Video by Spencer Asher

Magdelena’s Savories & Sweets is a restaurant located in Petaluma, California that has “Absolutely Vegetarian and Abundantly Vegan” written on their front door.  This means that the entire menu is vegetarian, but any dish can be made vegan by requesting vegan cheese.  Magdelena’s offers savory rolls, sandwiches, salads, pizza, as well as a variety of sweet rolls.  

Greta Canton, the owner of Magdelena’s, explained that, “There’s a thousand things that need to happen for us to transform what is an environmental crisis, but I think that one of the key things that you can do is eat a plant-based diet.”  

Magdelena’s wide variety of food makes it easy to order what you want and feel that you are helping the planet at the same time without compromising on taste.  Their savory Just Egg, Garlic, Vegan Cheese & “Facon” Roll is perfect for grabbing breakfast on the go.  Their Vegan Black Sheep Burger is made with vegan lamb.  

By selling food like salads, and veggie pizzas along with imitation meat like the Black Sheep Burger and their Vegan Drumsticks, Magdelena’s appeals to a wide range of taste that will satisfy the veggie lover and the meat lover alike.

Canton explained that “I think [people] can expect fresh ingredients, the majority locally sourced.  We really like to be part of the community fabric, so I buy everything from Greenstring Farm to the food co-op down the road.”

Magdelena’s locally sourced ingredients and commitment to plant-based food makes them a sustainable restaurant.  This sets a standard for other restaurants trying to be more plant-based.  By locally sourcing their ingredients, they hugely reduce their carbon footprint.  By making all their dishes potentially vegan, they reduce a lot of carbon emissions that come from animal agriculture.  

Whether you live in Petaluma, or want to make the trip from somewhere else, stop by Magdelena’s and treat yourself to something plant-based and delicious.