A little cafe nestled at the corner of Okanagan Centre Road and 4th Street is bringing plant-based options to Lake Country.

The district91裸聊视频檚 first vegan-only cafe, The Salty Caramel Kitchen, opened for business July 7.

Owners Brittany Friedrich-Matheson and her mother Nicole Marsh decided to open the shop in order to provide residents with gluten-free vegan options.

91裸聊视频淲e started making cakes from our house, because there were no vegan cakes in Kelowna so we started that two years ago for people and it just became too much; I love cooking too so we decided to do our own full-blown restaurant with cakes on the side,91裸聊视频� Friedrich-Matheson said.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e been vegan for five years now and my mom has been for three and a half so it made sense for us and there are not many other options for Lake Country.91裸聊视频�

Related: Where to find the best ingredients for a vegan charcuterie board in the Okanagan

The Salty Caramel Kitchen is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily except for Mondays, offers an all-day breakfast menu, and the breakfast burrito and BLT have been pretty popular, Friedrich-Matheson said, as well as the cafe91裸聊视频檚 ice cream sandwiches for regulars.

91裸聊视频淲e make our bacon in-house, the greek wrap is also really popular and we91裸聊视频檙e coming out with a brunch menu pretty soon,91裸聊视频� she said. The wrap is made with homemade vegan taziki, which Friedrich-Matheson said she hasn91裸聊视频檛 seen anywhere else in town.

What started out as a healthy lifestyle, eventually transitioned into The Salty Caramel91裸聊视频檚 opening, she said.

91裸聊视频淚nitially, it was just health91裸聊视频� but then I went full vegan for the animals and ethics and environment and everything,91裸聊视频� Friedrich-Matheson said. The restaurant also features compostable to-go containers and metal straws for sale.

Residents and tourists are also responding well, and some are pleasantly surprised by the plant-based menu that is offered.

91裸聊视频淲e get people who will come in and they91裸聊视频檙e sceptical and they91裸聊视频檙e looking for eggs,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淎 lot of people try it and they91裸聊视频檙e open to it and they like it.91裸聊视频�

There91裸聊视频檚 a demand for baked goods in the district, Friedrich-Matheson said.

There91裸聊视频檚 more of a demand for baking. When people go to a cafe there91裸聊视频檚 usually only a few vegan options, she said. 91裸聊视频淧eople are not used to having a whole display case, and it was what my mom is super good at.91裸聊视频�

About 30 to 40 per cent of customers have been tourists so far.

Related: Most vegans, vegetarians in Canada are under 35: poll

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 sure in the fall we91裸聊视频檒l have to change our hours a little bit since it might die down around here,91裸聊视频� Friedrich-Matheson said.

But the shop is aiming to get a liquor licence and be open for dinner, as well as doing more catering with cake orders in the wintertime, she added.

Friedrich-Matheson never wanted a typical job and runs the marketing side of the business while her mother looks after the cooking.

Marsh began creating vegan-friendly options when her daughter became vegan, and it evolved from there.

Their flour is what sets them apart, Friedrich-Matheson said, made by combining several flours to create a top-secret blend.

Find the cafe at 11407 Okanagan Centre Road West.

carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com
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