In recent years, communities have been saying goodbye to streets cluttered with fast food, instead adding restaurants that emphasize healthy options and accommodations for dietary restrictions.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 33 million Americans have food allergies. Over the past decade, the food landscape has shifted to meet the needs of those struggling with allergies and intolerances. Diners are no longer satisfied with quick, one-size-fits-all meals. Instead, they are seeking options that align with their health goals, values and dietary needs.
From gluten-free and dairy-free menus to plant-based innovations, restaurants across the country are expanding their offerings to meet the growing demand for inclusive dining, including those in Tri-Village.
Letha Pugh
New to Tri-Village
One of these dining options opened in April in the Bob Crane Community Center. Core Café is a spot that provides easily accessible, fulfilling meals and snacks.
“The goal was to have a place with easy grab-and-go options that were more on the healthier side,” Letha Pugh, the owner of Core Café, says. “The customers we’re catering to are the folks who are coming in and out of the community center, either heading to work or heading home and coming in and out of the OSU offices.”
Core Café offers a variety of healthy food and drink options to grab throughout the day for breakfast, lunch or a quick snack. Offerings include smoothies, salads with homemade dressings, sourdough loaves, paninis and bakery treats.
The importance of accommodations
Letha Pugh
The cafe recently announced that it will begin offering a gluten-free pizza, collaborating with Bake Me Happy, a gluten-free bakery run by Pugh’s wife, Wendy, who is a baker and gluten-free. The freshly-made gluten-free cauliflower crusts will be available in cheese and pepperoni.
Pugh says it was important to her to prioritize accommodations for folks with dietary restrictions to create designated safe spaces for them to enjoy foods that met their needs and are both healthy and flavorful.
“I think it's important for people to feel like they have a place at our cafe,” Pugh says. “In the near future, we want to carry more gluten-free items. This may be the primary location for folks to pick up their gluten-free items as opposed to Dublin, or other companies that offer gluten-free options, and we want to have these offerings for them.”
Future developments
While Core Café is a new addition to the city, Pugh has aspirations for future developments.
“Recently, I went over and talked with the senior housing development across the street. I really would like to see a program where we are able to provide grab-and-go meals for some of the seniors, which would be a great community connection,” says Pugh. “I envision more community engagement in general with Core Café, and getting more customers coming through the door.”
With Pugh’s significant contributions to both the business landscape of Columbus and the communities that inhabit it, she hopes Core Café will be another welcoming and enjoyable space for people to visit.
“We’re just excited to be here and excited for this opportunity,” Pugh says. “I hope we have more people coming to support and patronize Core Café.”
Lauren Serge is a contributing writer at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
