Pea Pod Café brings the Ridge an alternative to fast food

Tuesday, July 29, 2008 | Source: Soapbox

Melanie Moore is a mother of two who was frustrated at the lack of healthy, family-friendly dining options.

Taking the "be the change" mantra to heart, she'll soon be opening the Pea Pod Café at 6227 Montgomery Road in the Pleasant Ridge business district.

Moore says that they plan a soft opening - with lunch only - starting today, with regular business hours of 11 AM to 7 PM beginning August 12.

The café uses only organic, fair trade and locally-made ingredients in its vegetarian and vegan soups, salads, quiches, wraps and baked goods, shying away from the types of overly-processed foods found in the fast food chains.

The Pea Pod's community-oriented space is decorated with reclaimed and reused furniture from local buildings that has been lovingly restored, like the marble tabletops from a stairway in Walnut Hills and butcher block from the old Cleveland Machine Company building in Northside.

Moore has also has taken great care to incorporate sustainable products such as bowls made from renewable materials and compostable and biodegradable cups, utensils and straws.

The Pea Pod Café is one of several recent entries in the business district, including Emanu (formerly the East African Restaurant), A Salon Named Desire, and Cincinnati Premiere Realty.

Kate Powell, a vice president on the Pleasant Ridge Community Council board, believes that these businesses fit in with what the business district is all about.

"We have very few chains," she says. "Most of our businesses are one-of-a-kind family-owned, closely-held businesses. Many have been in the neighborhood for decades and multiple generations - Donovan’s, Gil’s Barber Shop, Mullaney's, Ewers, Pleasant Ridge Hardware, A-One Cleaners. They’ve remained in Pleasant Ridge because of its central location and loyal customer base."