YPSILANTI, MI -- An Ypsilanti restaurant has taken to the road as it transitions between two permanent locations.
Vegano Italiano, a vegan Italian restaurant previously at 530 N. Huron St., Ypsilanti, closed its brick-and-mortar location in July of this year after issues with the building. The restaurant moved into its food truck —nicknamed “the tiny restaurant” — shortly after.
“That same week that we found out we had to leave the brick and mortar, we had a family friend call, and they were like, ‘Hey, we have this food truck. Do you guys want it,’” said Maryrose Angelo, owner of Vegano Italiano.
Angelo drove the truck back to Michigan from Syracuse, New York. The truck had previously spent 30 years at the New York State Fair.
“It’s got some life to it and some history,” Angelo said. “So, we fixed it up, brought it back to Michigan, hoping to give it just as much more life here.”
Vegano Italiano opened its Ypsilanti location in October 2021, serving up vegan Italian food such as pesto pasta, eggplant cutlets and vegetable lasagna. Although the restaurant has had to cut its menu during its transition to the “tiny restaurant,” the current menu includes cauliflower wings, macaroni and cheese and the meatball sub. The winter menu will also include pesto pasta and penne a la vodka.
Read more: Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Vegano Italiano brings New York-style vegan pizza to Ypsilanti
The restaurant serves exclusively vegan food and uses substitutes like VioLife cheese and Impossible Meat.
Angelo has plans to open a new location in Willis, roughly 15 minutes away from Ypsilanti, in April 2023. She will continue to run the food truck even after the new location opens, she said.
“It’s been so fun, being able to get out and about, being able to go out and engage with customers,” Angelo said. “It’s been amazing.”
The Vegano Italiano food truck will be at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market, in Ypsilanti’s Depot and a variety of other businesses. Find Vegano Italiano online, on social media or by phone at 734-340-2617.
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