Temple Goddess Brings Plant-Based Options to Farwell Avenue
Vegan cafe, formerly at Crossroads Collective, has reopened on the Lower East Side.
Tapestry at Temple Goddess. Photo taken June 19, 2025 by Sophie Bolich.
A colorful tapestry hangs behind the counter at Temple Goddess. Woven in bright shades of green, turquoise, gold and vermilion, it depicts a woman in a flowing dress, belly dancing amid a crowd of musicians. Lush plants, overflowing fruit bowls and ornate teapots fill the background.
The artwork suits the plant-based restaurant, whose new Lower East Side location is modestly decorated with spiritual statues, posters and symbols. It’s also a familiar sight at 1978 N. Farwell Ave., where years ago the same tapestry hung inside Abu’s Jerusalem of the Gold.
Co-owner Eve Savva said customers first recognized the tapestry when Temple Goddess was operating at Crossroads Collective. “It seemed like people were familiar with it — like it was kind of touching on a nice nostalgia from Abu’s.”
But Savva’s tapestry didn’t come from the former Middle Eastern restaurant — she acquired it years ago while studying dance in New York.
Still, the coincidence felt like a full-circle moment for Savva and her partner, Gregory Cilmi, after a challenging entry into Milwaukee’s restaurant scene. “It’s like it was meant to be,” Savva said.
Temple Goddess began its soft opening last week, filling the space that formerly housed The Lafayette Place, which closed after a driver crashed into the side of its building last September, causing extensive structural damage.
“When we toured the space, it was still under construction — debris all over the place,” Cilmi said, noting that repairs are still underway in parts of the building. He and Savva hope to collaborate with area Alderman Alex Brower to install bollards — ideally planter-style and filled with herbs — to help protect against future crashes.
At its new standalone location, Temple Goddess continues to serve a plant-based menu of soups, salads, wraps and soul food specials, blending Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Asian and American influences.
Fan favorites include falafel, gyros and the Mediterranean platter, which features mushroom shawarma, kofte kebab or falafel served over lemon-mint basmati rice, topped with pomegranate molasses, tahini, hummus, dolmas, fresh vegetables and pickles.
The menu also offers plant-based burgers and chicken sandwiches, along with tea and Anodyne coffee. Breakfast service is planned to begin next month.
The couple first opened Temple Goddess in a downtown ghost kitchen in 2023, but exited the location — along with numerous other tenants — after six months. The restaurant, along with its sister concept, Adonis Burger Co., later relaunched as a vendor at Crossroads Collective, where it remained until the food hall shuttered in early May.
The closure came as a surprise, said Cilmi, but the business is no stranger to pivoting, and has developed a knack for landing on its feet. “We’re definitely resilient — like cats — in that way,” he said with a laugh.
A crowd of loyal followers has also lent support.
“Most of the people that have come have been regulars, though it’s exciting to see that the neighbors have been on top of it too — coming in to check us out,” Cilmi said. “We’ve had a really strong outpouring of love and support from our community.”
Temple Goddess is currently open Sunday through Tuesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
A grand opening is scheduled for July 1, with expanded hours to follow once breakfast service launches.
The restaurant offers seating for about 19 guests, along with takeout, delivery and catering.
As Cilmi and Savva settle into the new location, the tapestry serves as a frequent reminder that things have a way of working out.
“It’s nice to see that it’s made its way back home,” Cilmi said of the tapestry. “That was another reason we thought this was a perfect fit, because the building has a 40-year history — with Abu’s, which was Middle Eastern, then Celesta and The Lafayette Place, both vegetarian and vegan. It’s everything we do.”
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