Everything Under The Sun: Neighborhood Vegan Cafe

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Neighborhood Vegan Cafe

Once the weather is pleasant, Chickpea Cafe has its bike rack set up.

She had been volunteering for a few years with VegWorcester, when she came up with the idea. At the time her research had shown that there were very few eateries that offered vegan cuisine in the city of Worcester, Massachusetts. That's when Julia Cohn began establishing the CHICKPEA VEGAN CAFE.

Among the features of the cafe is its support of social responsibility. One hundred percent of its profits go to animal advocacy. And all of the foods featured on the menu are 100% vegan. Another feature is this cafe supports local growers by trying to obtain as much of its produce from them as possible. The cafe is also a venue for bringing people together, offering workshops and lectures.

Located in a low income neighborhood, Chickpea Cafe offers locals the opportunity to try vegan fare and also have access to fresh vegan foods. Those who are unfamiliar with vegan foods can try them in a friendly setting. That's something that Julia intended when she first became inspired to establish this cafe. She stated that her cafe "allow[s] them to see that [vegan food] isn't weird or scary, but delicious."

In addition, the Cafe offers regularly scheduled events, such as dance performances, outdoor movie nights (a bike-in movie series), and a birthday bash celebration. Organizations can book the cafe for public or private events. The cafe provides the food, with menu service or buffet style, and also provides AV equipment.

Chickpea Cafe offers catering; looks delicious!

Then there is the food. There two types of appetizers, a variety of sandwiches (with gluten-free options), salads (as side dishes or entree), and quesadillas with a choice of toppings. Then there are two options which are under the guilty pleasure (or dessert) category - ice cream and milkshakes that come in various flavors. The cafe is open every day, except Monday.