Short-lived and chef-loved, downtown Knoxville's only plant-based restaurant is closed

Ryan Wilusz, Knoxville News Sentinel
·2 min read

A plant-based restaurant was missing in downtown Knoxville until Vidl came along. Now, the Old City restaurant will be missed.

Closing time: To the tune of "Closing Time" by Semisonic, Vidl announced Wednesday on Instagram the restaurant is permanently closed. Sunday was the last day of sit-down service, owner and chef Jenna Baker told Knox News via text.

Jenna Baker, pictured in the early stages of Vidl's buildout, wanted her plant-based food to be tasty, healthy and educational. "There's so much stigma to even the word 'healthy' food, as in it's not good," she previously told Knox News. "First, this is just really delicious food, and it happens to be healthy. ... It's not about diet culture. It's about eating really well."

The location: Vidl was right in the middle of Old City growth at 111 E. Jackson Ave., previously Blühen Botanicals.

The vision: Vidl was all about promoting wellness nutrition education through plant-based eating.

The model: In addition to sit-down service and grab-and-go meals, Vidl offered the take-home Be Well Boxes that first earned Baker recognition when she began selling them in 2019. The packages come with ingredients for between 10 and 20 meals, she previously told Knox News.

No comment: Citing a "complex" decision to close, Baker did not comment on the reasoning or the future of prepackaged meals.

Kind words: Laurence Faber, chef and co-owner of the acclaimed Potchke deli, said in an Instagram comment that dining at Vidl "was like eating at the Farmer's Market and there's not many places that could compare." Faber gave a shoutout to Vidl's coconut yogurt and chickpea pot pie.

Short lived: Knox News first reported on Vidl in January 2022. While the business offered pickup food for months, dine-in did not start until September.

Chef background: Baker's background is in fine dining, but she found passion for plant-based nutrition while working with an organization offering outdoor therapy to young adults with cancer.

Looking ahead: With construction starting this year on a nearby multiuse baseball stadium, the Vidl property likely will interest a variety of entrepreneurs looking to open businesses in the heart of the changing area.

About the neighborhood: Downtown Knoxville's Old City is one of the hottest neighborhoods in town. Aside from the stadium, plans for two hotels within steps of the Vidl storefront already have been announced. Former nightclub buildings on the same block are being redeveloped as mixed-use.

Ryan Wilusz, downtown reporter and urban explorer for Knox News, can be reached at 865-317-5138 or by email at ryan.wilusz@knoxnews.com. Follow Ryan's work on Instagram @KnoxScruff, and sign up for the free, weekly Urban Knoxville newsletter. Unlock premium perks and support strong local journalism at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Downtown Knoxville plant-based restaurant Vidl closes in the Old City