Plant-Based Eatery Kokomo Has a New Location—And New Dishes

If you enjoyed their Acai bowl and Coastal Macro bowl, you’ll love Kokomo’s newest menu items.

Let’s face it: being a vegetarian in Vancouver is awesome. As a born plant-eater, I’ve always been grateful for just how many veggie options there are in this superb city. But alas, we humans are constantly craving something new and exciting. After all, there’s only so much Virtuous Pie you can eat before you start wanting a little change. So imagine my happiness when I first discovered Kokomo, Chinatown’s beloved plant-based eatery, and then learned that owner Katie Ruddell had just opened a new spot in Kits… complete with new, summer-inspired menu items. Kokomo KitsilanoIf you’ve ever paid a visit to Kokomo, you may feel like you’ve stepped into a tropical oasis, palm trees and all. According to Ruddell, this is completely intentional. The original design goal, she says, was to recreate the feeling of summer 365 days of the year. For the Kits location, the summer vibes definitely remain (think tropical plants and a bright, playful colour palette) but there are a couple of notable changes, with a focus on lounge-style seating and individual gold tables. Outside, pink pastel benches and a cozy (and highly coveted) hammock offer more seating options.Opening a second location so soon after the first wasn’t in the original plan—the Chinatown spot only opened last June—but when the opportunity arose, Ruddell seized the chance. “A friend called me up and told me the spot was available for lease,” she says, “I was born there and lived there, I know the community and felt like Kokomo would be a great fit for the area.” Dish: Flower ChildSo what can we expect from the latest summer menu items? If you’re a fan of their Cocowhip (vegan coconut soft serve), great news—the Kokomo team are adding two new seasonal flavours to the mix (courtesy of their new vegan Cocowhip machine): Strawberry Rhubarb with Orange Granola and Rainbow Chocolate Bark (yep, rainbow!). There’s also a new selection of main dishes, like the Flower Child (greens mixed with lemon spirulina ginger dressing, cucumber, radish, endive, dates, snap peas, cilantro, cacao nibs and served with turmeric red pepper hummus) and Nood Beach, featuring rice noodles tossed in chili lime tahini sauce and mixed with radish, spinach, steamed broccoli, sesame seeds, edamame hummus and more. Don’t live in Kits? No worries: you’ll find these seasonal picks at both locations.If you need me, I’ll be chilling at Kits enjoying my second Cocowhip of the day.Kokomo Kitsilano2028 Vine StreetOpen 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundaysheykokomo.ca Dish: Strawberry Rhubarb Cocowhip with Orange Granola Dish: Nood Beach Salad