Article by Keyton Bielecky, Staff
It’s mid-afternoon on a surprisingly chilly Tallahassee day, the sun shines brightly as usual as people are walking in and out of the cafes and restaurants of Railroad square. However, there is one establishment that many miss when walking through this block of Collegetown.
The Bark, formally known as the Bread and Roses Kitchen, is a vegan/vegetarian restaurant and venue that many people don’t know about.
For most, being told that a restaurant is vegetarian or vegan automatically crosses that restaurant off their list of places they might go to eat. However, before you turn your nose, I ask of you to listen to my experience of this hidden gem.
I find myself as a carnivore for the most part. Poultry, beef, and pork have always been a part of my diet. My girlfriend, on the other hand, has been a vegetarian for almost two years now. Being in a relationship with such different diets can make picking a place to eat a struggle. My girlfriend introduced me to The Bark. She suggested I give vegetarian food a try just once to see if I might like it. As frustrated as I was the first time I walked into this establishment, I had agreed and thought to myself, “How bad can it be?”
As you pass through the doors you approach a counter decorated with spooky Halloween decorations in the middle of February. As odd as that was I proceeded to look at the sandwich menu and selected the Sausage Papillon. While sausage is in the name there is no meat in this sandwich. It is described as a veggie sausage on a toasted baguette with onions, peppers, and vegan mayo.
After one bite I was hooked. The food at this establishment, while vegetarian is some of the best I have ever had. I urge those who are on the fence about vegetarian food to give this a try. My whole perspective on food changed within my first bite.
Even if you’re not sure, go for the entertainment. Between the bar, karaoke, live music, free pool, and board games this establishment has a little something for everyone.
I spoke to one of the booking managers Tyler, who gave me a rundown of what kind of music and entertainment they promote.
“We run DIY focused music events, with the main goal of providing an open, safe, accessible place for independent touring bands and people of all walks of life to perform. A wide range of acts have played at The Bark, from punk, hardcore, indie rock, acoustic, hip hop, rap, experimental, and everything in between,” said Tyler.
The Bark is one of Tallahassee’s greatest kept secrets. Give it a shot.
