ROOT&LEAF by Oxalis shows that fully plant-based can be seriously crave-worthy. Sink your teeth into the Berliner kebap with house-marinated vegan gyros, share cauliflower wings drenched in andalouse sauce, pick a gyros or marinated celery bowl, then finish with a vegan, gluten-free tiramisu. Local, often organic ingredients served in biodegradable packaging. Great food with a lighter footprint.
3 questions, 3 answers
How it started
I have been cooking for more than 15 years, specialising in plant-based cuisine. My path is unusual: I come from the theatre, before turning to plant-based cooking, with a primary-teaching training in between. It is the meeting of my passion for plant-based cooking and for passing things on that led me to found Oxalis, the first 100% plant-based cooking school in Belgium, opened in September 2025 in Auderghem. ROOT&LEAF grew out of that project — our plant-based street food truck, which lets us go and meet the public at festivals and events, and show that plant-based cooking can be both delicious and accessible.
Where their produce comes from
At ROOT&LEAF we like to think that every plate tells a story of proximity. Our vegetables and fresh produce come from local Brussels suppliers (Herbéa). We favour short supply chains as far as we can, because generous plant-based cooking starts with produce that means something and is rooted in its area. For the rest we trust committed organic wholesalers like Terroirist, who share our standards and our values.
But the soul of ROOT&LEAF is above all in our pots: sauces, toppings, sides — everything is thought through and made in house, with the recipes developed at the Oxalis school. Only the bread and a few specific products arrive ready-made. The rest is us: handwork, time, and a real wish to show that 100% plant-based cooking can be as delicious as it is generous.
What they suggest you try first
For a first visit to ROOT&LEAF we would say without hesitating: start with our flagship, the plant-based Berliner Kebap. It is our absolute best-seller — and by a wide margin: on its own it accounts for more than half our sales at the festivals we do. Marinated and grilled seitan gyros, marinated red cabbage, grilled pepper, a homemade tofu 'feta' and our signature garlic sauce, all in a soft Turkish bread. It is proof that a kebab can be 100% plant-based, generous and hugely tasty: even the most sceptical leave convinced. For those intolerant to gluten, or wanting something lighter, we also do a bowl version without bread, with the same seitan or with marinated celeriac.
Alongside the kebap, two things not to miss: our plant-based cheese croquettes, crisp outside and melting inside, served with garlic or andalouse sauce, a tasty nod to Belgium. And to finish gently, our plant-based, gluten-free tiramisu, made with plant cream and gluten-free sponge fingers — proof that you can enjoy yourself right through to dessert without any restriction.
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On the menu
Bowl with homemade plant-based gyros, coleslaw, grilled peppers and sauce of your choice (tahini or garlic) - optional homemade plant-based feta add-on
Berliner kebab with house-marinated plant-based gyros, grilled peppers, coleslaw and sauce of your choice (tahini or garlic) - optional homemade plant-based feta add-on
Bowl with marinated celery, coleslaw, grilled peppers and sauce of your choice (tahini or garlic) - optional homemade plant-based feta add-on
In pictures
