Ruby Lane Wholefoods
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Manly, on Sydney's northern beaches, is awash with eateries - restaurants and quiet corner cafes full of tasty morsels to tempt - so it takes a bit of imagination and persistence to push the boundaries and create somewhere different; somewhere that not only turns out healthy, clean food, but takes the vision one step further by embracing our war-on-waste and sustainable food production.
Driven by a passion for a healthy, holistic lifestyle, Phil Dawson has created such a place. Coming from a background in hospitality, Phil wanted somewhere to go to eat wholesome food that didn't give him a food coma - food that was clean, nutrient-dense, but still tasty and enticing; food that even his 'non-health-food' friends would enjoy eating. And so Ruby Lane was born.
The unassuming building on Pittwater Road has a broad front awning, giving plenty of privacy from the main street. Booth seating through the middle is handy for groups, and organic grocery items line the back walls. There's a communal shopping list so if there's a particular superfood you need, you can request it. I choose a booth seat and, while I'm waiting for my brewed chai latte, browse the health-food cookbooks on a middle display table. A basket of sourdough bread - made with organic flour at nearby Harbord Bakery - soon disappears in the time it takes to drink my tea. The locals are obviously onto it.
In collaboration with Ben Horn, ex-Icebergs group and now Nutritionist, the two set about developing a menu utilising as much local produce as possible, sourcing sustainable-produce farmers for supply of meat and eggs, and utilising biodegradable packaging. Phil didn't stop there; there's a jar recycling system, the refill coffee cup system (bring your own for a 40-cent discount), and all unused food at the end of the day goes to
Oz Harvest . Phil even took things one step further and put solar panels on the roof of his building.
Scanning
the menu , there are gluten-free, dairy-free or vegan options - more than one option many of you will be pleased to know - even gluten-free crumpets and fruit toast. There's Paleo bread, gluten-free banana bread, and chia and buckwheat pancakes. Milk alternatives include almond, soy, coconut and cashew milk. Silly me happened to have eaten not long before I dropped in here for an afternoon snack, so I settled for the Chia Pudding, topped with berries, seeds and nuts. But I was certainly eyeing off the delivery to the next table - a Mad Morris burger - grass-fed braised beef with horseradish slaw, pickle and cashew-cream-cheese on an organic charcoal bun, with a side of sweet-potato fries, and Ruby's Garden Bowl (gf df vg) - garlic, chilli and lemon-massaged kale, radicchio leaves, avocado & baby cukes with sea kelp, blistered cherry tomatoes, fermented veggies, paleo bread and dukkah dusted soft egg (vegan option includes rice bread).
Workshops:
Ruby Lane holds regular Wellbeing Workshops focusing on all things healthy. It's possible to
book online , and the next one on September 14 from 6.30pm - 8.30pm is on 'The Gut-Mind Connection and Bone Broth Workshop', exploring the connection between digestive and mental health.
Something for everyone:
Ruby Lane is open from 7am - 4pm for breakfast, lunch, drinks and coffee, and has recently added dinner on Fridays and Saturdays.
Lazy Sundays from 11.30am - 2.30pm. Enjoy live music, share plates and $5 drinks.
All Day Tuesday $12 Real Food Pancakes.
Friday Lunch $15 Burgers
#brunch
#cafes
#child_friendly
#coffee
#function_venues
#gluten_free
#learn_something
#manly
#new_south_wales
#north_shore
#northern_beaches
#northern_suburbs
#vegan
%wnsydney
183973 - 2023-06-16 02:18:02