Local team at city hall on day of endorsement

The local chapter of a global organization called the Plant Based Treaty has launched a new initiative – Somerville Plant-Based Restaurant Week, inviting local restaurants to celebrate Earth Week by offering special plant-based dishes as well as offering discounts on plant-based menu items. This move follows the endorsement of the Plant Based Treaty by Somerville’s city council which calls for a shift towards plant-based food systems.

Eating more plant-based foods is in alignment with Earth Week: plant-based diets reforest the planet, reduce land degradation and water pollution, and are critical to meeting greenhouse gas emissions targets. In Somerville, a consumption-based greenhouse gas inventory found that the biggest contribution to the city’s emissions was from food and recommended that the city help residents shift toward plant-based diets through actions such as adding plant-based options and signage to restaurants.

Local team visiting Siam-Ginger to prepare for restaurant week.

19 Restaurants across the city have taken up the challenge by participating in Somerville’s first-ever Plant-Based Restaurant Week. Siam Ginger, a popular restaurant in Union Square, has added plant-based versions of their famous Pad Thai and other restaurants such as Koshari Mama are offering discounts on all of their lunch and dinner plant-based menu-items.

A list of participating restaurants and more information can be found here.

“During Earth Month, we are all reminded to look at how we can better care for our planet. We’re excited to promote the first ever Somerville Plant-Based Restaurant Week from April 18 – 25 as an actionable way for the whole community to protect the planet and get involved in celebrating Somerville’s endorsement of the Plant Based Treaty while enjoying delicious local cuisine,” New England Plant Based Treaty Campaigner, Kimmy Cushman.

“Being a plant-based business owner is about more than serving food—it’s about honoring traditions that have always existed in our cultures. Many of the dishes I grew up with were built from the land: beans, lentils, grains, vegetables, herbs, and spices. Plant-based cooking isn’t new; it’s ancestral.

These foods tell stories of resourcefulness and care for the community. They are nourishing, deeply flavorful, and often the most affordable way to feed people well. When we cook this way, we show that good food doesn’t have to be exclusive—it can be simple, generous, and shared by everyone,” Koshari Mama Restaurant Owner, Sahar Ahmed

PBT Campaigner Jimmy Cushman with Council Vice President Wilfred Mbah and Community Member Evangelos Dimitriadis

List of discounts and specials:

Google Drive with all business logos

Bloc Cafe – New special Vegan Club sandwich

Buenas – New special vegan Empanadas

Chow N Joy – Free rice with purchase of a plant-based

Diesel Cafe – New special Vegan Club sandwich

Falafel Place – Buy One Get One Free Falafel Roll Ups

Forge Baking Company – New special Vegan Club sandwich

Himalayan Kitchen – 10% off all plant-based dishes

Hot Tomatoes – New special pizzas

Koshari Mama – 10% off everything

La Posada – discount of existing plant-based menu items

Masala Square Indian Kitchen – 15% off plant-based section of menu

Petsi Pies – 25% off Take and Bake Vegan Pot Pies

Pho’n Rice – New special Oat Milk Thai Iced Tea

Saus at Bow Market – 15% discount when you mention restaurant week

Siam Ginger Thai Cuisine – Special vegan menu items

The Burren – discount of existing plant-based menu items

The Buzzin Bean – 10% off all plant-based menu items

Yafa Bakery and Café – $20 Yafa Plant Based Dessert Box + free organic Lemonade

Zaruma Gold Coffee – Special vegan Empanadas