Vedge

The story

Vedge Philadelphia – Michelin-Recommended Vegetable Fine Dining by Rich Landau & Kate Jacoby

Vedge is a vegetable restaurant. That simple, confident statement from James Beard-nominated Chefs Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby sets the tone for what they have built in Philadelphia’s Center City. Housed in the historic Tiger Building, an elegant brownstone at 1221 Locust Street, Vedge has been a destination for refined, plant-based dining since 2011.

The vision behind Vedge

Chefs Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby met in 2001 and spent nearly a decade working together before opening Vedge. Their goal was an elegant but approachable modern fine dining experience inspired by local, seasonal vegetables and bold global flavors. At a time when few vegan restaurants offered an elevated setting with a full wine and beverage program, they saw an opportunity. Vedge looks like any upscale restaurant in town—it just happens to serve only vegetables.

Landau, an early pioneer of modern plant-based dining, opened his first restaurant in 1994. A six-time James Beard finalist for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic and two-time “Best Chef in Philadelphia” winner from Philadelphia Magazine, he has spent three decades demonstrating the creative possibilities of vegetable cuisine. Jacoby, a James Beard-nominated pastry chef and certified sommelier, oversees the desserts and wine program. Together they have authored five cookbooks, including “Vedge: 100 Plates Large and Small that Redefine Vegetable Cooking.”

The dining experience

Vedge offers both an à la carte dinner menu and a tasting menu. The kitchen’s seasonal whims sit alongside classics that have built the restaurant’s reputation. The beverage program is equally considered: natural wines from about 70 producers, craft beers, and a produce-driven cocktail list. The bar was an early pioneer in the natural wine movement, and cocktails like the “Sea Legs” (mezcal, salers, sugar snap pea, lemon) show the same vegetable-forward thinking that defines the food.

The restaurant is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 5pm, with extended hours on Friday and Saturday. The intimate brownstone setting, with its private dining options, suits both special occasions and regular evenings out.

Recognition and legacy

Vedge has earned consistent acclaim. Shortly after opening, GQ named it one of the best new restaurants. Eater included it on the first list of the 38 essential restaurants in the nation. Philadelphia Magazine awarded it 3½ stars and ranked it 4th on their 50 best list in 2014. In 2016, Philadelphia Inquirer critic Craig LaBan gave Vedge a rare four-bell review, the highest possible rating. Philadelphia Magazine later named it one of the most important restaurants of the last decade, and in 2018 Food & Wine included Vedge among the 40 most important restaurants of the last 40 years.

In 2025, the Michelin guide recognized Vedge as a recommended restaurant in Philadelphia, cementing its status as a destination for anyone seeking vegetable cuisine at its finest.

The farm connection

Landau and Jacoby operate their own organic farm, Lost Glove, in Chester County, which supplies produce to the restaurant. This connection to the land reinforces their commitment to seasonality and quality. When not in the kitchen, the couple tends the farm and travels with their son, always searching for their next great food experience.

Vedge is more than a vegan restaurant. It is a place where vegetables take center stage, treated with the same respect and technique as any fine-dining kitchen. For nearly 15 years, it has welcomed guests from around the world—and a loyal core of Philadelphia regulars—to experience what happens when chefs who grew up with a carnivore’s palate translate their vision into a purely vegetable cuisine.