Two of Philly’s Favorite Vegan Spots Join Forces for a New Cafe

The long-in-the-works collaboration between Philly’s pioneering vegan coffee shop, Grindcore House, and vegan bakery Crust is finally here. Grindcore X Crust’s West Philly cafe debuted November 11 at 4134 Chester Avenue. It’s very much in its first phase, with limited hours and a limited menu — look for everything to be in place in the coming weeks.

The original Grindcore House, in South Philly, has been serving caffeine, bagels, sandwiches, and baked goods at 1515 S. Fourth Street (between Tasker and Dickinson) since 2010. It was one of the first notable vegan venues in a city that’s now full of recommendable meat-free, dairy-free options and it’s still a favorite spot for both grabbing a coffee to go or settling in with a sandwich.

In the display case in the front, owner Mike Barone stocks chocolate chip cookie sandwiches and coffee cake from Crust Vegan Bakery, a mostly wholesale operation set up by Shannon Roche and Meagan Benz in 2015.

Over the past few years, Roche and Benz, who work out of a kitchen in Manayunk, gained a following for their customizable cakes, available through their website (along with items like Thanksgiving pies), and their cookies, brownies, pumpkin bread, and other baked goods sold at several Philly eateries. The collaboration with Barone is their first cafe.

For now, Grindcore X Crust’s hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. but, again, this place is still getting its footing and the hours and menu will expand. The current offerings include coffee, tea, bagels, and pastries: cookies, scones, muffins, cookie sandwiches, coffee cake, bars, cakes, and sweet loaves, with more to come. Sandwiches and salads will be added in the next few weeks.

• 2 Vegan Players Are Teaming Up For a New West Philly Bakery
• Building Up Philly’s Vegan Scene — A History of Blackbird Pizzeria and Grindcore House
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