As Hot Asana’s new headquarters nears completion, Rooted Cafe and Market is gearing up for their grand opening in early January.
Co-owned by sisters and self-proclaimed “plant pushers” Darcy Denney and Heidi Templin, Rooted Cafe and Market’s menu is entirely plant based.
Both Darcy and Heidi are certified in plant-based cooking and nutrition. The cafe, which occupies the lower level of Hot Asana’s HQ (10 Camelia Way, Southern Pines), will offer sandwiches, salads, wraps and more.
In addition to grab-and-go lunch-style foods, Rooted will offer everything from breakfast energy bites and teas to hummus platters.
“We’ll have an open-concept kitchen, two bars and plenty of outdoor space. Overall, we want to create a rich and vibrant culture within Rooted,” Darcy says.
Educate, Enlighten and Inspire
Darcy and Heidi started their plant-based journeys at different times and for different reasons. Darcy’s began, of all places, at the traffic circle.
“I got stuck behind a chicken truck,” she says. “I remember seeing their legs and feathers flapping and made the decision to cut out chicken immediately. Then, I just kept going.”
Heidi also became vegan for animal cruelty reasons. She stayed vegan, however, for the health benefits. As a nurse practitioner in the cardiology ward at FirstHealth, she constantly sees the effects that an unhealthy diet can have on your body.
The sisters’ plant-based journeys are coming full circle now as they prepare to open the restaurant. Their goal? To educate and enlighten.
“We aren’t opening Rooted to try and force people to become vegan,” Heidi says. “We just want to offer people the chance to try something different — even if it’s just adding more greens to their diet.”
Rooted Cafe & Market will be open Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.. They’ll be open on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Interested in working amongst the veg-fueled action? Rooted is hiring. Contact them here.
