Vegan drinking venues are nothing new. Within the past few years, gastropubs and breweries have been the new social “thing,” serving slightly outrageous yet equally delicious plant-based bar food with an impressive selection of local beers (on tap, of course). However, this culture has yet to truly permeate the wine world. Tara Punzone wanted to change this. This self-taught chef’s first concept, Pura Vita, is opening in Hollywood next week. It is the first completely vegan wine bar and Italian restaurant in the U.S.

Punzone grew up in Brooklyn in an Italian American household. Her grandfather owned a classic New York market and sandwich shop, and she soon grew fond of her traditional southern Italian family meals. “Everyone in my family was a cook. Everything revolved around food,” she recalled. Punzone connected the dots between her plate and the animals fairly young; at the age of 10, she told her family she would no longer eat meat. Her family accepted her decision, but also said she had to get in the kitchen and learn how to cook. “That was the best culinary school anyone could ever hope for!” She noted.