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A Fresh Take
Newly remodeled Café Gratitude launches vegan meal plans
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of nine meals. This includes three fresh, organic plant-based meals a day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Designed by executive chef Dreux Ellis, the flavorful, chef-prepared nutritious meals are for everyone, not just vegans. The delicious and healthy plant-based meals are keto-friendly, high in protein, and made with the freshest ingredients. They can be easily heated up and enjoyed anywhere, whether at home or on the go. Bonbright first tasted the delicious food at Café Gratitude back in 2009 when she was visiting the Bay Area. After tracking down the owners who also owned a biodiversity farm, they struck a deal that allowed Bonbright to bring the name and concept to Los Angeles. “I became obsessed,” Bonbright said. “I had to find the owners. I was eating there every day for two weeks. I told my husband, ‘We are doing this!’” The Bonbrights took a leap of faith and raised enough investment to launch their first Café Gratitude, which opened in 2011 in Larchmont Village. “We were able to pay back our investors in full within eight months of opening,” Bonbright said. In July 2012, the couple decided to expand and opened their second location in Venice. “Venice is my favorite area,” Bonbright said. The Bonbrights also own Gracias Madre, Café Gratitude’s sister restaurant with locations in West Hollywood and Newport Beach that serve plant-based Mexican food. For customers who want to recreate the Café Gratitude experience in their own kitchen, the cookbook “Love Is Served: Inspired Plant-Based Recipes from Southern California” features many of the restaurant’s classic dishes along with other special recipes from Chef Ellis. ” Café Gratitude 512 Rose Avenue, Venice 424-231-8000 cafegratitude.com
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CAFÉ GRATITUDE
By Michele Robinson ocated in the heart of Venice just a few blocks from the beach, Café Gratitude offers diners a healthy and upscale plantbased menu in a chic setting. For the Venice location’s 10-year anniversary, Katie Hodges Design was brought in to reimagine the space. “I wanted to give it a fresh start,” said Lisa Bonbright, CEO of Café Gratitude. “The goal is for people to walk in and say, ‘Wow, it feels so good in here. I’m not sure what you did, but I love it.’” Katie Hodges Design is deeply influenced by the California lifestyle, balancing modern and traditional elements. Signature elements of Hodges’ work include neutral furniture and a calm, open environment. In addition to new paint and light fixtures, along with a fresh bar face and countertops, Café Gratitude has also expanded to include more seats in the outdoor sitting area. “We repainted, redid the floorplan and furniture in the external patio area,” Bonbright said. “We now have fabric banquettes (built-in seating) so people can look outside to see the street. I like this floorplan better. We cozied it up and have gotten incredible feedback.” Café Gratitude also recently launched meal plans, allowing customers to sign up to receive a three or six-day meal plan delivered right to their front door. Other options include adding a juice plan or picking up the meals at one of Café Gratitude’s five locations. Due to its overwhelming success, Café Gratitude has expanded the meal plan service to Orange County and San Diego. The delivered meals are packed in reusable insulated bags. All prepackaged meals are conveniently stored in biodegradable trays. Each prepared meal has an affirmation on it such as “I AM LOVING” or “I AM PATIENT” with the labeled ingredients and serving instructions. For example, if a customer orders the three-day plan, they will receive a total
After 10 years, Café Gratitude teamed up with Katie Hodges Design to reimagine the Venice location as a calming, airy environment with minimalistic neutral furniture.
Café Gratitude’s newly launched meal plans bring delicious and healthy plant-based meals that are keto-friendly, high in protein and made with the freshest ingredients straight to customers’ doors. FEBRUARY 17, 2022 THE ARGONAUT PAGE 9
