34 • Outlook 2022-23
Vegan food truck
takes root on the Outer Banks by Danielle Puleo
In July of 2021, Natalie and Luke Harris opened the windows of Roots & Leaves Food Truck on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This was after having left their jobs in Martinsville, Virginia, moving their family down to the island in an RV and coincidentally acquiring vintage donut making equipment off of eBay from local restaurant owners. The COVID-19 pandemic altered the lives of many when it hit the United States in March of 2020. Natalie and Luke are no exception; they were running a fabric and textile company in Virginia at the time. Australia-native Luke had set up shop in Martinsville printing fabric for swimwear brands in the early 2000s. After meeting Natalie – at a coffee shop of all places – the two married in 2007 and Natalie ran the HR and marketing side of the company. The pandemic forced the company to stop selling fabric and switch to making isolation gowns and face masks instead. “It was morbid,” Natalie said. “We had a good run, but sometimes you just know when it’s time for a change.” The couple decided it was time to resign and took a vacation down to the Outer Banks. Leading up to this point, Natalie had already been selling vegan baked goods at local farmers markets. The couple had planned to open up a food truck offering vegan coffee and donuts and found vintage donut equipment for sale online. The seller just so happened to be located in Frisco, North Carolina, near where they had planned on vacationing. Sue and Gary Patchel, owners of the Gingerbread House Bakery, had listed their donut equipment on eBay and met with
Natalie and Luke for the exchange. After talking, the Harrises asked if they could set up Roots & Leaves in front of the restaurant to sell coffee and donuts, to which the Patchels’ responded: “Come on down!” “I used to make pizzas on Friday and Saturday nights when tourists were in town during the summertime,” Luke said, “and then when we went to the Gingerbread House and they said they only make pizzas at night time, no baked goods throughout the day, that just reminded me so much of my childhood.” Roots & Leaves was parked in front of the Gingerbread House for two weeks in June of 2021. During that time, Natalie and Luke met the Thompson family, who invited the couple to park their truck at the Avon Pier. That is when the two decided it was time to move. The Harrises sold their house in Virginia in July, bought an RV and made their way to
Danielle Puleo photo
Luke and Natalie Harris, owners of Roots & Leaves Food Truck Frisco Woods where they lived for the summer of 2021. The food truck starting making its way up and down the beach during the summer, offering fresh Aussie style coffee and handmade vegan donuts. You can’t miss the charcoal colored truck with bright, vibrant vegetables painted around the sides, a hot pink donut looking out the driver’s side window and an adorable
Danielle Puleo photo
Roots & Leaves Food Truck is parked right in front of the Avon Fishing Pier from Tuesday through Saturday.