La Vida Vegan: The Good Shepherd

The Dish

Shepherd’s Pie

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The Spot

Ritual Tavern, 4095 30th Street, North Park

The Scene

Ritual Tavern has been serving North Park for 10 years and was one of the first restaurants to put the reemerging neighborhood on the city’s culinary map. You can pull up a chair on the patio for alfresco dining or hang inside and play darts while you wait for your meal. The ambience is casual and slightly divey, but with an inviting warmth.

Recipe for Success

The pie traditionally features meat, so the idea of making a plant-based version of it may sound questionable to some, but the chefs do a great job creating a filling that stands in for the absence of beef and lamb. Under a generous layer of mashed potatoes is a delicious mix of tofu and vegetables (carrots, onion, zucchini, and mushrooms) that soaks up the potatoes with each bite. Pair it with a lager or saison, and it’ll become a regular in your dining rotation.

La Vida Vegan: The Good Shepherd

The meatless Shepherd’s Pie at Ritual Tavern