Lovin' Spoonfuls closes Oct. 24 after more than 20 years

Lovin' Spoonfuls Vegan Restaurant is closing after more than 20 years in Tucson. The restaurant at 2990 N. Campbell Ave. Suite 120 announced the news in an Instagram post Monday night. Its final day of service runs on Saturday, Oct. 24.

Customers can stop in between now and Saturday for one last meal. The team plans to sell down its inventory, though it hopes to have favorite dishes available. Regular hours remain 9 a.m.-3 p.m. through the final day.

Owners cite finances and family

"Running this kitchen has been a labor of love, but the numbers just aren't adding up anymore, and as parents, we have to make the hard choice to step back and take care of what matters most at home," the owners wrote.

Juan Irais Benavides and Michelle Benavides took over the restaurant in 2023. Juan had previously spent three years working alongside original owner Sunny. Tucson Foodie covered the new chapter for the family-owned restaurant that August.

GoFundMe helped extend operations

In June, the owners launched a GoFundMe campaign to help save the restaurant. The page raised $27,900 of its $75,000 goal from 390 donations. "The debt has just become too much," the campaign page said.

The owners wrote that customers continued to visit, but sales weren't enough to cover the debt and expenses. In their closing post, they thanked donors for the support. They said the fundraiser let the restaurant stay open a few more months.

Two decades of vegan comfort food

Lovin' Spoonfuls opened in 2005 and built a following among vegans and non-vegans alike. The menu leaned on comfort food, from hearty breakfast burritos to fried "chikn" and desserts from an in-house bakery.

The owners closed their announcement with a message to customers. "Thank you for everything, we have so many great relationships from this opportunity!" they wrote.