Metro Kitchen + Drinkery

For a street that didn't used to have much going for it, R Street has certainly turned into a happening place. Several months ago, artists camped out overnight to apply for space in the new Warehouse Artists Lofts at 11th and R, and now a new public market has opened on the ground floor of that building.


I stopped in for lunch last week at Metro Kitchen + Drinkery, a new cafe inside the WAL Public Market. The cafe is run by the owners of the Metro Juice Company, who sell their juices at local farmers markets. The menu at the cafe is a work in progress and many of the items will change weekly, so what I had for lunch may not be on the menu when you visit Metro Kitchen + Drinkery. But if my experience was any indication, you ought to be able to find something vegan and delicious.


Since there were three salads on the menu that were vegan or looked as though they could easily be made vegan, I ordered the Three Salad Plate. The quinoa salad, with carrots, bell pepper, and other vegetables, is usually topped with feta crumbles, so I asked that those be omitted. I also asked that the cheese be left off the baby beet salad. The corn salad, with bell pepper and red onion, is vegan as it is, so no changes were necessary. This wonderful dish turned out to be the perfect combination of textures and flavors for a summer salad trio.

I should probably have ordered one of Metro's cold-pressed juices to drink with my salads, but I couldn't resist the lemon kombucha on tap. Next time, I'll try the juice.

For dessert, Metro Kitchen + Drinkery offers a selection of sweets from Sugar Plum Vegan. I topped off my lunch with one of Sugar Plum's excellent lemon lavender cupcakes.

Metro Kitchen + Drinkery is located in the WAL Public Market at 1104 R Street, and their phone number is 916-346-8319. Their website address is http://www.metrojuicecompany.com/, and their Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/metrojuice/timeline. The cafe is currently open Tuesday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. They hope to begin serving breakfast and Sunday brunch soon.