Café Gratitude satisfies both stomach and soul

There is no way that ordering a meal by saying, “I am happy,” could possibly go wrong, especially when you’re at Café Gratitude, a vegan restaurant located in the arts district that inspires its diners to become healthier and more.

The hipster locale has a soothing ambience with calm music and an outdoor patio. We sat there for hours, well after finishing our lunches because the place was simply too homey to leave it so fast.  In fact, it wasn’t enough to just eat there. We were so infatuated with the restaurant that when we got back home we ordered their cookbooks and decided that we wanted to go on their three-day juice cleanse.

Each food item on the menu is titled with a positive word, and at the top of the menu, the words “I AM…” are inscripted. When you order then, you must say those magic words.

I am happy.

I ordered the Mediterranean Raw Wrap, which had sundried tomato wrap with raw falafels, zucchini cilantro hummus, spinach, red onion, tomato and harissa sauce. The waitress warned me that it was not a normal tortilla.  I ordered it anyway, and it didn’t end up being as bad as she had made it sound.  It had a harder consistency that made it more difficult to bite, but the sundried tomatoes gave it an exotic flavor.

I am blissful.

The blueberry chia seed shake was delicious.  The drink consisted of blueberries, peaches, coconut yogurt, dates, chia seeds and vanilla bean.  Served ice cold, it was perfect for the sunny day.

I am open.

The coffee cake they serve is seasonal. We had the maple pumpkin, a great combination.  It was perfect size for sharing. If it happens to be your birthday, they will top it off with a candle and a group of servers singing “Happy Birthday” in a cappella.

The friendly servers have a positive vibe that just sets the peaceful mood. They replied to our orders by saying repeating our statements back to us: “You are happy, you are blissful, you are open,” making us actually feel all those things. After they seated us, they also gave our group “the question of the day,” sparking meaningful table conversations.

“What are you grateful for today?” was ours.

This restaurant. Definitely this restaurant.