LA vegan restaurant that started serving meat closes after 14 years

A Los Angeles restaurant that started as vegan but began serving meat last year is closing after 14 years in business.

The last day of business for Sage Regenerative Kitchen & Brewery in Echo Park was Sunday, according to an Instagram post.

“We all poured our passion into shifting the concept to regenerative agriculture, but despite our efforts, we find ourselves in the same predicament today,” @thekindsage’s post reads.

The post has more than 1,200 comments, with many voicing strong opinions.

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Mollie Engelhart, chef and owner of Sage Regenerative Kitchen & Brewery, which is now closed.  (Mollie Engelhart / Fox News)

“Still the best buffalo cauliflower in the game!” one social media user posted.

“I want to cry!” one person said. “Sage has always been my favorite restaurant.”

Inside Sage Regenerative Kitchen & Brewery, a formerly plant-based restaurant in Los Angeles, Calif.  (Mollie Engelhart / Fox News)

Owner Molle Engelhart spoke with Fox News Digital last year when the formerly vegan staple made the controversial decision to add meat and dairy to the menu – a move that sparked anger and confusion.

The menu change added animal products like beef, bison, cheese and eggs.

“I’m still not going to be using processed foods, and I’m still not going to be using chemicals, so I’m staying pretty true to my beliefs and identity,” she said. “I am just doing it from a different angle, which is upsetting to people.”

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Protests were so bad outside Sage that on Father’s Day 2024 the restaurant had to shut down. (Mollie Engelhart / Fox News)

A slew of protests followed, according to FOX 11 Los Angeles, including one on Father’s Day 2024 that forced Sage to close early after protesters stormed into the restaurant.

Some Instagram users still unhappy with Sage’s shift were unsympathetic about its closure, with one even calling it a “victory for the animals.”

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Engelhart and her husband, Eloas Sosa, are both chefs and co-owned Sage. 

The two sold their home “in hopes of breathing new life into Sage,” the business’ Instagram post reads. 

Fox News’ Kendall Tietz and Nik Lanum contributed to this report.