This new plant-based cafe promotes healthy eating in a delicious way

It seems that lately, healthy eating trends have become more and more popular, and for good reason. What we put into our bodies has ultimately become a topic of conversation in our world daily, and whether we choose to follow those guidelines or not, it’s always nice to have options—especially if they are as unique and tasty ones.

Out in Downtown Ardmore, Philadelphians will be able to head to a new cafe that will be serving up a menu full of juices, smoothies, foods and an assortment of treats that are all plant-based. Those who head to the new establishment, the Blue Pearl Cafe, might also recognize some of the liquid offerings from the Juice Dr. as well. The popular organic cold press juices come from founder FJ Leto who decided to bring his liquid offerings over to his new cafe in hopes to help kickstart the next addition to his health-conscious empire on the Main Line.

Juice Dr. launched in the suburbs of the City of Brotherly Love years ago, and in just a short amount of time has become one of the fastest-growing cold-pressed juice, smoothie and raw food companies in the region. Leto launched the health and wellness company after traveling to the West Coast and seeing how the juice sensation had taken that part of the country by storm. While California is typically first to take on the new “trendy” foods most of the time, what Leto discovered wasn’t that the bottled drink was just another way to earn money through overpriced marketing, the mixtures also have an extreme amount of health benefits. Depending on what blend of juice you choose, you can experience increased energy and vitality, as well as a lack of appetite for processed foods.

Now, at his newest establishment the Blue Pearl Cafe, Leto will be selling his juiced treasures and then some for all to enjoy. Juice flavors range from the ‘Genesis’ (apple, kale, lemon and ginger), to the ‘Magician’ (cucumber, celery, kale, spinach, lemon, dandelion and ginger), to the ‘Terra’ (pineapple, carrot, tumeric and lime) and many more.

Aside from the juices, the Blue Pearl Cafe will also be serving up a wide variety of other plant-based options, and each menu selection is even more unique than the last. Leto’s vision was to create a selection of food and drinks that were still “treats” in the eyes of consumers but also had plenty of health benefits. This project has been in the works for two years, and was originally set to open in March, but for obvious reasons, plans had to be put on hold. Since the concept is fairly new, Leto wanted to debut this eatery on the Main Line specifically so the cafe could grow and expand into more of the metropolitan Philadelphia area eventually (however the juices are still available in the city at a few select locations, or you may have noticed a few Phillies players sipping on them as well.)

At the Blue Pearl Cafe, customers will be able to try plant-based organic bowls (think blueberry chia pudding, dragon fruit bowl and more), organic salads, organic noodles (think spaghetti and beetballs, pad thai and more), gluten-free grain bowls (think burrito, poke and more), a wide variety of organic smoothies and a selection of wellness shots, specialty coffees and teas— and of course, Blue Pearl will be the only place customers can purchase Juice Dr. organic old pressed juices on demand.

If you need any more explanation, Leto says it all with the name: “Blue Pearl is planet Earth. Its our little blue gem floating in space, and we have a responsibility to respect, protect and treat it like the rare gem it is.  Taking care of our own health and mentality is the first step, taking care of our families and communities comes next, and as a community we can care for this magnificent planet we call home.”

The Blue Pearl Cafe (44 Rittenhouse Pl., Ardmore) will open this Saturday, August 22nd from 9 am to 3 pm with free samples. For more information, visit bluepearl.cafe