Mae Mae Café, a plant-based restaurant, recently had its grand opening in the Bronx.
This new rustic eatery has a vegan menu with fresh ingredients from Great Performances’ organic Katchkie Farm. There will be taco options: Mushroom Mole, white onion, cilantro, sesame seeds and Guajillo Nopal, red cabbage, cilantro, and radish. The quesadilla and burrito offerings are Huitlacoche, corn, lime onion, radish and Mushroom Mole, Spanish Rice, stewed black beans, and guacamole. A selection of starters whets appetites, including Grilled Pineapple, avocado, baby kale, sesame seeds, negra vinaigrette, and Crispy Tortilla Salad romaine lettuce, black beans, watermelon radish, lime onion, cilantro vinaigrette; and Ital Stew, plantain, pumpkin, callaloo.
This café will feature plants for sale with decorative accents. The new restaurant offers residents to participate in Katchkie Farm’s CSA. Fresh farm flower bouquets will be available for purchase throughout the summer season.
“Opening this neighborhood café was always part of our plan when we moved Great Performances to The Bronx in 2019. As we settled in and got to know our new community, we decided it should be plant-based to symbolize our long-standing advocacy of delicious, affordable and healthy eating in an area with few choices,” Liz Neumark, founder of Great Performances, said. “Adding the plant store and Katchkie Farm CSA is our way of bringing more green to Mott Haven.”
In addition to the Latin-inspired food menu, Mae Mae Café will merge with Mott Haven, offering summer internships to residential high school students. The space will also be available for community gatherings and food education.
“There is no question that our small businesses are the lifeblood of our Bronx economy, and I am proud to join our community today to welcome the Mae Mae Cafe, which will bring delicious and high-quality plant-based meal options to Bronx residents. This space exemplifies the future of our collective recovery and marks a new step in our efforts to reverse the legacy of adverse health outcomes that have affected our Borough. I look forward to working with Liz Neumark and Great Performances to activate the full potential of this space and ensure that every Bronx resident feels welcome here,” Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson said.
The new Mae Mae Café is currently open during all hours, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 2417 Third Avenue in the Bronx.
