Essence cafe opens

There’s a new café in town, and it is quickly attracting a crowd of happy, satisfied regulars!

The Essence café at 12660 East 116th street opened Aug. 9th, serving breakfast and lunch (Monday-Friday 7am-3pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am-2pm). The café offers paninis, soups, salads and smoothies, many made with all natural and organic ingredients.

On my recent visit to the corner side café, most of the customers were enjoying the outdoor dining area at the side of the café. I tried the “Essence” salad ($6.75), which was iceberg lettuce, vine-ripened tomatoes, red onion, cucumbers, carrots and sunflower seeds, all topped with a wonderful fat free cherry vinaigrette!

My lunch pal enjoyed the ham, provolone and pesto Panini ($5.95), and we washed it all down with one of my now favorite drinks, organic sweet leaf green tea with honey and mint.

One of the most popular items on the menu is the chicken salad ($6.75) that is made with dried cherries and tarragon. “They need to package that and sell it in bulk!” says satisfied customer Molly Wyse.

Geist resident and Lilly employee Beth Anderson got the idea for the eatery while visiting an all-natural café in Florida with her vegan daughter. “It just hit me…we don’t have anything like this in our neighborhood,” she thought.

Anderson called her friend Shannon Walls, a food broker and overall good cook, to manage the café. “It’s a dream come true for me!” says Walls.

The name “Essence” just seemed to reflect what the café is all about. The café has a Christian theme and some televisions will soon be added for news and music videos. A second Essence café may open next year in Broad Ripple.

Kids also seem to enjoy the healthy menu, too. There’s all-natural peanut butter sandwiches topped with organically grown bananas and smoothies made with organic juices and soy milk. The Essence café also offers a wide variety of catering options for businesses that may need breakfast or lunch brought to work.

So, that is just one more good reason to want to check out the Essence café.
I’m sure once you do, you will find plenty more good reasons to go back!