Welcome
Fresh, imaginative vegetarian cuisine
Ann Arbor since 1973
Detroit 2011-2025
History of Seva Restaurant
Our History
Seva Longevity Cookery first opened in Columbus, Ohio in 1971. Founders Steve Bellock and Barney Greenbaum created a unique restaurant in the Short North neighborhood with a completely vegetarian menu – a concept virtually unheard of, at the time. When Steve relocated to Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1973 he transformed the existing Soybean Cellars restaurant, in the former VFW hall on East Liberty Street, into Seva Restaurant.
During this time the VFW building was split down the middle, front to back: the east side housed Seva Restaurant while the west side housed Soybean Cellars Market. The two businesses complemented each other well – 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’s 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 Seva’s 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, along with redesigning Seva’s logo. The new logo featured Maren's all time favorite herb - rosemary, representing love and remembrance. Maren & Jeff have carried on the legacy of serving fresh, imaginative vegetarian cuisine to the Metro-Detroit area for nearly 30 years.
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Around 2008, Maren & Jeff were approached by George N’Namdi, owner of the G. R. N’Namdi Gallery in Detroit. George had attended Ohio State and was familiar with Seva Longevity Cookery in Columbus; he later received a PhD from the University of Michigan and was a fan of Seva in Ann Arbor. The purpose of George’s approach was to recruit Seva to open a second location in his Detroit gallery campus.
Seva Detroit opened in December 2011 at 66 East Forest Avenue and operated until February 28, 2025. It shared a building with the G. R. N’Namdi Gallery and was tucked into the back of a historic brick building, bordered by a large, private patio. Located in the Midtown neighborhood of Detroit, it 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 Ann Arbor 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 Pride expressions, then spreading through the restaurant as symbols of peace, acceptance, and hope. To us, these symbols are meaningful reminders to love and show your love always, however that works for you. We’ve shown our love through food for 50 years at Seva. To celebrate the milestone occasion, we publishing our 50th Anniversary Cookbook in 2023.
Our dining room has witnessed countless stories, laughter, and moments of connection over the past half-century. We've seen first dates blossom into lifelong love stories, reunions of friends that have filled our 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, the decor has evolved, and the menu has expanded, two things remain constant - our commitment to serving you the finest food & the warmth and love that you, our loyal customers, have brought to our tables.