You don’t have to be a raw foodie to enjoy
Maggie’s Mercantile, the newest restaurant to join Oakland’s Craig St. commercial district.
Located at 300 S. Craig, the one-of-a-kind café, deli and gift shop—which specializes in organic vegan and raw dishes—offers an ever-changing menu, as well as fresh smoothies, vegan baked goods, a salad bar, soy ice cream, and raw desserts.
Owner Maggie Raphael, who also runs a restaurant in Stahlstown and a 94-acre
organic farm near Greensburg, was approached by developer
Damian Soffer about opening in
SouthSide Works after she briefly ran a café on Atwood St. After contemplating the high cost of renovations at SouthSide Works, Raphael began looking for a new location, eventually landing upon one owned by
Carnegie Mellon. “They liked the idea of having a place like mine associated with the university. I’m on their meal card program. They were very helpful and supportive,” adds Raphael, who worked with Carl Bergamini and Bill Perkins to renovate the 1,000-square-foot space. “It was imperative to me to incorporate green elements. It’s efficient, aesthetically pleasing and practical—that’s what Maggie’s represents.”
Maggie’s is already seeing high traffic for breakfast and lunch. “We’re working on a refined table service for dinner, and live music. Vegans don’t have to eat café-style everyday,” adds Raphael, who hired manager and raw foodist Matt Miller, along with 9 young employees. “What a perfect neighborhood. I’m encouraged that more and more people are learning to work in harmony with the planet, instead of controlling it.”
Maggie’s also sells cookbooks, eco-friendly products made from bamboo, soy and hemp and t-shirts boasting the café’s “Eat Well, Live Compassionately” motto.
Writer:
Jennifer BaronSource: Maggie Raphael, Maggie's Mercantile
Photograph copyright Brian Cohen