Beloved Cafe has closed on the Lower East Side

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

After nearly 20 months in business, Beloved Cafe has shut down at 196 Allen St. between Houston and Stanton.

The health-focused cafe has been dark in recent weeks. A rep at the San Francisco outpost confirmed the closure, stating, "Everything is so expensive there." The rep said, "At the beginning, it was so crowded, but then not busy enough."

Beloved Cafe opened in September 2021, offering organic juices, teas, smoothies, salads and plant-based bowls — not to mention fresh-baked sourdough doughnuts.

Owners Amy Vito and her husband, Kambiz Fahim, opened the original Beloved Cafe in San Francisco's Mission District in 2017.

Openings: Beloved Cafe debuts on Allen Street

Beloved Cafe is now open at 198 Allen St. just south of Houston Street. (Previously reported here and here.)

Here's more from the San Francisco-based, health-focused cafe's website:

With an expanded menu, Beloved NYC will be baking fresh organic 100% sourdough bread, made with a 150-year-old San Franciscan and German culture. We will be offering a full espresso bar, an expanded brunch menu, and our most delicious new offering—warm melt-in-your-mouth orgasmic sourdough donuts.

​You can still expect to find our signature plant-based recipes, fresh juices, and superfood smoothies.

Beloved NYC will host musicians, dances, tea ceremonies, and other events that will bring the community together. If you are a musician or have an offering that's aligned with our mission, please reach out! We love to collaborate.

You can find a menu here. For starters, the hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. They will expand serving times in the weeks ahead.

The original Beloved Cafe opened in San Francisco's Mission District in 2017. 

Via email, a rep for owners Amy Vito and her husband, Kambiz Fahim, told us why they decided to expand to this neighborhood:

"Ever since opening Beloved Cafe in San Francisco, we had so many requests from New Yorkers to open a cafe here. That planted the seed. Over the years we visited New York as often as possible and we fell in love with the vibrancy and community. The thought of living in New York and opening a restaurant here excited us and we decided to follow that excitement. We feel at home in the Lower East Side, the neighborhood, the vibrancy, the art, and the diversity all really speaks to us and we want to be a part of it."

Beloved Cafe shapes up on the LES

Updated: The cafe opened on Sept. 30

The new LES home of Beloved Cafe is shaping up at 196 Allen St. just south of Houston.

As the Commercial Observer first reported back in March, the San Francisco-based, health-focused cafe is bringing its organic juices, teas, smoothies, salads and plant-based bowls to its first East Coast outpost.

A recent Instagram post offered more details on what to expect (orgasmic sourdough donuts!) when the cafe debuts this fall...

 

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The original location opened in San Francisco's Mission District in 2017. 

Part of this Allen Street storefront previously housed Palà, the pizzeria that closed in May 2017 after 11 years in business.

Report: San Francisco's Beloved Cafe ready to adore the LES

The San Franciso-based Beloved Cafe is opening its first NYC outpost at 196 Allen St. just south of Houston. 

As the Commercial Observer first reported this week, the health-focused cafe specializing in organic juices, teas, smoothies, salads and plant-based bowls plans to debut this summer. 

The original location opened in San Francisco's Mission District in 2017. 

Part of this Allen Street storefront previously housed Palà, the pizzeria that closed in May 2017 after 11 years in business. 

Beloved Cafe will be the third new food establishment to open on Allen between Houston and Stanton this year, joining Meat + Bread and Mi Salsa Kitchen. 

P.S. 

On the topic of quick-serve health-focused cafes... several EVG readers have pointed out that the now-former Dr Smood outlet (opened September 2017) around the corner on Houston and Orchard is for rent ... the branch of the chainlet closed late last year...