Local vegan restaurant changing name, bringing in meat offerings like cheesesteaks and burgers

Nile Vegan, a vegan Ethiopian restaurant on Goodale Blvd. in Grandview, is adding meat to the menu. The restaurant is also changing their name and flipping to Flare Restaurant, per their Google Business profile and phone listing.

Founded by chef and owner Siyum Tefera in 2019, the restaurant was previously recognized by VegOut Magazine as one of the 7 best Black-owned vegan restaurants in the Midwest in 2024. Posts on the popular Vegan Columbus Facebook group have alleged that business at Nile Vegan has been slow, per the restaurant owner. A more detailed post alleged that after stopping in for lunch, they were told that the restaurant was being “flipped to Flare,” and is no longer exclusively vegan. 614Now was unable to reach the business by phone for more information.

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Nile Vegan’s Yelp listing currently says the business is temporarily closed, and will open again on July 30th, 2025. The restaurant is rolling out a limited menu that may include some vegan options moving forward, like their famous lentils, as they fully transition to serving meat at Flare. Beef and chicken tibs, beef stew, Philly cheesesteaks, burgers, and steak wraps will be available.

Flare will remain Ethiopian, inspired by Tefera’s roots of growing up in Ethiopia before moving to Columbus in 2010.

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