Village Epicureans Closes After Eight Years

The Village Epicureans, a restaurant specializing in vegetarian food, closed June 2 after eight years in business at 440 N. Mission Blvd. in Fayetteville.

“There just really wasn’t enough business,” said Kathryn Laurain, co-owner of the restaurant. Her husband, Ted Laurain, was the other owner.

Kathryn Laurain said the restaurant began serving dinner in January, and organic chicken and salmon dishes were recently added to the menu.

Two chefs from James at the Mill, the upscale restaurant in Johnson, worked for the Village Epicureans for a while earlier this year, but they both have since moved on to the culinary school or other jobs, Kathryn Laurain said.

Laurain said she’s not sure what she’ll do next, besides “rest.” But she’s thinking about teaching or writing a cookbook.

“Vegetarian is my specialty, and I do mostly not dairy, which is unusual,” she said. “I feel enriched, if not financially, spiritually, by being able to do this for such a long time.”