Welcome
Seva Restaurant
Serving fresh, imaginative
vegetarian cuisine
since 1973
About Seva Restaurant
Stop in to the restaurant or call us at 734 662-1111 to place your order!
History of Seva Restaurant
Our History
Seva Longevity Cookery opened in Columbus, Ohio in 1971. Founders Steve Bellock and Barney Greenbaum established a unique restaurant in the Short North neighborhood with a completely vegetarian menu – a concept that was virtually unheard of, at the time. When Steve relocated to Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1973, he transformed the existing Soybean Cellars restaurant, located in the former VFW hall on East Liberty Street, into what is now known as Seva Restaurant.
In the 1970s and 80s, the VFW building was split down the middle, front to back: the east side housed Seva Restaurant, while the west side featured Soybean Cellars Market. The two businesses complemented each other perfectly—great vegetarian food and an extensive natural food market, in the days before you could find tofu, nutritional yeast, or vitamins in national-chain grocery stores.
Seva’s dining room on Liberty St. was defined by rough cedar plank walls, windows filled with stained glass panels, plants galore,
and hand-built wooden booths.
In 1996, Seva owner Steve put the restaurant up for sale.
The hope was for a buyer who would step in as a new owner but continue with existing staff, menu, and operations. This dream came true when then Head Cook Maren Jackson, along with her husband Jeff Jackson, stepped forward to purchase the restaurant, finalizing the sale in February of 1997.
During their transition into ownership, Maren and Jeff transformed the former market into a full-service bar, while also redesigning Seva's logo. The new logo featured Maren's all-time favorite herb - rosemary, symbolizing love and remembrance.
Around 2008, Maren & Jeff were approached by George N’Namdi, owner of the G. R. N’Namdi Gallery in Detroit. George, who attended Ohio State and was familiar with Seva Longevity Cookery in Columbus, later received a PhD from the University of Michigan and became a fan of Seva in Ann Arbor, MI. His purpose in reaching out was to recruit Seva to open a second location in his Detroit gallery campus.
Seva Detroit opened its doors in December 2011
at 66 East Forest Avenue and operated until February 28, 2025,
when Seva Detroit closed permanently. This Seva restaurant shared a building with the G. R. N’Namdi Gallery and was tucked into the back of an historic brick structure, bordered by a large, private patio. Located in the Midtown neighborhood of Detroit, Seva Detroit was within easy walking distance of the Detroit Institute of Arts and not far from the city's sports stadiums and music auditoriums.
In 2014, Seva moved to the Westgate shopping center at the intersection of Jackson and Maple.
Today, our dining room and bar are filled with an endless array of rainbow decorations. Our rainbow décor evolved naturally, first as expressions of Pride, then spreading throughout the restaurant
as symbols of peace, acceptance, and hope.
To us, these symbols are meaningful reminders to love and
show your love always, in every way that works for you.
In 2023, we published our 50th Anniversary Cookbook
to celebrate 50 years of Seva - both the first and second printings
sold out completely! Thank you to everyone, near and far, who continue to support Seva through the years.
We've seen first dates blossom into lifelong love stories, reunions of friends that have filled our Seva restaurant with joy and laughter, and generations of families create priceless memories as they gather around our tables to share a meal. Your smiles, laughter, and shared moments are the true ingredients that have made Seva a beloved part of our community over the past five decades.
While our dining room has transformed, our décor has evolved, and our menu has expanded, two things remain constant - our commitment to serving you the finest food and the warmth and love that you, our loyal customers, have brought to our tables. Thank you.