The Dandelion cafe invites you to their yoga and dine night

When I told my friend I wanted to check out The Dandelion, a 100% plant-based cafe, she looked past her stigma of vegan food and eagerly signed up.

This relatively new eatery is run by four co-owners, Melissa Bakovic, Bryce Currie, Raven Butler, and Lexx Ambrose, who are dedicated to building a community within the walls of the cafe.

These four co-owners strive to share delicious and 100% plant-based foods that energize and ‘feed the soul’. While supporting sustainable products and maintaining an earth-aware lifestyle. The Dandelion advocates for local artistry, so be sure to check out a gorgeous mural on the side of the cafe, created by a local artist, Sarah Slaughter.

After scrolling through reviews and articles on The Dandelion, I came across a certain event they were hosting that occurs on the last Sunday of every month.

This 65$ package includes a 90-minute yoga class within the cafe, a crystal sound bath and a 3-course meal with drink pairings and dessert (bring your own yoga mat).

Upon arrival at the cafe, we were greeted by Rebecca, the yoga instructor, in a dimmed room with ferry lights littering around, creating a very intimate setting. We placed our mats at the back of the room and watched it fill up with couples, friends, and soloists.

My friend and I are not yogi’s, nor are we in the greatest shape, but, the atmosphere and environment they place you in are so incredibly welcoming.

Throughout the 90 minutes, Rebecca’s calming and encouraging voice bounced off the walls. She ended the session with a deep meditation using a Quartz Crystal Bowl.

My friend and I thought this would be like every other event, but, I can honestly say I was shocked at how tight-knit the group was and the sense of community Rebecca strived to provide.

After the yoga session, we all set up a dining table in the same room, where we sat down together and chatted, while the chefs down below prepared the three-course meal that they spent three days preparing.

The appetizer consisted of an array of toppings arranged on a large platter; pickled vegetables, crudités, tomatoes, candied pecans, crostini, polenta, dates, hummus, pesto, and a dill tzatziki sauce. Beside the platter, sat a bowl of fresh guacamole and tangy salsa surrounded with a plate of crisp chips.

The second course was a baked pasta stuffed with beyond sausage, zucchini, lentil pasta, tomatoes, peppers seasoned with oregano. The pasta was served with two types of salad: green salad with tahini dressing and kale Caesar salad, topped with garlic toast that was made with homegrown garlic, grown by The Dandelion’s chef.

The final course was a delicious white chocolate raspberry “ice cream” cheesecake with walnuts, dates, cashews, vanilla almond milk, coconut oil, maple, and shredded coconut, served with a side of creamy coconut whip.

The chefs paired each meal with delicious kombucha, specifically, pumpkin spice, sour appletini, and Caedmon juniper berry. Kombucha is not only a great refresher but, is known for its amazing health benefits such as improving digestion and the immune system, detoxifying and reducing blood pressure.

Throughout the amazing appetizers, main course, dessert and drinking pairings the group conversed in conversation that created a great social connection.

I would with no doubt recommend everyone to try the yoga and fine dining event that occurs on the last Sunday of every month. The food is 100% vegan, but the effort and love the chefs put in each one of their meals can be appreciated by all.