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• Red Herring changes up the menu but still keeps it vegan

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Marisa and Treva prepare a vegetarian curry dish at the Red Herring. All proceeds benefit Camp Uhuru. (Kim Nguyen, buzz Photographer)

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Red Herring Coffeehouse »
Address: 1209 W. Oregon Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: (217) 367-2340
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When Chad Knowles says that this fall, the Red Herring will be bringing “more to the table,” he means it both literally and figuratively.

Knowles, who is going into his second year as the restaurant’s manager, has major changes in store for the Red Herring, most significantly a more stable and abundant menu. While last year’s customers were presented with options that changed daily, now there will be a consistent menu with a variety of items to choose from. “It’s the same restaurant,” said Knowles. “You just have a choice now.”

The new menu includes eight entrees, six sandwiches and two soups. However, though the menu has undergone significant change, the Red Herring is still committed to creative, all-vegan recipes and is “keeping around all the favorites.” Knowles said that among the popular dishes, there will also be a few new recipes, including Moroccan chickpea stew made with carrots, zucchini and dried apricots and served over quinoa, a type of grain rich in vitamins and known for its crunchy texture.

Another way Knowles said he is trying to achieve his goal of offering customers a wide range of delicious, healthy food is by selling fresh fruit for the first time. “The fruit is all organic and is sold by the pound like a grocery store, but it’s cheaper,” he said. “I want to encourage more fresh fruit on campus.”

Yet another change is the Red Herring’s hours. Coffee, fruit and baked goods will be offered from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., and lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. In the future, Knowles said he would also like to serve breakfast and dinner. “Right now, there’s not enough customer flow for breakfast,” he said. “If we can become financially stable enough, I’d like to give dinner a shot.”

U of I senior Sarah Moauro, a self-described “freegan,” said she loves the Red Herring, namely for its location right on campus as well as the food. “It’s really delicious,” she said. “There’s a lot of different styles of food, but my favorite is the baked tofu sandwich marinated in Italian seasoning. Usually tofu is Asian-style, but it’s cool to see it applied elsewhere.”

Red Herring regular Debbi Tasic said she loves the earthy atmosphere of the Red Herring along with the black bean hummus and soups. “I hope people support it so it stays open,” said Tasic. “It’s very hard to find vegetarian restaurants in town. The food here is excellent. The dishes are hearty and are served with a side salad and great homemade bread. Anything is really, really good.”