Folkestone just got a whole lot less delicious.
It’s with a heavy heart that I write about the closure of Dr Legumes, the beloved plant-based business that has served up thought-provoking food, community care, and a whole lot of heart for the past decade.
Read more below.
Photo from Dr Legumes Facebook
The official announcement from Lee, Jim, and the rest of the Dr Legumes team shared the sad news that this past weekend was to be their final service in their current home. And while they’ve made it clear this is not a forever goodbye, it still stings.
For years, Dr Legumes has been a shining example of how food can be about more than just eating. They’ve nurtured community. They’ve educated. They’ve made plant-based food welcoming, meaningful, and delicious. From humble beginnings at the Harbour Arm waiting rooms to transforming shipping containers into a home for compassionate dining, their journey has been nothing short of inspirational.
The news has hit hard because it speaks to a larger issue so many of us see playing out across the country. Ethical businesses are being pushed to the brink. Soaring costs, changing consumer habits, and a brutally unfair system mean places like Dr Legumes often find themselves making impossible choices. How do you keep prices fair for your community while covering rising rent, utilities, wages, and ingredients? The answer, more and more, is that you can’t.
These are not just restaurants. They are meeting places. Cultural landmarks. They are safe spaces and sources of local pride. And when we lose one of them, we lose a part of what makes a town like Folkestone so vibrant.
To Lee and Jim, I want to say thank you. Thank you for feeding people in the most nourishing sense of the word. Thank you for showing how plant-based food can be rooted in justice, accessibility, and care. Thank you for inspiring others to think bigger about what veganism can look like in the real world.
Support local vegan businesses wherever you are, because the sad truth is they need us now more than ever.
Dr Legumes, you did something special. Here’s to whatever comes next.
If you live in hope like I do, follow Dr Legumes on Instagram.
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