Story by Matthew Carroll
Photos by Taylor Woolsey
As I approached the cart, all the common misconceptions of vegetarian food began to flood my mind. Could vegetables have a savory flavor and also be delicious and filling? I wondered as I awaited my first all-vegetarian meal. Suddenly, a hand thrust out an object that looked eerily like a Philly cheesesteak. As I bit into the sandwich my concept of vegetarian food—lettuce, bean sprouts, anything leafy or earthy—was totally redefined.
Dave Wagenheim opened Viva! Vegetarian Grill in 2006 in order to cook food for those who prefer a vegan lifestyle (Wagenheim himself is a vegetarian). It was six years before Viva! that Wagenheim first began thinking about a vegetable-centered diet. “I am more food conscious. I don’t stick to the labels of vegan or vegetarian diets,” he explains. “Labels come with baggage and standards. I started my business because that’s where I was headed.” With a broad range of items on the menu, such as vegan hotdogs, soysages, tempeh, vegan chili, and vegan soft serve ice cream, the food cart attracts customers of all appetites. “You don’t need to have the standard American meat and potatoes diet to survive,” Wagenheim says.
Wagenheim was originally inspired to start his own cart business by food carts he saw while traveling around the world. As he traveled to Central America, South America, and France, Wagenheim considered the concept of entrepreneurship in the food-cart business. “I realized there were all sorts of challenges to overcome in order to be an entrepreneur,” he recalls. “My experience showed me that anything is possible with a little creativity.”
His first venture was a tofu-dog food-cart located in downtown Eugene. With such a distinctive menu, it wasn’t long before people began to take notice. Wagenheim had found a niche in Eugene for vegetarian cuisine. Then after selling food at the local country fair, Wagenheim was invited to showcase his food various events throughout Eugene. Four years later, Wagenheim decided to go back to resurrect his daily food cart. Using the carts he made for festivals, Wagenheim set up in various places throughout the city.
In 2010, after he had acquired a following of regular customers, it was time to upgrade from a smaller food stand to a full-blown trailer dubbed the “Viva! XL,” which can be found at 12th and Willamette. “It’s a perfect storm of things coming together,” Wagenheim says of his recent success.
With a larger business to look after, Wagenheim decided it was time to hire help. That’s where Claire Calvert comes in. As a customer, Calvert began to appreciate the unique menu and friendly atmosphere. Looking for jobs at the time, Calvert was later invited by Wagenheim to work at the cart.
Wagenheim hired Calvert in 2010 after she tried the food and immediately fell in love with it. She has been there ever since. “I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else right now,” she says.
Calvert currently operates the cart with three others including Wagenheim. However, most of the time, Calvert operates the stand by herself. Not an easy task, considering she sells upwards of hundreds of items a day.
The specialty that screams unique is Viva’s very own vegan cheesesteak, which is the most popular item on the menu. Hundreds are sold each day, many to customers who aren’t even vegan (Calvert estimates about half aren’t vegan).
Everything on the menu, aside from the tofurky and vegan hotdogs, is made by Wagenheim himself. Even the soft serve ice cream, which is made from a cashew-base and can be sold by the pint, is homemade. Wagenheim faces a number of challenges by making his own food, one being the price of providing his customers with organic items, which tend to cost considerably more. But, he says, it’s all worth it. “I’m doing something I feel good about and I think shows through the service,” Wagenheim says. “It keeps the business fresh and gives people what they want.”
Viva! Vegetarian Grill is open Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. With plans to expand to another food cart, Wagenheim’s future looks bright: ”It’s been a process, but it’s a labor of love and I feel very appreciated by the community.”
