Spice Routes Cafe Open at the Morean Art Center

View of Spice Routes Cafe

The much awaited cafe at the Morean Art Center is now open. Spice Routes cafe Owner and Chef Judy Staunko is a well-known figure in the area. She was one of the founders of the St Pete Saturday Morning Market, has another Spice Routes Cafe at First Unity, and also does catering.  The Cafe is in the space formerly occupied by the Gift Shop and has an unusually light and airy atmosphere.

Spice Routes Staff and Goodies

On the left, a photograph of the friendly staff and a view of a few of the items on the menu. "Global Soul Food" is the theme for this international menu (which begs to be thoroughly explored). There's everything from a quick bagel with cream cheese to exotic salads, sandwiches, soups and pastries, something for every kind of cafe foodie from strict dieters to those out for a splurge -- and several kinds of coffee, of course.  For a peek at the tantalizing menu see here: [Link]

I am all about supporting the arts and the organizations that host them instead of giving money to faceless corporations and seeing the money leave the community. We should put our money where our art is.

I hope that the Morean will use this space as more than a cafe. It is a perfect space/nucleus around which real-life social networks can be constructed, attracting people to the Arts, the Center and the cafe.

Hopefully in the future we will see this great space used for talks by/with artists (and I mean from grade-school children to Silverback Masters), Community leaders, and creative types given there, and perhaps even some social experiments. Salons come to mind. 

Congratulations to the Morean Arts Center for getting the cafe open, with an interesting chef, amiable staff and great menu. I look forward to adding the Spice Routes Cafe to my St. Pete haunts.

--- Luis