CLT Beyond Cheesesteak made with jackfruit at Love in Action Cafe. Photo: Alexis Clinton/Axios Charlotte
Love in Action Café offers plant-based comfort food favorites, from meatless meatloaf to vegan sweet potato pie.
The café is at 4419 Tuckaseegee Road, next to the local nonprofit organization Love in Action.
Why it matters: The restaurant donates 30% of its sales to its neighboring nonprofit, which provides housing and services for veterans, disabled individuals and elderly residents.
- The restaurant has also become a space to help support entrepreneurs through a nonprofit program called The Boost Pad, according to WBTV. Co-owner Dumar Hemingway recently partnered with co-founders Joseph Butler and Manny Lovon of the brand Love Is Love Always to supply sea moss products in the café.
Background: The café first opened in February. Prior to that, the property was a soul food restaurant called Fresh from the Grill, which operated for about a year and a half.
- Hemingway says he always wanted to focus on creating flavorful plant-based food dishes without having to compromise taste.
- “I’ve been eating plant-based for 35 years and I noticed healthy food rarely tastes good. Eventually, I had to start creating healthier food options that I’d actually enjoy,” Hemingway said.
Sea moss-infused french toast platter with scrambled vegan egg and impossible sausage from the daily breakfast menu. ($15)
Menu: Expect plant-based breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes from a rotating list of local chefs offering specialty dishes.
- Specialty items vary depending on the day and the chef. Themed options include taco Tuesdays, Rasta pasta Thursdays and no oxtail Fridays.
- Popular dishes include a sea moss-infused French toast, jackfruit Philly cheesesteak, a meatless meatloaf and sweet potato pie.
CLT Beyond Cheesesteak, meatless meatloaf, vegan fried chicken and smoked green beans. Photo: Alexis Clinton/Axios Charlotte
“There’s a scarcity when it comes to food on the west side of Charlotte. We wanted to set up a space that would become a source for our community,” Butler said.
Vibe: The space is designed to be a comfortable casual dining spot that reminds people of being at home.
- There’s indoor seating to fit around 40 people, plus a couple of tables outside. By the summer they’ll have an outdoor deck with a pizza oven.
- Local entrepreneurs’ art, sea moss products and handmade jewelry are displayed throughout the café for sale.
Indoor seating at Love in Action Cafe. Photo: Alexis Clinton/Axios Charlotte
Hours: It’s open Monday through Friday from 9am-8pm and Saturday and Sunday from 12-5pm.
- The café will host events throughout the week including hands-on art workshops and fundraisers. On the weekends they offer live music and adult game nights once a month.
What’s next: There are plans to expand by the end of the year.
- Hemingway tells us they plan to open two locations in the surrounding areas within the next six months.
- “We want more people to have access to healthier lifestyles, so we’re going to start by creating more places in nearby areas to fulfill that void,” said Hemingway.
