Flatbush's Veggie Castle is Toast, Site to be Developed

[Photo courtesy of thesearepowers/flickr]

If you're vegetarian and you live in Brooklyn, there's a chance you've had a veggie patty or something else at Veggie Castle on Church Avenue in Flatbush. Well, the NY Press reports that the veggie spot in a former White Castle is "closing by Christmas," which means that today could be its last day if it hasn't already closed. The Press writes:

The demise of this rare vendor of jerk tofu, porridge, elaborate juices and “Ital Jockey” – a brew of sea moss, bee pollen, Chinese herbs and cashews, among other things – shall be felt not only by the nabe’s Rastafarians and Caribbean residents, but by all those herbivores from Park Slope and beyond who have trekked southeastward to sample their steaming buffet that has been called, “a rite of passage” for serious vegetarians.

The end of a 10-year lease is to blame, according to Cindy Bernard, daughter of owner Viburt Bernard. She said the landlord wanted to sell the lot to someone who plans to tear down the building and develop a new commercial space. In the meantime, “distraught” describes the mood among her regulars.

So, we have story that blends veggie dining and real estate development on this Christmas Eve. There's another Veggie Castle on Liberty Avenue in South Richmond Hill. Sad news.