I was shocked to learn Plant+Love is St. Pete’s first vegan ice cream storefront. For those who don’t know, the vegan community is alive and well in that city and it’s everywhere. The only difference is most places only offer vegan options; Plant+Love is 100% all-vegan. The ice cream shop is located in the EDGE District, a popular foodie hub.

Last week, I chatted with owner Matthew Matchin and his mom/co-owner Joanne for a little bit about Plant+Love and the hype around vegan ice cream. My takeaway: St. Petersburg is in for a treat and it’s going to be BIG.

Here’s an excerpt from our Creative Loafing interview about Plant+Love:

“St. Petersburg’s EDGE District just keeps on growing. The newest addition to the popular hub for both bites and beverages is an artist collective with vegan ice cream.

A soft opening for Plant+Love Ice Cream at 953 Central Ave. begins Friday, Jan. 18.

“The vegan community in St. Pete is thriving right now, and there aren’t any vegan ice cream shops,” says co-owner Matthew Matchin. “There are places that offer vegan ice cream options, but there isn’t anywhere offering 100-percent vegan ice cream.” 

Last year, Matchin — along with his mother and co-owner, Joanne Matchin, and his friend and partner, Matthew Kurtyka — started Plant+Love as The Conscious Creamery. But the trio changed the shop’s name a month later after discovering a San Diego gelato company had the same one.

“There was a conflict of interest, so we were still new enough to be able to change our name,” Matthew Matchin says.  

The name Plant+Love has a double meaning: love of plants (because vegan ice cream) and to plant love (as a philosophy).

An alternative to your average ice cream, Plant+Love’s artisan scoops are made in-house with an organic coconut milk base. Fifty flavors — including lemon ginger, Divine Chocolate and a CBD-infused option — will rotate 10 at a time, giving guests the chance to regularly sample something different.”

Interested in learning more about Plant+Love? Click here. They’re having a soft opening this weekend at 11am at it’s storefront at 953 Central Avenue. Have you ever tried vegan ice cream? Did you like it?