Robin Godwin: MindGrub Cafe Opening on Fort Avenue in May

MindGrub President and CEO Todd Marks and wife Nikki Marks, who owns MindGrub Cafe and ShareKitchen, purchased the three-story, 3,792 sq. ft. building at 554 E. Fort Ave. in Riverside in November 2019. The duo had intended on using the building, which has been many restaurants over the years including most recently Rachel New American Cuisine, for additional workspace for MindGrub, as well as for a pub-style co-working space. However, with all the changes in the past year that has led to expanded virtual work, they will now open a cafe on the first floor of the building.

The building is known as MindPub and, along with MindGrub Cafe on the first floor, it has workspace and a commercial kitchen on the second floor for additional food businesses. These businesses include Lilihana Luxury Catering and Codetta Bakery, which takes online orders for individual items as well as offers custom baked goods.

MindGrub Cafe will be open on Wednesday to Sunday from 7am to 2pm for breakfast and lunch. Nikki Marks hopes to partner with some of her partners at MindPub and ShareKitchen to offer dinner in the future, as well as offer some of the members’ products at MindGrub Cafe.

Nikki Marks’ business partner at ShareKitchen is Brian Matthias of Bistro Lunch Box. Other members of ShareKitchen include Top Secret Salsa, Delectable Indulgences, juice company Radiant Rai Raw, and vegan taco business Mez.

MindGrub Cafe will serve drip coffee, cappuccinos, and espressos using beans from Locust Point’s Pfefferkorn’s Coffee, in addition to sodas and juices. Breakfast will include bagels and breakfast sandwiches using Bottom’s Up Bagels, quiches, bags of biscuits served with honey butter, and acai bowls.

Lunch items will include salads and sandwiches. Salads, which can have chicken added, include a blueberry spinach salad, a spicy roasted carrot salad, and a Caesar salad with roasted brussels sprouts.

The sandwiches include a Cuban sandwich, a grilled chicken sandwich with Funyons and chipotle aioli, a roasted veggie panini, a curried chicken salad sandwich, and a chickpea salad sandwich.

Nikki Marks said she will likely bring on two popular, but labor-intensive, sandwiches from her previous food truck as specials. These include a coconut black bean burger and the Todd Sandwich with pulled pork, deviled eggs, Sriracha pickles, and bacon.

MindGrub Cafe will initially start with a pick-up window along Jackson St. It will also have outdoor seating on a deck the Marks are adding to the building.

When the COVID-19 pandemic fades, MindGrub Cafe will invite guests inside to sit at the bar and in the first-floor lounge. The Marks will also look to get a liquor license for the building.

The Marks’ have spent the past year doing repairs and cosmetic updates to the building.

The Marks are a blended family with seven kids, ranging from ages 13 to 20, who will help with the restaurant. Nikki Marks said she will use this experience to bond with her family and teach her kids about the restaurant business.