With a vegetarian mother and conversationalist father from the densely forested northwest region of Mexico, Maciel Bañales Luna said these things influenced her education, career, and new venture immensely. She just opened Los Angeles’ first-ever plant-based butcher shop and deli with the help of her husband, Joe Egender, and business partner, Dustin Lancaster. As a nutritionist and vegan, Bañales Luna understood what her kind had been longing for; plant-based meats made fresh that are tastier and healthier than animal options.
Maciel’s plant-based butcher shop and deli offer turkey, bacon, pastrami, salami, chicharrones, and chorizo that are legume-based and high in protein, vitamins, and fiber. The shop’s spreadable cheese menu delights cashew-based camembert, nacho, and jalapeno cheddar. It is located in Highland Park, California, and is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesdays through Sundays.
