Black-Owned Vegan Barbecue Joint to Open in Atlanta

New vegan restaurant Grass VBQ Joint is slated to open in Atlanta in December. Chef Terry Sargent first opened the vegan barbecue concept as a local pop-up and will bring his 20 years of cooking experience to his first brick-and-mortar location. The menu features a variety of “sammiches,” including Clucker (chicken sandwich), Groveway (which features pulled jackfruit), Titustown (made with “veef” brisket), and Smoked Lobstah Roll, which are all served with a side of potato chips. Grass VBQ also offers vegan jerk wings, a sampler platter of its vegan meats served with sides of mac and cheese and stout baked beans, and a selection of desserts. 

The eatery’s goal is to “provide traditional southern Q, without the guilt.” To that end, Grass VBQ cold-smokes its vegan meats for five hours using a blend of Georgia hickory, maple, and cherry wood; slow-simmers its Alabama White, Creole Mustard Gold, and Vidalia Onion sauces for several hours; and grills Georgia peaches to create its Bourbon Burnt Sugar Peach Crumble dessert.

The new eatery will join a growing number of vegan businesses in Atlanta, alongside burger chain Slutty Vegan, taco shop Chi Chi Vegan, and pizza shop Plant Based Pizzeria.