Mangiafoglie

Mangiafoglie, Chef Paul Reese’s first dive into the world of restaurants after running a vegan pizza popup that grew with a mini-cult-like following, has officially opened its doors on 4th. Taking over a section of a building that has long hosted Ají Peruvian Cuisine and long missed the days of Portfolio, it replaces a space that was previously home to Scholb.

A handful of years in the making, the space reflects Chef Paul’s centeredness. In his food. In his comfort with exploration. And in the determination to make vegan cuisine break the gap that separates it from most of the world’s cuisine.

Mangiafoglie physically exudes what Chef Paul embodies. Warm colors—pinks, greens—sit with neutrals—greys, earth tones—in a space rife with texture. It’s something Chef Paul requests of patrons: Touch the walls. Touch the tables. Touch your chairs (one of which has a 70s shag green carpet quality to it in all the best ways possible).

And his team—from co-owner Daniel, seen swooning guests with wine, to pizzaiolo Rasheed, happily greeting guests with smiles and cheerful chatter—also exudes that. The space is for their community, especially the 4th Street community, in a building that saw two much-loved businesses—Portfolio and Scholb—pack up because of landlord squabbles. No matter how it is diced, it brings a sense of stability.

“I don’t want to be known as a vegan restaurant; I want to be known as an Italian restaurant,” Chef Paul said. “Sure, we cook vegan food because of a choice I made in 1999; I don’t think it’s necessary to use animals to create good food. And we’re accepting the challenge to do just that.

Written and photos by Brian Addison.

For the full feature on Mangiafoglie, click here.