Café Gratitude (“CG”, for short), has been one of the staples in Little Italy, even before Little Italy was the place to be. Over the last 5 years, CG has become the go-to for all your vegan-cravings, including your post-Farmer’s market brunch, nourishing dinner dates, late night pick up, or a quick stop for a cool vegan milkshake at the bar. And with the COVID-19 pandemic causing many restaurants to shut down, or “wait it out”, Café Gratitude has found a way to stay relevant and safe, all while serving up your favorite vegan comfort foods.
We all know and love Cafe Gratitude for its bright, airy interior, and endearing “You are…” affirmations that accompany your food order. But as times change, CG is adapting with us. That’s right, our favorite Little Italy spot is open for us from 9am to 9pm daily, and is offering patio dining, takeout, and delivery. Like all San Diego restaurants, CG is requiring masks throughout the restaurant until seated, and the wait staff are all careful, clean and spaced out, to imbue confidence that your experience is risk-free. Any doubts you may have about dining out immediately vanish upon the friendly masked-welcome, sheet protected menus (which are disinfected after every use), and amply socially-distanced tables. Don’t forget their truly wonderful wine selection if you’re dining in! Because wine is, by definition, plant based!
Besides adapting to the pandemic times, CG is also adapting to our seasonal times! Try their Pumpkin Spicy Cold Brew, which tastes like autumn (if the color of fall had a taste!) with its mix of warm spices and pumpkin flavor—and free of the calorie-ridden guilt! (because if it’s vegan it’s negative calories right?!) Or try the nourishing I Am Cleansed salad, served with chickpea frittata, arugula, oyster mushrooms, caramelized onions and house-made green goddess dressing. Something I have always admired about Café Gratitude is that everything is made in house, including the almond butter and the salad dressings. Each ingredient is made with thoughtfulness and care, as though that single element is intended to be served alone. And that care is reflected in the flavor and richness of the CG food!
If you don’t feel like a take-out or dine in experience, you can still purchase (for delivery or pick up!) the Cafe Gratitude spooky themed DIY Halloween cookie kits! These kits are plant-based and flavor driven, and are just as delicious as they are fun. While you’re at it, you can also pick up Café Gratitude’s new wellness shot box, featuring the Beaming, Electrified, Brave and Stimulated. Each shot is concentrated with immune-boosting nutrients to give your body a wellness boost just in time for the fall season. You can feel your vibration rise after the Beaming shot filled with Vitamin C energy. And after months of quarantining, we sure do need the lift!
For those who still prefer to stay home but are missing the CG’s nourishing plant-based menu, CG’s got you. Their website is now selling the Love is Served Cookbook.
In this cookbook, Chef Seizan Dreux Ellis, who oversees the development of the menu, generously shares all his trade secrets so we can enjoy our favorite CG dishes at home! The recipes are colorful, fresh, and easy for the entire family to love. Probably not a bad gift idea for the holidays too!
So whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, somewhere in between, or none of the above, we’re glad Café Gratitude is open for all of our Autumn 2020 needs to treat us well. Because, God bless us all, we all deserve to treat ourselves this year.
