Yesterday, I discovered Will Allen, known for his Growing Power organic farms and market on Silver Spring, has just opened a new deli/market on Martin Luther King Drive, the Growing Power Café.
When you enter the store, you notice how bright and shiny new everything feels. The deli counter faces the door as you walk inside and there are high tables with stools in front of the big windows facing King Drive.
The market in the rear features a variety of Growing Power vegetables and organic packaged goods with an emphasis on local food and they have two kinds of locally roasted coffee. And if you are lucky as we were, you might get to shake hands with Will Allen himself come to help stock.
Yesterday, they were serving three soups: chili, chicken and dumplings and jambalaya in two sizes. My friend ordered the chicken and dumplings and pronounced it delicious with dumplings that actually resembled dumplings, not those little hard things you so often get. The jambalaya was full of chicken and I was offered shrimp as well which I gladly added. The sauce was rich and full of flavor and the smaller size was an ample portion.
The sandwich features avocado, cucumbers, red peppers, onion, tomatoes and Growing Power’s organic mixed greens and mayo topped with your choice of cheese. The veggies were crispy fresh. The food is clearly meant to be healthy, but once again they prove you don’t have to sacrifice flavor! The sandwiches are $5-$6. There are several salads as well for around $5 and corn on the cob for $1!
There is a good choice of beverages: Alterra coffee, lemonade, orange juice, bottled water and smoothies. They offer a wheatgrass shot as well. There are also cookies and brownies, as well as muffins, bagels, Danish and chips.
They are open every day except Sunday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
2737 N. Martin Luther King Drive. Phone: 414-372-7222
