You might recognize Oakland-based nutrition startup Core Foods from the aisles of Whole Foods, where their Core Meals, oatmeal bars made exclusively with fruits, seeds, nuts, and grains, can be found nationwide. But having made a splash in the nutrition-bar industry, they're now ready to move into restaurants, with a new fast-casual project, Core Kitchen, headed to the City Center food court in downtown Oakland.
Dubbing itself "the world's most nourishing restaurant," Core Kitchen will offer a menu comprised of 100% produce, with no sugar, flour, salt, oil, dairy, or meat. Options include sweet potato-black bean burgers, a potato and avocado "burrito" wrapped in collard leaves, and teriyaki veggie kebabs. The entire menu will be vegan, "though that's not really the angle we're chasing," says the company's CBDO, Kai Itameri. The hope is to offer a healthy option to the numerous workers in the downtown complex, with counter service and communal seating in the development's courtyard.
If all goes well, Core, which is a not-for-profit certified B corporation, hopes to open more locations of Core Kitchen across the country, with L.A., Seattle, and New York as potential markets. They're attempting to raise $90K on Kickstarter to pay for adding equipment to and making over the City Center space; rewards include a week of lunch ($100), or a case of Core Meals bars ($50). They're targeting an August opening.
