The Moth Coffeehouse is a small, family owned vegan/vegetarian restaurant located in Allentown, NJ overlooking the Conines Millpond. The vegan fare at The Moth sets it apart from other local establishments. They serve everything meat and dairy free, including vegan egg salads ($7.75), chickpea sliders ($8), and regular coffee ($1.85/$2.85) to Reese’s Cup cappuccinos ($5) and lattés ($3.75/$4.75). The wooden chairs and tables add to the warm, rustic vibe inside.
Corky and Kris Danch opened The Moth in October 2015. Their daughters Zoë and Alia now help their parents run the place.
“My whole family and I are vegetarian. So it just made sense for us to kind of use our own values and ethics into our business,” Zoë said. “My dad has been a vegetarian for 50 years and my sister and I have never eaten meat.” Her mom adds, “I was born and raised in a farm and got to see how meat came on your plate.”
Vegetarians do not eat meat but may consume eggs, dairy products or fish. Vegans abstain from animal consumption entirely, choosing not to use animal products whatsoever..
Something intangible about The Moth makes it enticing. It might be sounds of the coffee machine steaming milk for a latté, the rich aromas of fresh ground coffee beans, the laughing and chattering of customers, the friendly thank you’s and goodbye’s. It could be the familiarity, the welcoming warmth you can only get from a family owned and operated establishment.
Kris Danch said “Our client base seem to be very open minded. We have a lot of high school students who stop on the way home who are not vegetarian, nor vegan but they are open minded and are trying the food, liking it and coming back.”
Melinda Brown, 65, of Allentown, NJ said, “I am not a vegan but everything is delicious. I love the atmosphere, casualness, the menu is unique, and the staff is beyond friendly. I love that it is a family owned business, and I think it is a wonderful asset to the town. My favorite menu item is the quiche.”
The coffeehouse is very active in the local community, allowing its spaces to be used for support groups and meetings of any sort. The Moth even hosted the HGTV show Tiny House Hunters, which filmed a meet up in the restaurant in 2016.
“I love that it’s artsy and it’s short walk from school.” said Sierra Cottrell, 16, from Cream Ridge told The VOICE.
The restaurant serves their most popular menu item, the beet burger ($9), composed of beets, lentils, spices and other vegetables. Their vegan options include the vegan mac n’ cheese ($6.75), and vegan sausage sandwich ($9). The milks range from whole milk to rice milk to add into your preferred cappuccino or fresh iced coffee.
Their meals, such as the beet burger and the vegan mac n’ cheese are served with a fresh side salad, adorned with a drizzle of creamy balsamic vinaigrette. The beet burger is a rich purple color, crispy on the outside and served on a flatbread, topped by homemade vegan spread and pickles.
When you bite into it the flavors from the spices and the vegan spread combine together perfectly. The vegan mac n’ cheese is covered in their flavorful sauce all made from vegetables with a texture like that of regular cheese.
The Moth Coffeehouse is located in 42 So. Main St. Allentown, NJ.
