PROVIDENCE — Plant City, a massive plant-based food hall that first opened in 2019 promising to make vegan food approachable, is shutting down permanently.
Plant City, an Eataly-style dining establishment offering four restaurants, three bars, a coffee bar, retail market, and a community cellar in Providence, is owned by Kim Anderson, a Rhode Island-based entrepreneur and climate investor. The facility’s last day is Feb. 8.
“Rhode Islanders and visitors welcomed us with open arms in 2019,” said Anderson in a statement. “We are so honored to have been a part of your lives for six and a half years, and grateful for every visit of every guest.”
Plant City’s two outposts in Warwick and Barrington will remain open.
Anderson cited the sudden closure of the westbound side of the Washington Bridge in 2023 as the sole reason she was shutting down Plant City’s flagship location. Located on South Water Street, a key waterfront corridor that connects downtown to Interstate 195, Plant City experienced an “immediate and lasting reduction” in the number of guests at the restaurants due to traffic and frequent backups, said Anderson. The Washington Bridge carries I-195 West over the Seekonk River to Providence.
“We have essentially lost our early ‘first seating’ of diners and our sales are down meaningfully,” said Anderson. “Guests have told us they often reconsider plans or avoid the area due to rush hour traffic backups.”
However, Plant City has also faced other challenges.
The original launch of Plant City in 2019 prominently featured chef Matthew Kenney, a well-known figure in the plant-based restaurant world. In 2024, Kenney was the subject of an investigative report in The New York Times that included allegations of financial mismanagement, bounced checks, and workplace misconduct, including claims of racist and sexist behavior. At the time of the report, Anderson told local press that she owned the Providence location solely, but the broader controversies cast a spotlight on the brand.
Plant City was also involved in a legal dispute with its landlord over building renovations since early 2025. In court, Plant City accused the building’s owner, Florida-based Mitrelis Family Limited Partnership, of refusing to sign off on renovations unless the restaurant agreed to a hike in rent, or to buy the building for $20 million. The case was resolved in March 2025, and Plant City’s attorney delivered a letter on Monday, informing the landlord of their plans to vacate the property, said spokeswoman Jennifer Bramley.
Kevin D. Heitke, an attorney who represents the building’s owners, could not be immediately reached for comment on Monday.
The news comes as other food halls around the region face their own struggles. Citing sagging foot traffic, operator Time Out Market had announced earlier this month that it intended to close its massive venue in Boston. After building back from the pandemic, the hall’s revenue fell 20 percent last year, while costs were on the rise. But longtime local real estate developer Samuels and Associates swooped in, and signed an agreement over management of the food hall in the Fenway neighborhood, just a day before it was set to close.
In Providence, Anderson, an investor in climate solutions, and her husband, Frohman Anderson, were first inspired to share the value of vegan diets with Providence after they followed their son’s request and watched two movies on the subject, “Forks Over Knives” and “Cowspiracy,” two plant-based diet and environmental documentaries that have influenced millions.
Since its inception, Plant City’s hall in Providence has also become a platform for events and education, supporting initiatives such as Plant Docs, a nonprofit that educates adults on the benefits of a vegan diet, from the Plant City’s basement. Dr. Sandra Musial, a physician who has specialized in nutrition and now runs Plant Docs, said Anderson made her aware of the closure ahead of time, and she has transitioned programming to be fully remote.
Anderson has been vocal about community issues. She became one of the loudest critics against bike lanes that replaced parking spaces outside the Providence restaurant. She’s also a political donor to candidates in Providence and statewide, including Providence Mayor Brett Smiley and Helena Foulkes, who is once again challenging incumbent Governor Dan McKee for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
When Plant City first opened, there were multiple concepts that were meant to feel familiar to non-vegans, including a pizza restaurant, a Mexican eatery, and a casual bar for burgers. After Plant City completed a full renovation of its upstairs, essentially closing the Mexican and Italian eateries, it reopened with SĒZN in July 2025, which was meant to feel more like an elevated restaurant run by Plant City executive chef Luis Jaramillo. Prior to joining Plant City, Jaramillo was the chef at Fifty in Manhattan’s West Village.
That investment was personally paid for by Anderson.
“It’s been difficult to accept that, despite hope the traffic issues would shift, they have not,” Anderson told the Globe through a spokeswoman.
Anderson and Plant City’s management team have also tried other upscale concepts that didn’t last. In April 2022, management opened 345 by Plant City, a speakeasy with vegan bites. Diners had to walk through Plant City’s brightly-lit prep bakery before entering a sultry bar illuminated by peridot-tinted chandeliers. It temporarily closed within a couple of years, and never reopened.
“We have served hundreds of guests each day and built a special and successful business,” said Anderson in a statement on Monday. “Unfortunately, the challenges related to access to the waterfront area have made it impossible to continue.”
Alexa Gagosz can be reached at alexa.gagosz@globe.com. Follow her @alexagagosz and on Instagram @AlexaGagosz.