Vegan Puerto Rican Restaurant to Open in Oakland This Summer

Casa Borinqueña, a popular vegan Puerto Rican pop-up in Oakland, is set to open its first brick-and-mortar location this summer. The new restaurant will be located at 6211 Shattuck Ave in Oakland, with an opening date set for late June. Operating seven days a week from 12-8pm, Casa Borinqueña plans to offer a variety of vegan Puerto Rican dishes, including flavors of pastelillos (empanadas) such as chicken, beef, and pork.

Started by Chef Lulu and her family in 2018, Casa Borinqueña aims to provide approachable vegan food to both vegans and omnivores in the community. Chef Lulu transitioned the business to a completely vegan menu at the beginning of the pandemic, reflecting her beliefs in health and ethical eating. The restaurant will also implement a "pay what you can" policy on Tuesdays to increase accessibility of vegan food in the community, inspired by Chef Lulu's own experiences as a homeless teen. Follow Casa Borinqueña on Instagram at @casaborinquena or visit their GoFundMe page for more information.