Headed up by celebrity chef Daudi “Da Vegan Guru” McLean, the vegan soul food joint will be Memphis’ first full-service Black-owned vegan restaurant.
Celebrity chef Daudi “Da Vegan Guru” McLean has been vegan for over 30 years and has spent that time catering to exclusive clients like Cedric the Entertainer and the Green Bay Packers and opening several vegan restaurants across the US. His newest project—Guru’s City Vegan (GCV)—is set to open in Memphis this November.
Memphis’ First Full-Service Black-Owned Vegan Restaurant
Guru’s City Vegan is set to open later this year, with a soft opening date of late November. In the meantime, Chef McLean will be doing pop-ups across the city in preparation. On October 23, you can find GCV at Grind City Brewery with a pop-up menu full of vegan soul food offerings. For $15, customers will get a plate of vegan soul food as a sneak peak of what will be offered at the brick-and-mortar. Options include ribs, fried chicken, mac ‘n’ cheese, candied yams, and black-eyed peas. The event starts at 4pm, and food will be available until it sells out!
When the brick-and-mortar restaurant opens, it will be located at 509 S Highland St, Memphis, TN 38111 near the University of Memphis campus. The menu will have all of the classic soul food favorites, full lunch and breakfast menus (don’t miss out on Chef’s famous “fluff daddy” pancakes!), and a juice and smoothie bar.
About Chef Daudi “Da Vegan Guru” McLean
Once a former New York City firefighter, Chef McLean switched to professional cooking after adopting a vegan diet to lose weight. After losing over 100 pounds in less than a year, McLean never looked back and has been sharing his food with his communities ever since.
Chef McLean’s professional resume includes catering for large Hollywood productions and opening several vegan restaurants. Countless celebrities have supported his endeavors, and big names such as John Salley, Usher, and Travis Barker have enjoyed food from his Los Angeles restaurant 2Good! Veggie Kitchen (which is now permanently closed).
Give Guru’s City Vegan a follow on Instagram at @gurucityvegan901 for updates.
