Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric and Quebe Bradford.
The Plant Bae story started in 2018 when Dr. Quebe Bradford decided to become vegan. A series of events helped her make the decision. She’d had trouble nursing her daughter and later realized her child did not respond well when she ate dairy. In addition, a visit to the doctor’s office revealed that Quebe’s cholesterol levels were higher than normal, thus solidifying her decision to remove meat and dairy from her diet. Her husband, Mr. Eric Bradford, supported her lifestyle change and served as a challenging taste tester. After being vegan for two years; traveling across the country eating vegan food in New York, Las Vegas, and Atlanta; and catering vegan food in her hometown, Dr. Quebe Bradford and her husband, Mr. Eric Bradford opened their first restaurant in Montgomery, AL.
Credited with being the city of Montgomery’s only vegan restaurant, Plant Bae is poised to become a staple in the downtown community. Plant Bae is an all-American vegan restaurant. While the menu is meat- and dairy-free, the taste is universal. The Bradfords invite herbivores, omnivores, and anyone in between to try it and say, “I’ve been Bae’d.”
Has it been a smooth road?
Eric: Success comes through perseverance through struggles. We opened in the middle of a pandemic, so we struggled in many areas such as coordinating basic services through our city government, credit card processing, and other vendors.
Quebe: Initially, many people were skeptical about embracing a plant-based lifestyle. We had to become really intentional about guarding our minds from negative statements from well-meaning people. Protecting our energy until people could see the vision was and still is paramount. We also struggled to quickly grow the capacity of our staff. We needed to bring people on who were highly skilled and willing to take on tremendous challenges.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Quebe: We’re the only vegan restaurant within an 80-mile radius of Montgomery, Alabama. We offer international vegan cuisine, including burgers, nachos, sushi, and our signature ice cream, cookies, and smoothies.
Eric: I’m most proud of seeing the work of our hands. That’s what keeps me going.
Quebe: I’m most proud to have a small role in a person’s decision to consider a plant-based lifestyle change. It’s a decision that can change someone’s quality of life. Many guests have made comments like, “My doctor has said I should lay off certain foods to decrease my cholesterol, but I never really gave it a fair thought. If plant-based food can taste like this, I’d consider the change.”
What’s your favorite dish?
Eric: I love the Beau Burger. It’s our bestseller. It has sauteed mushrooms, peppers, and onions, lettuce, tomatoes, vegan cheddar cheese, and our specialty sauce, the Que Dabra sauce. People come from near and far for our sweet and smoky sauce.
Quebe: I love the Que Bae Roll. It took several months of trial and error before creating this recipe. The Que Bae Roll is a tempura battered sushi roll that’s stuffed with roasted teriyaki tomatoes and cucumbers. We drizzle sushi sauce, Que Dabra sauce, and sesame seeds on top. I could eat it every single day.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Eric: Montgomery has been an amazing place for our business. It’s a diverse city that attracts military personnel as well as civilians.
Quebe: Montgomery is the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement, and access to high-quality food is an important movement of our time. It’s only right that we should plant our flag here.
Contact Info:
- Address: Plant Bae
175 Lee Street
Montgomery, AL 36104 - Website: Plantbae.net
- Phone: 334-676-2961
- Email: info@plantbaemgm.com
Image Credit:
YBM Vision and Ashley Victoria Lens
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