Tavern getting hold of popular vegetable (9)
I believe the answer is:
aubergine
'vegetable' is the definition.
(aubergine is a kind of vegetable)
'tavern getting hold of popular' is the wordplay.
'tavern' becomes 'auberge' (I've seen this before).
'getting hold of' indicates putting letters inside.
'popular' becomes 'in'.
'auberge' going around 'in' is 'AUBERGINE'.
(Other definitions for aubergine that I've seen before include "Purple vegetable" , "Vegetable strangely found in a burgee" , "I agree bun could become a strange vegetable" , "Fruit of the eggplant" , "Deep purple colour" .)