Café Gratitude

Cafe Gratitude is a small chain of restaurants that serves organic, plant-based (vegan) food. In addition to vegan options, honey is included in some menu items. Cafe Gratitude has five locations in the Los Angeles area, including in Newport Beach, Venice, Larchmont Village, Beverly Hills, and the Downtown Arts District. The chain also has locations in Santa Cruz, Kansas City, Missouri, and San Diego, with a previous location in San Francisco that closed in 2011 after operating for seven years.

Owners

Except for the Kansas City location, Cafe Gratitude is primarily owned and managed by Love Serve Remember, LLC, which operates the majority of the locations.

Philosophy

Cafe Gratitude is managed in accordance with the principles of Sacred Commerce, a concept outlined in a book by the same name written by founders Matthew Engelhart and Terces Engelhart. Sacred Commerce emphasizes the integration of dharma, which includes "right actions, right intentions, and right speech," aiming to foster a deep connection to spirit through these practices.

Cafe Gratitude Controversy

The restaurant chain faced significant controversy when it was revealed that its owners, Terces and Matthew Engelhart, had chosen to raise and slaughter cattle on their private farm. The vegan community, which had long supported the restaurant's ethos of animal rights and plant-based food, expressed strong disapproval. In response to the backlash, Terces Engelhart's son and Cafe Gratitude's chief operating officer defended the actions of his parents, claiming that the criticisms were unfair and portrayed his mother and stepfather as deceptive "animal killers." The controversy sparked widespread debate within the vegan community and among Cafe Gratitude's loyal customers.

See Also

• Veganism
• Sacred Commerce
• Matthew Engelhart
• Terces Engelhart

External Links

• Official website of Cafe Gratitude
• Yelp reviews for Cafe Gratitude