46 | AUGUST 4 • 2022 

E

rika Boyd “grew up cooking with 
my mother and grandmother,” 
skills she puts to good use as 
the executive chef and co-owner of 
Detroit Vegan Soul (DVS) in the thriving 
North Rosedale Park neighborhood. 
Her business partner is 
former public relations 
executive Kirsten Ussery, 
the restaurant’s general 
manager.
Detroit Vegan Soul’s niche 
is offering vegan versions of 
Southern soul food entrees 
and sides. It’s also the only 
kosher restaurant in Detroit, 
newly certified by Kosher Michigan 
founder Rabbi Jason Miller. DVS is easily 
reached on Grand River Avenue, a block 
from the independent Pages Bookshop, 
between Southfield Freeway and 
Evergreen Road.
The partners have owned the building 
that houses their restaurant since 2017. 
The original DVS was in rented quarters 
on Agnes Street in Detroit’s West Village 
neighborhood. Boyd and Ussery operated 
their vegan restaurant there from 2013 to 
December 2021.

Boyd became interested in seeking 
kashrut certification for DVS six years ago 
and turned to Miller. The Conservative 
rabbi has operated his business for 14 
years, while also officiating at bar and bat 
mitzvah ceremonies around the country. 
Boyd took a pass at that time but came 
to see the potential of a kosher operation 
once meatless diets became more popular.
“You feel better after eating here — not 
heavy or bloated,” Boyd said. “You don’t 
feel like you overate.”
For his part, Miller said that knowing 
Detroit Vegan Soul is “vegetarian/vegan 
makes it easier to certify” as kosher. 
“No meat products are coming into the 
kitchen, so no cross-contamination is 
possible.”
“For someone keeping kosher, it helps 
to have a rabbi to check the kitchen and 
ingredients,” Boyd said. 
The food at DVS “has no preservatives 
and uses all organic, plant-based 
ingredients,” she said. 
Her repertoire of soul food mainstays 
includes items like Oyster Mushroom 
Po Boy, Hoppin’ John and a Soul Platter, 
featuring “Catfish” tofu, mac ‘n’ cheese, 
smoked collards, candied yams, black-

eyed peas, brown rice and cornbread 
muffin. The menu includes house-made 
veggie millet patty burgers, one with 
vegan cheese and coconut “bacon,” and a 
flame-broiled seitan “steak” strip.
During a recent lunch with Miller, I was 
especially excited about my Okra Stew. 
My bowl held a nourishing, delicious 
mix of fresh okra, tomato, onion, quinoa 
and brown rice. It hit the spot. We both 
wanted the BBQ “ribs” — actually, sturdy 
square tofu sticks. The texture isn’t 
the same, but the pieces are tasty and 
smothered in a yummy barbecue sauce. 
I sampled the rabbi’s Kale Salad. It’s a 

NOSH
DINING AROUND THE D

Detroit 
Vegan Soul

Esther 
Allweiss 
Ingber 
Contributing 
Writer

DETROIT VEGAN SOUL FACEBOOK

ESTHER ALLWEISS INGBER

“Bacon” 
Ranch 
Pita