Find your zen at Aguacate

Explore a “sanctuary of love” that has a juice bar, petting zoo, yoga studio and farmers market all in the same place

BY ALEXANDRA ROA, STAFF WRITER

Happiness is a way of life at Aguacate Sanctuary of Love, or Aguacate, as the wellness retreat feeds your appetite and your desire to grow spiritually. Aguacate is a haven that aims to serve the well-being of people and connect the relationship between healthy food, body and mind.

Located on 12100 SW 43rd Street, Aguacate offers an abundance of options such as a vegan juice bar, natural foods, fresh market, animal sanctuary and holistic practices that cater towards a diverse audience.

The owners’ mission is to instill a sense of awareness and serenity in their customers from within to foster a generation that can learn to appreciate life for its simple pleasures. The inspiration behind Aguacate is more than just healthy food.

“To be 100% in love with every part of you is really ultimately our goal, to be in love with every single one of us with ourselves,” founder and owner Daney Cabrera said.

In less than two years since they opened their doors, Aguacate has quickly become a popular spot among locals. Open from Tuesday through Sunday, their hours vary between 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends. They take a vegan spin on many of Miami’s famous dishes, including veggie steak sandwiches for $12 and sloppy jackfruit sandwiches for $9.50.

“We incorporated the arepa, the steak sandwich and the pan con lechón to show that you do not have to give up flavor or your culture just because you want to be plantbased or vegan,” Cabrera said, “It is so good for the environment, so great for your body, for your health, for the animals, for our planet, it’s a win win at every angle.”

Additionally, with a strong social media presence, Aguacate has acquired over 15,000 Instagram followers on their account @aguacate_sanctuaryoflove.

“I first saw Aguacate through Instagram because I follow a lot of vegan pages and after seeing all the pictures of the animals there and the food they offer I totally want to go visit,” senior Samantha Gazda said.

At Aguacate’s vegan restaurant, customers can start their day off with freshly squeezed juices and smoothies for as low as $7. They can enjoy a hearty avocado toast for $5.50 and an açai bowl that includes a rainbow of color and flavor for $10.25 off their breakfast menu.

When in the mood for a burger Aguacate offers three delicious options: the magic mushroom, protein and their signature, “the Aguacate.” Aguacate can also satisfy any burrito craving for $9.50. They are filled with cumin black beans, a vegan beef crumble, rice, pico de gallo, sunflower sourcream and guacamole all wrapped in a vegan tortilla with a side of plantain chips.

In addition, Aguacate also includes an animal sanctuary. There the customers are welcome to observe, feed and interact with geese, pigs, chickens, cows, bunnies, goats and a turtle for just $1. All of the animals in the sanctuary have been rescued from undesirable conditions. Last year, Aguacate saved two abused pigs from being slaughtered

and eaten at a family’s Christmas Eve dinner. The animals are extremely gentle, well accustomed to human contact and enjoy receiving attention; especially when food is involved. However, if someone is afraid of animals, they may want to watch out for Lucy the goose who goes after her food a little too much.

Another part of the sanctuary is the holistic offerings. Some of these include: yoga, cooking, gardening, meditation, a book club and wellness classes. On weekdays, people can participate in a yoga session at 6:30 p.m., while on weekends morning classes start at 10 a.m. Every Saturday at 9 a.m. people can also enjoy a meditation class where the instructor teaches breathing exercises and ways to help decrease anxiety. Meditation has been proven to help people grow in many areas such as managing stress, improving empathy and memory.

Although it is not offered as frequently as the many other programs, a vegan cooking class—available once a month— is one of the most sought after classes to attend as the class teaches how to incorporate ethnically Latin flavors into simple, delicious vegan recipes.

“I had this vision of making a change for the community of something that is innovative and beneficial by keeping a clear understanding of what it really takes to be healthy. A lot of times we live in this world and are just so disconnected in thinking that natural medicine does not have the power that it does in our bodies so I wanted to create something to change that,” Cabrera said.