Beefsteak, a veggie-focused fast casual founded by José Andrés, permanently closed its only remaining location.
The final restaurant was located in Washington, D.C.’s Foggy Bottom neighborhood.
The chain debuted in 2015 on the campus of George Washington University. The brand also at one point had locations in Washington, D.C.’s Dupont Circle and Tenleytown, at the University of Pennsylvania, Cleveland Clinic, the Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, Maryland, the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, and another in Miami. In 2015, Andrés closed a $9.25 million round of funding for the chain, including an investment from actress Gwyneth Paltrow.
Beefsteak felt the brunt of COVID, temporarily closing several stores for months after the pandemic began. Some were renovated into emergency community kitchens to help the less fortunate, according to Axios.
Beefsteak showcased a vibrant and playful atmosphere where guests were immersed in a vegetable-centric universe upon entering. The menu featured creatively named veggie bowls and salads, alongside the option to build custom creations with an array of fresh ingredients. The brand employed science to cook 15 different vegetables simultaneously in just 90 seconds. While vegetable-centric, Beefsteak also offered options for meat lovers. The chain even had a chief of produce responsible for working with farmers and local vendors to achieve seasonality.
A source indicated to Axios that Beefsteak may return in the future, saying, “the Beefsteak brand is one José Andrés Group will continue to support.”