nikholas 
One of the most well-known names for vegan/vegetarian food in metro Detroit is permanently closing.
The Inn Season Kitchen at 32867 Woodward in Royal Oak will close on Saturday. It’s largely a carryout spot, though there are a few seats inside and several picnic tables outside.
Owner Nicholas Raftis, who opened the kitchen a year and a half ago as a sister location to the popular Inn Season Café, said at they’ll take their last orders at 7 p.m.
More:Assaggi Bistro in Ferndale to shut after New Year’s Eve
“There is no 10 percent inflation in the restaurant business,” according to Inn Season Kitchen’s Facebook post announcing the impending closure.
More:Domino’s brings back $3 customer ‘tip’: What to know
Raftis cited a “triple whammy” of high labor costs, exorbitant food prices, and consumers having less money, attributed to the impending closure.
More:Michigan gift ideas: Food baskets, kits, products to buy in stores, online
“I am not going to go into debt without some change on the horizon,” Raftis said.
Prices for romaine lettuce and cauliflower, two products that go into 40% of what they make, are up 50-200%, Raftis said.
“Prices have increased but our ability for us to increase our prices to the customer is limited; can we charge $20 for a Greek salad in these recessionary times? No,” according to the Facebook post.
Inn Season Kitchen is the sister location to the well-known and longstanding Inn Season Café on Fourth Street in Royal Oak. It’s a carryout-only place that took over the space from the former Green Space & Go — another vegan/vegetarian spot that permanently closed.
The Inn Season Kitchen opened in June 2021 offering the greatest hits of the Inn Season Cafe, Raftis said.
Inn Season Café on Fourth in Royal Oak, which got its start in 1981, is known as an institution and pioneer in offering vegan/vegetarian fare in metro Detroit. It’s currently closed, though Raftis is working on reopening the restaurant in the near future according to a Facebook post.
Raftis bought the Inn Season Café in 2002 from former chef/owner George Vutetakis.
If customers have gift cards, those will be honored at Inn Season Café when it reopens, according to the Facebook Post.
Contact Detroit Free Press food writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news to: [email protected]. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter.
Support local journalism and become a digital subscriber to the Free Press.
