Plant-Based Made Easy with Café Evergreen
by Mary-Elizabeth Schurrer
Plant-based nutrition. Now there’s a subject I could talk “nerdy” on for hours—and it turns out, I am not alone in my nerdiness. Ted Weinberger, who operates Café Evergreen in Nokomis alongside his wife and business partner Annette, shares this passion for plant-based living and is dedicated to sharing its benefits with our local community.
As this plant-based movement gains traction and popularity in wellness spheres, Weinberger is occupied in the kitchen of a historic post office–turned eatery on U.S. 41, crafting unique and inspired dishes that make the plant-based concept feel more accessible to an even wider range of palates. What he creates is tangible—or taste-able—evidence that plant-based eating is not just a trendy buzzword spoken about in yoga studios, but a lifestyle practice that sustains, nourishes and rejuvenates all aspects of well-being.
In the conversation below, I discuss with Weinberger the artform of combining delicious food with nutritious value, and he exposes the “secret sauce” of how Café Evergreen packs both flavor and health into one irresistible, award-winning menu. No seriously—the restaurant snagged a national award this year. So that’s kind of impressive, right? Exactly.
Natural Awakenings: How are you working to familiarize the community with plant-based eating?
Weinberger: Cafe Evergreen has been in this local market for eight years which has created an opportunity to share the benefits of lifestyle and nutrition with hundreds of people.
When someone views our menu, they’re not only getting an education—no processed foods, no GMOs, no high-fructose corn syrup—they’re also being exposed to plant-based foods that taste amazing. Our servers train for more than three weeks to expand their knowledge of nutrition. This makes both the servers and managers excellent resources for our guests.
We also partner with initiatives like “Plant Pure Community” to participate in their restaurant campaign, and we have a strong presence on websites such as Happy Cow and the Venice FoodiesBlog.
NA: What are some of the most popular plant-based items featured on your menu this season?
Weinberger: Cafe Evergreen takes pride in having a menu that is flexible. All of our items are made to order, allowing our customers to fully customize their meal…
