Irregardless was named for the now-contentious term which founder Arthur Gordon’s grandmother claimed to have originated to honor her memory. After 50 years, folks are still dining at this homey Raleigh restaurant on West Morgan Street and remembering Gordon’s grandmother all the same. We sat down with owner Lee Robinson to remember the history of Irregardless and what’s next for the Raleigh classic.
When Irregardless opened its doors in 1975, it was a vegetarian sandwich shop connected to a health food store. Over time, Gordon and his business partners added fish, poultry, and red meat to its offerings, but the menu is always at least half vegetarian. The restaurant has garnered an international community, especially folks from cultures that eat less or no meat, according to Robinson, Irregardless’ owner of five years.
Robinson bought the restaurant from Gordon in early 2020 after managing other Raleigh staples like The Pit and Players Retreat. When COVID hit 10 weeks after Robinson bought the place, the community came together to support Irregardless with a line down the street for takeout.
Irregardless has certainly changed since its opening, like whittling down the favorites from a seven-page menu into one page and incorporating meat, but some things have stayed the same. An original wooden sign still hangs by the bar, live musicians are jamming throughout the week, regulars sit in the same burgundy booths, local art hangs proud, and original recipes like the spanakopita + salad dressings have stuck around for decades.
As Irregardless looks toward its next 50 years, Robinson wants it to be the place vegetarians bring their meat-eating friends + vice versa and to maintain that neighborhood restaurant charm.
Savor the vintage, classic charm of Irregardless with upcoming prix fixe decades dinners to taste what Irregardless was serving in 1975, 1985, 1995, and so on. Happy 50th, Irregardless.
