Brunch Returns to Riverwest Co-op

Riverwest Co-op. Photo taken June 18, 2022 by Sophie Bolich

Brunch is back at Riverwest Co-op & Cafe — at least for the month of September.

The neighborhood grocery store, 733 E. Clarke St., shared the news in a social media post earlier this week, encouraging diners to mark their calendars for Sept. 10, 17 and 24.

Every brunch service will include savory egg muffins (a vegan version made with tofu is also available), smoothies, tea and coffee; a rotating selection of specials will expand on the core menu each Sunday.

This weekend, Sept. 10, guests can expect the co-op’s oversized vegan pancakes, as well as vegan biscuits and gravy. The following weekend, brunch will include Korean bibimbap with egg or barbequed tofu and a not-yet-announced new menu item. The Sept. 24 brunch will feature a breakfast reuben sandwich and another new menu item.

Brunches will be served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Weather permitting, the co-op has an outdoor bench and a handful of chairs for casual sidewalk dining.

The return of brunch is a significant development for the co-op, which shuttered its co-located cafe last summer amid staffing issues and a lack of funding. In the wake of the closure, co-op leadership strived to activate the space with a series of pop-ups, including a recurring Games & Grub takeover by AFMG Cafe and appearances by Maya Ophelia’s, a vegan concept now in residence at Bay View‘s The Mothership.

The volunteer-run co-op — a fixture in the Riverwest neighborhood —  has been near closure several times in recent years. On multiple occasions, the board issued alerts to co-op members warning of possible closure without immediate intervention.

“We would LOVE to reopen the cafe (and we heard that you would love that too!) but we can’t do it without more volunteers and financial stability,” said an Aug. 11 newsletter from co-op leadership.

The notice also informed members that “a few bad months would be the end of our existence. Unfortunately, June was one of those months.” Those in support of the co-op are encouraged to volunteer for upcoming events, commit to spending $30 more at the grocery store each month or introduce friends and family to the business.

The full letter, including the board’s proposed long-term strategy to improve the co-op’s financial health, is available to view online.

Riverwest Co-op is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., offering a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables, bulk goods, grab-and-go meals, frozen goods, gifts and more.