Ethos Vegan Kitchen has hosted its last service. Social media scuttlebutt was verified by a post on the restaurant web page, but the eatery’s interior looked ready for business with set tables and artwork still hanging on the walls.
A longtime local favorite among vegan and non-vegan diners, the restaurant first opened at the 1235 N. Orange Ave. address that currently houses The Hammered Lamb before moving to its Rollins College-adjacent location at 601 S. New York Ave. in 2012. The eatery offered up a range of plant-based choices for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch that included a vegan shepherd’s pie, jerk “chickun” sandwich and ice cream sundaes. Despite its popularity, co-owner Laina Shockley said current economic challenges proved to be too much.
“Like so many others closing this year, our decision to close is prompted by the opportunity to exit our lease,” Shockley wrote in a prepared statement. The lease was renewed in October of 2019 and Shockley refers to the interim as being, “a really long and difficult five years, both for the full-service restaurant industry as a whole and for our small business and in our personal lives as well.”
Former Southern comfort food concept The Coop suffered the a similar fate in July of 2023, opting not to renew its lease at 610 W. Morse Blvd. 4R Restaurant Group founder & CEO John Rivers announced the closure with a statement that current market rates were, “well beyond what our little business can justify in renewing the lease.” Earlier this year, Financier Cafe & Bistro closed its doors at 212 N. Park Ave. and The Parkview halted service at its 136 S Park Ave. address. However, The Imperial Winter Park is currently converting The Parkview’s former location into its new home.
Shockley adds that she is excited to, “pass the torch to the next generation of entrepreneurs,” and tips her hat to the influx of vegan dining options that have opened throughout the area since Ethos opened in 2007. “We have enjoyed being part of the Winter Park community for the past 12 years,” she said. “I’m curious to see what will happen to our space once we’re gone.”
Ethos fans still have a chance to pick up any remaining merch via a store link on the restaurant web page.
