Updated Aug. 31, 9:53 a.m.–
A new organic cafe is now open next to Bubba’s car wash on Greenback Lane in Citrus Heights, offering a variety of vegan and non-GMO selections — as well as kombucha on tap.
“Everything in the building is organic,” said Nourish Health Bar and Cafe Manager Austin Lynch, who was hired to run the location at the beginning of August. “If it’s not organic, it doesn’t come through the doors.”
A sign outside the new eatery advertises the cafe’s distinctive food selections, which are all certified organic, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and non-GMO. Inside, the cafe is on the simple side, with mostly plain walls and modern furniture from IKEA. Plenty of seats are available, either at a bar, table, or a few outdoor chairs.
The cafe’s selections are currently somewhat limited, as management says the location will be in “soft open mode” through at least mid-September, as a way to gather feedback, train staff, and finalize the menu. Current meals on the menu feature two main choices: a vegan mung-bean burger on a gluten-free bun, or a quinoa bowl with spring greens and a burger patty on the side.
Drinks on the menu have a bit more variety, including a rotating selection of six different kombuchas, which are fermented probiotic drinks that have risen recently in popularity. Lynch said the kombuchas are all brewed on-site in 50-gallon batches, with flavors including strawberry mojito, mango-pineapple-lemon, triple berry, and several herbal flavors.
The cafe also offers three kinds of lemonades, a variety of herbal teas, and a nitrogen-infused cold-pressed coffee. Future offerings will likely include pre-made sushi and several different nutmilks, according to Lynch.
Prices range from $6.99 for a quinoa bowl and a side, to $9.99 for a burger meal. Pre-packaged burgers and vegan condiments can also be purchased from the cafe.
The 28-year-old manager said all the cafe’s food and drinks come from an adjacent production facility that opened last year, operated by Hawaii-based Life Foods Inc. Although the cafe only began serving food in August, Lynch said the several-thousand-square-feet production facility has been supplying several independent natural food stores in the Bay Area over the past year.
In an email to The Sentinel last week, Life Foods founder and CEO Azeem Butt said the company is currently focusing on picking up new restaurants and grocery stores to supply in the Sacramento area. He said the new production facility in Citrus Heights was selected as a central location for serving markets in northern and Southern California, with “great proximity to farms and delivery routes to all over California.”
The cafe is located at 7433 Greenback Ln. in Citrus Heights, with food currently served up Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
More information about Nourish Cafe can be found on its Facebook page, or at LifeFoodsInc.com.
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