Kaya's Cafe in Asbury Park closed for good this week

After a year and a half in business, Kaya's Cafe in Asbury Park closed its doors this past Sunday. The vegan restaurant's Facebook page announced the closing on Thanksgiving Day.

Owner Omer Basatemur said Asbury Park fans will still be able to use online ordering services to get their food from Kaya's Kitchen in Belmar, which has been in business for 17 years. He also owns Planted Plate in Princeton, which opened in January.

Basatemur cited the continuing labor shortage, as well as the proximity of the Belmar location, as the reasons for shutting down.

"I think Belmar and Asbury Park were too close to each other and taking business away from each other," he said.

Originally, the idea for Kaya's Cafe in Asbury Park was a bit different. They wanted to have longer hours, and be open when bars and live music venues let out. But because there wasn't much happening during the pandemic, it became a breakfast and lunch spot.

Taylor Sam's:Breakfast classics and more on Brick restaurant's expanded menu

"Over the last year and a half, with three different restaurants, it's been really difficult," he said. "It was hard to have enough reliable and dependable staff to keep the places operating all the time the way they're supposed to, and Asbury Park was the most headache."

Many of the breakfast options from the Asbury Park menu will be transferred to the Belmar menu, like their vegan pork roll sandwiches and tofu scrambled egg platters. There also will be new items, like the vegan Italian hoagie.

 With a vegan soft sub roll and vegan mayo, an array of Italian deli meats from Plant Provisions, and Violife smoked provolone, the hoagie also features lettuce, tomato, onion and herb-infused oil and vinegar.

After being in the vegan restaurant industry for over 20 years, Basatemur said there hasn't been realistic meat options like these available.

"Brands that have been around, like tofurkey, have been rubbery and chewy, and they haven't had much flavor. It was kind of just a filler for your sandwich," he said. "But this sandwich has really good flavor, and they use more wholesome, plant-based ingredients that are gluten and soy free."

Story continues after gallery

And the menu may be expanded, Basatemur said.

"A lot of new products have come out in the last year or two, including things you'd never be able to get years ago," he said. "Our new menu is going to incorporate a lot of new products and ideas."

Attention home bakers:Share your cookie recipe and be featured this December

While the choice to close was hard, knowing Asbury Park customers still have access to their food helps.

"There weren't too many vegan options in town and we are [grateful] to have fulfilled that void," he said. "We've gained a lot of regulars, and made a lot of friends who've supported us along the way. ... We hope they find a way to get our food from Belmar, whether that means driving over or using DoorDash and Grubhub."

Gabriela L. Laracca recently joined the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey and eagerly brings her passion for cuisine and culture to our readers. Send restaurant tips to glaracca@gannett.com.