A temporary organic Vegan pop-up brings nostalgia and super healthy, delicious dishes to the Mission in San Francisco.
Our Chief Enthusiast / Nerd-in-chief
I’ll admit – I’ve got a strong data geek streak in me. An MIS/CS degree led me to work over 15 years with healthcare analytics companies, starting as a Business Systems Analyst then evolving to Operations and ultimately Business Development. But I shan’t forget my data roots!
At the heart of our Healthy Anywhere operation is a data model and scoring system – initially built by yours truly and that has since evolved with proper Engineering. It started as a series of queries analyzing – no lie – over 1,600 variables – all to determine how healthy, sustainable, and delicious a place really was.
I’d had it with ‘fake’ healthy and being duped by hype.
That system now helps us pinpoint with precision, your best bets for remarkable meals that nourish body, earth, and soul.
And yes, the nerd in me loves seeing how places stack up on categories like sustainability, nutrient-density, types of healthy food, and more.
Below is one small story of our system at work.
— Leigh
SF Restaurant gets a healthy upgrade
After improvements to our scoring model, we reprocessed San Francisco for the first time in many months. It was mostly for kicks and final validation – I didn’t expect anything to change that much.
But immediately, something strange jumped out at me.
A not-super-healthy place suddenly appeared extra healthy.
Hmm. Did something break? I wondered…
The place was Gracias Madre in the Mission, known for hearty – often heavy – Organic Vegan Mexican food.
While they’ve always been remarkable for sustainability and sourcing produce from their dedicated local organic farm, much of the menu isn’t light or healthy per se.
Upon closer inspection, I realized they were hosting a pop-up of an old San Francisco hyper-healthy standby — Cafe Gratitude.
Of course! Our scoring was spot on.
We reached out to Gracias Madre for the latest status, and they aren’t yet sure exactly when this temporary pop-up will end, presumably before fall. There’s a chance popular items may find a more permanent home on Gracias Madre’s menu. (One can hope and vote with their dollars)
If you’re looking for nutrient-dense goodness in SF, hit them up while you still can.
Details below, including our dish recommendations.
Cafe Gratitude Pop up Details - San Francisco
How to get it: Pick up or Delivery only
Daily, 11am – 8:15 pm
Scope the menu here and call 415-683-1346 for pickup at Gracias Madre (Mission). Or order online. (Phone is preferred)
Plus – over the phone, you can add Gracias Madre items like a hibiscus margarita. 😉
What to order
Our top picks below
(honorable mention for “Ecstatic” – Maple Miso Brussels Sprouts)
“Enchanting“: A cruciferous power dish loaded with antioxidants.
Warm broccolini & edamame with mustard marinated kale, tarragon, dill, avocado cream, and maple toasted seeds.
“Whole”: A macrobiotic bowl nourishing for your thyroid and gut, with sea vegetables and kimchi plus fiber and “complete protein” from the grains + beans combo.
Braised butternut squash, stewed adzuki beans, kimchi, sea vegetables, sautéed kale, garlic-tahini, toasted tamari almonds, and brown rice or quinoa.
“Pure”: Kale and Sea Vegetable salad. We recommend adding Kimchi
With avocado, cucumber, carrots, nori, toasted tamari almonds, and maple toasted seeds.
Photos courtesy of Cafe Gratitude
This article resulted from an honest discovery and desire to share good food. We are in no way compensated by the restaurant. We enjoy their healthy food and hope you do too!
What about all those other places for healthy food?
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