A Vegan Pub Is Opening Near Fenway Park With Help From Matthew Kenney

Plant-based eaters looking forward to Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Opening Day games can expect more than just peanuts and crackerjacks. Boston Red Sox fans will now be able to eat fully vegan meals at a pub close to Fenway Park. Celebrity vegan chef Matthew Kenney is helping to open PlantPub, a fully vegan pub in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood. Partnering with local entrepreneurs Mary Dumont and Pat McAuley, the highly acclaimed chef will help PlantPub launch its second location across the street from the Red Sox’s home field.

“I loved what they were doing — the product, the brand, it just seemed like a perfect fit,” Kenney told The Boston Globe. “We always develop locations based on where we think there’s an unfulfilled need and where we think guests will really appreciate [our restaurants]. Fenway is ground zero in Boston and we couldn’t think of a better location to showcase the fact that plant-based cuisine can be really crave-able and fulfilling and satisfying. We feel confident that we’ll be able to fulfill the expectations of Boston sports fans, guests, university students, and of course the local community.”

PlantPub Fenway will become the second location for the plant-based pub. The flagship location sits in Cambridge near Harvard University. Last year, Dumont and McAuley opened the first storefront with the help of investor Sebastiano Cassia Castiglioni. Now, PlantPub Fenway will propel the brand to new heights. PlantPub Fenway will take over the old Boston Beerworks brewery – an 8,000-square-foot brick-and-mortar space that can seat over 250 people.

The inventive plant-based tavern caught the attention of New England native, Kenney, after gaining significant praise for its accessible, plant-centered menu. Last year, Kenney announced that he joined the PlantPub venture under his Matthew Kenney Cuisine (MKC) brand. Kenney, Dumont, and McAuley aim to create a plant-based establishment that attracts all Red Sox fans, vegans, and non-vegans alike.

”We are mimicking all of the flavors that people know and love in a complete plant-based form,” said Dumont. “We have an opportunity to expose so many people to a new way of eating that is becoming more and more mainstream.”

Dumont – a renowned award-winning chef – holds high hopes for the new PlantPub Fenway location. With the help of MKC, the chef believes that the new Fenway restaurant will allow the restaurant to take its plant-based cuisine a step further. The off-shoot location will feature classic menu items including several signature burgers and Buffalo cauliflower wings alongside more ballpark classics including Bavarian pretzels and hot dogs.

The PlantPub menu also boasts an impressive beer list. The team decided to maintain the integrity of the 30 year legacy of Boston Beerworks brewery by celebrating local craft breweries. The new location is slated to open this April to coincide with the MLB's Opening Day.

“I think people are realizing, more and more, how good plant-based food is. Look, a lot of people did great plant-based food in the past, but it’s gotten even better and is just really, really good now,” Kenney said. “Chefs are now being more innovative, there are more products available now. … I think that a lot of people wanted to do this [adopt a plant-based diet] for a long time, but they didn’t like the texture or the taste of the food they were eating. That’s just not the case anymore.”

Baseball Goes Plant-Based

Across the United States, plant-based baseball fans have had plenty of reason to celebrate. Several stadiums nationwide started introducing more vegan food choices than ever before. Last April, Oatly teamed up with Wrigley Field (Home of the Cubs) in Chicago, IL, and Globe Life Field (Home of the Texas Rangers) in Arlington, TX to serve dairy-free soft serve.

Beyond ice cream, MLB stadiums have rapidly introduced new plant-based classics to help plant-based baseball fans everywhere. Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles started offering everything from Beyond burgers and sausages to tempeh nachos topped with Follow Your Heart cheese. Target Field in Minneapolis now offers the Herbivorous Butcher’s Italian Sausages, Sriracha Brats, vegan hot dogs, and plant-based burgers throughout the stadium.

Check out The Beet's guide to vegan eats at MLB stadiums across the United States.