Eden’s Café at 1660 W. Broad St. offers the Be Chill Banh Mi, Buddha Noodles and the Pythagorean Theorem, a falafel-quinoa bowl, pictured above. The café serves entrées in fully compostable packaging in the restaurant, with a vending machine outside providing convenient access at all hours. Photo by Shea Peters
Built around core values of sustainability, Eden’s Café is a newly-opened plant-based addition to Athens, Georgia at 1660 W. Broad St. The café offers a changing menu sprinkled with locally-sourced and organic ingredients.
The atmosphere of Eden’s Café can be seen in the on-tap kombucha at the bar, the self-serve nutritional yeast shaker next to the condiments and the eclectic murals painted across the walls.
Conveniently close to Clarke Central High School, Eden’s Café is located at 1660 West Broad St., and is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, with weekend hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Entrées can be found in a cooler at the front of the café, and soon will be sold at all hours from a vending machine located just outside. The food is plant-based and vegan with an emphasis on organic, locally-sourced produce and gluten-free options.
Additionally, all packaging and waste products are compostable, a service which the café provides as part of its commitment to zero-waste, a core tenet of Eden’s.
“This is a corn-based industrially compostable packaging, meaning that it requires high temperatures and lots of air, so it’s usually, it takes a lot longer if you try to do it at your house, your own compost pile, but regardless, it’s still made from corn, a renewable resource byproduct of the corn industry,” Eden’s Café co-founder Nicholas Bradfield said. “It’s very sustainable, very renewable, and it keeps the oil in the soil.”
Diners can purchase a healthy, balanced and filling meal for under $10. The quality of the food makes the price understandable, and meal sizes are perfectly proportioned to be filling without leftovers. Although the meals served at Eden’s Café are top-notch, the baked goods struggle under the dual weight of being vegan and gluten-free.
While variety is somewhat limited on the menu, Eden’s Café is inclusive of vegan and gluten-free diets, and customers can request options and provide feedback via a form on the enterprise’s website.
Providing both indoor and outdoor seating, Eden’s Café is surrounded by colorful artwork and plants, creating a laid-back environment well-suited for after-school studying or brunch dates. Staff are welcoming, friendly and readily helpful, with detailed knowledge of the café.
Those who appreciate Big City Bread, The Grit and Maepole will likely find a new favorite in Eden’s Café because of its healthy food and their commitment to zero waste.
