Healthy cocktails, vegan menu await at newly open downtown Modesto plant-based cafe
Remember being told to eat your veggies? At downtown Modesto’s newest restaurant, it’s no longer a chore.
The new plant-based cafe, The Farmacy, opened earlier this month on 10th Street, serving up an entirely vegan, whole-food and plant-based menu. The new restaurant expands Erin Doran’s mini-empire in downtown Modesto which already includes side-by-side wedding/event center The Century and co-working space Nine3One.
Because of ongoing coronavirus restrictions, The Farmacy debuted with sidewalk takeout windows only. But the soft open has already attracted many curious customers eager to try the restaurant’s colorful, healthy and even boozy offerings.
“Considering that we’re brand new and opened during a pandemic, we’ve been really busy,” Doran said. “It was definitely a risk to open now, but we’re really happy with the response.”
Open since Cinco de Mayo, The Farmacy is open for lunch Tuesday to Thursday. The cafe is operating out of The Century’s gated patio area, offering a safe and efficient place for curbside pickup. When restaurant dining rooms are allowed to reopen, Doran will move the cafe to its permanent location next door in her new floral shop the Rosé Bouquet.
The shop, which will be the exclusive floral provider for The Century, opened last month in limited capacity for delivery and pickup only. Once The Farmacy moves into the space as well, there will be space inside for about four tables, as well as ample seating on the sidewalk and in the building’s open-air breezeway, which should more than triple its capacity.
The plant-based menu was developed by Doran, who changed her own eating habits about a year ago due to persistent food allergies. And while Modesto already has a couple restaurants that exclusively serve vegan food, including TNK Vegan Cafe and Pizzeria Halt, The Farmacy takes it a step further with its whole food approach. That means in addition to not using animal products, the cafe uses only non-processed, non-refined ingredients without oils, binders or preservatives.
“You can eat an Oreo and that’s vegan” she said. “Whole-food, plant-based is a little bit different because we’re using whole raw ingredients and combining it to create something that you might easily buy at the store but without the preservatives, oils and unnatural products. Our concept is treating food as medicine.”
Plant-infused cocktails are a hit
The menu is filled with healthful food and drinks, as well as a selection of cocktails to go. Each week will feature new specials as well as a menu staples. That includes everything from avocado toast (served on sourdough bread with avocado, radish, pickled onion, alfalfa sprouts, micro greens, flax and sesame seeds for $9.99) to quinoa street tacos (with a filling made from seasoned quinoa, onion, garlic and walnuts for $9.99) and entree salads (which run $12.99).
Now, I’m no vegan by any stretch of the imagination, but I found the quinoa street tacos flavorful and filling. You hardly miss the meat. In fact — thanks to all the fresh vegetables, fruits and berries — most of the dishes are bright and vibrant feasts for the eyes as well as the stomach.
And, if you’re looking to feed another part of your soul, you can order from the cafe’s selection of plant-based cocktails. That includes a honeydew wheat-grass margarita, kale martini and blackberry Moscow mule (to-go for $9.99 with any food order).
Plus, as the weather warms up, you don’t want to miss their jalapeño push-up popsicles (made with cucumber, coconut water, lemon juice, jalapeño, wheat grass and agave nectar) — which come with or without tequila. But, who are we kidding, these are basically alcoholic Otter Pops so spend the $1.99 extra for the boozy boost. The cafe also sells non-alcoholic drinks and smoothies, and grab-and-go snacks.
Doran said people should expect the menu to change frequently with fresh, seasonal offerings. So far, it has attracted many non-vegans as well as vegans. She will be adding more gluten-free items, at customer request. In August, she plans to begin offering vegan catering to the public.
With The Century and Nine3One both still closed due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, Doran said she is grateful to have the time to focus on opening The Farmacy. The restaurant is open for curbside lunch pickup and delivery ($5 per order, free for orders over $30), and plans to host special pop-up dinners and brunch events while they wait to open their dining room.
The Farmacy, at 931 10th St. in Modesto, is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. For more information call 209-422-6762 or visit downtownfarmacy.com.
