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We’re packing our bags and heading straight to Orlando, Florida! Vegan chef Mary Mattern, author of Nom Yourself and former touring chef for Blink-182, Ellie Goulding, and others, plans to open an all-vegan eatery! The restaurant, called Heirloom Deli, is set to open this coming April and Mattern is opening her new digs alongside her fiancé Neil Westfall — a guitarist for the pop-punk band A Day to Remember (ADTR). Nom, indeed!

The Baltimore-born chef recently moved to Florida and she was nostalgic for her childhood visits to Jewish delis. “The concept of being able to grab a sandwich and a couple different sides was always so appealing to me. Looking through a deli case and seeing all the options. I want to create that in Orlando using plants,” Mattern told VegNews about the new endeavor.


Heirloom Deli will serve many of Mattern’s childhood favorites, all made from vegan meats and cheese and will source produce from local companies.

Nom Yourself

Shiitake Mushroom Po’boy with Remoulade, Hearts of Palm Crab Cake Sandwich with Lemon Dill, and Meatball Parm Subs (pictured) are all on the menu. We’re not drooling, you’re drooling.

“We want to show people you can have the convenience of grabbing food quickly and still eat plant-based and it doesn’t have to just be a salad,” Mattern told VegNews.


Mattern is also working on our second cookbook. We can’t wait!


Eating plant-based meals when dining out is no longer the fringe trend it once was, thanks to compassionate chefs like Mattern. A recent study revealed that nearly 40 percent of Americans are choosing to avoid meat entirely when eating out at restaurants and are picking plant-based options instead!

Cheers to a new restaurant that will, hopefully, encourage more folks to try plant-based foods. To learn more about trends in the plant-based food space, click here.


Image source: Heirloom Deli/Instagram