Stew-pendous! Sioux Falls Restaurant’s Vegan Potato Soup Nabs National PETA Award
For Immediate Release:
December 2, 2025
Contact:
Hannah Nelson 202-483-7382
Stirring up compassion! As temperatures dip and people seek warm comfort foods to get them through the winter, PETA is announcing its picks for the nation’s 10 best plant-powered soups and stews with its Souper Vegan Awards—and Sioux Falls’ own Sanaa’s Gourmet Mediterranean has made the list. The eatery’s mouthwatering Potato with Fennel Soup features fresh sautéed fennel, caramelized onions, garlic, potatoes, and tarragon and is seasoned with a signature blend of spices. All of the soups served at Sanaa’s are vegan.
“Sanaa’s Gourmet Mediterranean has created a delicious soup that’s kind to animals and provides comfort and warmth in each spoonful,” says PETA Founder Ingrid Newkirk. “Every winner on PETA’s awards list shows how easy it is to make a soup-erb stew or soup that leaves animals in peace and keeps everyone feeling nicely nourished.”
Cows develop friendships over time, chickens form complex social structures, pigs show empathy for other pigs who are happy or distressed, and fish have long memories and sing to each other—but in today’s meat, egg, and dairy industries, the animals are raised in filthy, crowded conditions and violently killed. In addition to sparing nearly 200 animals every year, each person who goes vegan also bolsters their own health, as vegans are less likely to suffer from cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. PETA’s free vegan starter kit can help those looking to make the switch.
Sanaa’s will receive a framed award certificate from PETA along with bragging rights. Other winners include Half-Peach Bakery & Cafe in Louisville, Kentucky; Asempe Kitchen in Ithaca, New York; Vujee Vegan in Huntsville, Alabama; and Revolutionary Soup in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Sanaa’s Gourmet Mediterranean is located at 401 E. 8th St., #100, in Sioux Falls and is open Monday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
