?" Hartridge replied. "Tabitha Brown wants us?"
“She loved it," Hartridge continued. "So much that she follows up on our social media platforms."
Customer Jaelin Hatchett told GeNienne that the taste of the food is turning him into a Philly Vegan regular.
'That’s why I keep coming up. If it didn’t taste right, I wouldn’t be here. One and done," Hatchett said.
He said he's visited the restaurant five times and has tried just about everything on the menu.
His favorites are the Philly cheesesteak, egg rolls, and health drinks.
Dexter Harris, Jr., who moved to Richmond a few years ago for military training, grabs a meal at Philly Vegan every Friday.
“Everything is always fresh. I always come here and I leave here smiling every time," he said.
Harris said he went vegan a few years ago, so he cooks vegan meals at home.
He told GeNienne that eating at Philly Vegan feels like a home-cooked meal.
“It shows how much preparation, energy, love, affection, whatever you want to say that they put in their food. You really can't tell the difference. It's actually very, very, very, very, very good. And it's very well seasoned. So you definitely won't leave here disappointed. I can assure you that," he said.
Celicia Hartridge and her family cooked up the plant-based concept in their kitchen and they are appreciative of the support they have received and are proud that even non-vegans stop by for lunch or dinner.
“Over 70% of our customers, aren’t vegan," she said. "So to have this transitional type food to help people see that vegan isn’t just salads, makes us feel proud."
In addition to the rave reviews GeNienne heard while there, Philly Vegan has a “pay what you can” program once a month. Just like it sounds, customers can come and pay as much as they can afford or pay a little extra to help pay it forward to someone in need.
GeNienne previously visited Farm + Oak in Innsbrook as part of her Richmond Black Restaurant Experience tour.
To plan your week, grab aRBRE checklist here.
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