Vegan restaurant featuring multiple cuisines opens in Yellow Springs

Hsu said having a vegan menu with gluten free options is “an opportunity for more people to be able to sit down and share a meal together.”

She recalled working at The Veganry and witnessing a mother, who was gluten free, with a daughter, who was vegan, finally getting to share a meal together. She said it really touched her because people should be able to have a meal together without having to worry if they will be able to eat what’s on the menu.

The owners said creating a vegan menu wasn’t hard because a lot of the food offered is naturally vegan.

The menu at MAZU features a variety of street eats, including Guabao, Masala Poori Chaat, Falafel Poori Fattoush, Scallion Pancake, Creamy Potato Curry Poori and Yansu Mushrooms. Main dishes include Dandan Noodles, Zucchini Kofta, The MAZU Kati Roll and a Hummus and Falafel Platter.

“Part of what has been exciting for us is to bring flavors, bring dishes, that we really love ourselves and introduce them to the community,” Hsu said.

The owners said they strive to serve fresh food that is authentic to its origin but also approachable.

“It’s food that has so much meaning,” Hsu said. “For a lot of people I think who come in to eat our food, it’s maybe their first time experiencing a lot of this, but it’s also nice to remember that for a lot of people this is their comfort food.”

After The Veganry closed in 2022, Hsu and Mazursky said the owner reached out to them with the opportunity to open a restaurant in the space. The couple had experience hosting dinners and catering among other events. When thinking about whether or not opening a restaurant was feasible, friends and other business owners suggested having a third partner in the restaurant. That’s when the owners reached out to Jensen about coming onboard.

Jensen was born in India but grew up in Yellow Springs. He recently moved back from Chicago to take care of his family. He explained he met Hsu and Mazursky at a mutual friend’s wedding in Israel and stayed in touch ever since.

Hsu said her parents came to the U.S. from Taiwan in their 20s. She was born in Massachusetts but grew up in Colorado where she met Mazursky. Mazursky was born in Israel and went to high school in Colorado.

The couple were living in Israel when they first had an idea to open a restaurant, but said it quickly became overwhelming. Mazursky noted when they came back to the states, they felt sad about letting go of that dream. They felt Jensen was perfect to assist in this new adventure because he shared the vision that food is a vehicle for storytelling, culture and so much more.

The owners said they are appreciative of the community for their ongoing support. They are also interested in partnering and collaborating with other vegan chefs as well as chefs who cook different cuisines to bring global street dining to the area.

“I feel like we are serving a need for this community,” Mazursky said. “I’m very proud to have this kind of food be offered in Yellow Springs.”

MAZU is open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Special dinner events may be planned in the future. For more information, visit www.mazueats.com or the restaurant’s Facebook or Instagram pages.