CRAFT ROOTS - Blog

That Time We Cooked for Billie Eilish and Her Crew

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 17:52:45 GMT

Last Week We Got The Chance to Cook for Billie Eilish and Her Crew

As many of you know, Billie Eilish is a massive singer- songwriter and vegan influencer. Her most recent tour Hit me hard and soft is all about sustainability and pushing the vegan movement. We are honored to be part of her vision and ecstatic on the feedback from the Party. We catered our signature Buffalo Cauliflower Bites, Japchae Noodles, Lions Mane Katsu Sliders and as a bonus and thank you to Billie for having us, we baked her favorite Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.

She absolutely ROCKED The SAP Center in San Jose. Definitely one of the loudest crowd-cheering shows and we got to enjoy part of it; talk about icing on the cake!! It was easily our favorite day of work ever! Check out the video highlights below.

Visit the Bilie Eilish website to learn more about how her HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR is partnering with fans, venues, vendors, and communities to lower our carbon footprint and be better for the planet. They're doing some really cool things to make a difference.

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Last Call Craft Roots - A Review by Edible Monterey Bay Magazine

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 22:14:43 GMT

Editor's Note: This article was originally written by Mark C. Anderson and published in the Spring 2021 Issue of Edible Monterey Bay Magazine. It's re-posted here with permission.

Image by Marc. C. Andersen.

Trendy new spot combines vegan fast food and CBD cocktails.

Behold the chili cheese burger with pumpkin-seed chili, queso sauce, crispy hominy and eggplant “bacon.” The sausage-mushroom pizza with sweet peperonata. The chipotle fried trumpet mushroom sandwich, pimento mac ’n’ broccoli and almond butter chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches.

The full-bodied flavors at Morgan Hill’s new Craft Roots Vegan Bar and Grill seize an appetite’s imagination fiercely enough that some newcomers don’t realize they’re eating at a vegan establishment until halfway through a meal.

“People are surprised they can get their dad to eat a vegan burger,” says owner-operator Justin Gaich.

Comfort is its own reward, but there are others, as he points out when asked whether his vegan leanings tip toward compassion for animals, environmental impacts or health concerns.

“All of the above,” he says, “but I don’t get preachy. The restaurant doesn’t have that vibe.”

While Craft Roots may please unsuspecting omnivores, plenty of eaters come precisely because it’s vegan—and not the type of vegan promoting faux meat. “You should have vegetables shine,” is a common refrain heard from Gaich, his wife/co-owner/operator Nyssa and Craft Roots staff. And that philosophy’s on display with items like the seasonal hash bowl, currently styled for winter with chopped lacinato kale, shredded Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries, red onion, spiced walnuts and apple cider vinaigrette.

Roots’ rising dovetails with a wider surge in burger-loving fast vegan throughout the state, many of them similarly unapologetic about their burly takes on it. As places like Malibu’s Burgers, Vegan Mob and Amy’s Drive Thru are flourishing—and expanding—to the north, Los Angeles is a hotbed of strong meat-free storefronts, from Burgerlords to Monty’s Good Burger to Nomoo.

Co-Owner Nyssa says, “We want to go healthy and really support our farms.”

“We don’t want a lot of processed foods,” Nyssa says. “We want to go healthy and really support our farms.” Their favorites include Real Produce, Watsonville Coast Produce and Spade & Plow.

Plant-based plates represent a surprising pivot for the Gaiches after Justin spent years managing neighboring Trail Dust Barbeque.

“Once you get going with vegan, you can sustain your energy without the ups and downs,” he says. “I love the clarity [and] not being burdened by food. It’s hard to describe other than you feel a lot better.”

Craft Roots is the rare vegan joint that has a full liquor license.

Still more surprises await: Craft Roots is the rare vegan joint that has a full liquor license. The curated small-production craft beer list is also impressive, with roughly two dozen beers available at any given time, from the likes of Humble Sea, Ommegang and Russian River, the brewers behind wildly popular Pliny the Elder, which Craft releases when it becomes available in famously limited quantities.

With produce also driving the options on the drink menu, recent seasonal concoctions have starred local apples, plums and cucumbers. Nicholas Mattson directs the bar after evolving his game at popular San Jose drink destination Paper Plane—and taste tests each piece of produce he uses to dial in ripeness.

"Balance is the biggest thing for me,” he says. “Too much citrus or too much booze is offsetting. I don’t want our fruits and veggies to get lost.” Mattson’s most popular cocktail, All the Rage, is a rotating creation based on what’s coming out of the field, splashed with CENTR, a crisp CBD sparkling tonic containing as much as 30 milligrams of stress-relieving cannabinoid.

CENTR fits into a lineup of nonalcoholic kombuchas and other CBD offerings that are selling briskly enough that Craft Roots struggles to keep them stocked.

James Velarde, senior vice president of Coastal Luxury Management, has taken COVID event restrictions as an opportunity to promote CENTR’s burgeoning popularity to restaurants like Craft Roots. “I really like the direction they’re taking,” he says. “People don’t miss the meat. They’ve caught lightning in a bottle with where we’re going as a society, and they’re doing the same thing with CBD: capturing emerging trends in a fun and creative way.”

By Mark C. Anderson, Writer, Edible Monterey Bay
Mark C. Anderson is a writer, photographer, editor and explorer based in Seaside, California. Reach @MontereyMCA by way of Instagram and Twitter.

We're Proud to Provide Meals for Our Local Heroes

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 19:17:06 GMT

An Innovative Collaboration to Help Our Local Essential Workers

It's no secret the restaurant industry has been hit hard by the pandemic. And our local hospital workers have been working around the clock to keep up with the demand for healthcare services - saving lives and keeping the community safe. Unfortunately, the staff at our nearby facilities, St. Louise Hospital and the DePaul Center, often do not have access to a cafeteria for health and safety reasons. Lucky for us a local non-profit saw away to help both of these groups of essential workers.

The local non-profit, Morgan Hill Community Foundation, saw this situation as an opportunity to help both local healthcare workers and us local restaurants. The MHCF has established a Meals for Heroes, Revenue for Restaurants Program which creates a fund to obtain community donations in support of the program "specifically benefiting hospital healthcare providers and distressed restaurants in the Morgan Hill community."

The program is a collaboration between the MHCF, Morgan Hill Downtown Association, Gilroy Foundation, Downtown Gilroy Business Association, and the Rotary Club of Morgan Hill. These program partners provide and deliver meals prepared by Morgan Hill’s community restaurants, like Craft Roots, to the local hospitals on predetermined dates.

We're Grateful for Our Morgan Hill Community

We're thrilled to have had an opportunity to participate in the program. It was a privilege to serve our community alongside of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association, individual volunteers, and the generosity of our community.

The subsidy provided by the Morgan Hill Community Foundation’s fundraising campaign provided Craft Roots, and all the participating restaurants, a much-needed source of economic relief, as well as an opportunity to salute our healthcare heroes who have worked tirelessly to keep us all safe and healthy throughout the pandemic.

For More Information About the Meals For Heroes Program or to Donate:

The Morgan Hill Community Foundation is a is a 501(c)3 philanthropic organization that connects donors with local needs for a long-lasting, effective impact on our community. For more information about their Meals for Heroes Revenue for Restaurants Program, visit their website at morganhillcf.org/meals-for-heroes-program

Giving Thanks: Vote to Support Your Favorite Local Businesses

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 22:22:26 GMT

The Mercury News Reader’s Choice Poll Opens on November 27th

With over 100 categories, we hope you'll consider us for at least one. Metro is host to the Silicon Valley region's longest running “best of” competition. As a newcomer, we'd love your vote for Best Vegetarian Restaurant, Best Craft Cocktails, or Best New Restaurant in the area.

Our First Award - Runner Up for Best Vegetarian Restaurant

Early this year, we were excited to announce that Craft Roots was voted one of the best restaurants in Silicon Valley in the 19th Annual Best of Silicon Valley poll hosted by the Mercury News. We were named Runner Up for Best Vegetarian Restaurant. As a newcomer, we were thrilled to be included among the best of the best and we want to thank everyone who took the time to vote!

But going into our second year of operation, we’ve been hard at work improving our menu and other vegan offerings and we really hope to take home a “Best of” this year!

Voting is Open From November 27th through January 10, 2021

We know it’s a busy holiday season, but we hope you’ll take a moment and complete the poll at https://www.bestinsv.com/ It’s a wonderful way to show your gratitude and support of all of those small businesses and local restaurants who have been impacted and challenged since March.

Vote Now

Lots Going on - Stay Updated!

That’s the latest at Craft Roots Vegan Bar & Grill. Want to stay in-the-know and get updated on all the latest events, news, and offerings at Craft Roots? Sign-up for our email newsletter and we’ll send out updates to those that subscribe.

How one small South County town is supporting its businesses during COVID

Sat, 26 Sep 2020 17:04:18 GMT

Editor's Note: This article was originally published in the Silicon Valley Business Journal on September 24, 2020 and is re-posted here with permission.

The MOHI Farm @ Granada Theater restaurant in Morgan Hill used a $2,500 city grant to turn its sidewalk dining space into an inviting place to eat.

Small businesses and small towns often share resource problems in good economic times. During Covid times, it can be the pits.

“If our businesses aren't selling their products, then they're not making money, which means the city's not making money,” said Morgan Hill Mayor Rich Constantine. “So, yeah, we understand that symbiotic relationship.”

But Morgan Hill has created a grant program for businesses, cobbled together from city funds and business donations from locally based Shoe Palace, Home Depot and ACE Hardware, that’s part of a larger effort to make doing business outdoors as easy as possible because outdoor business is pretty much the only thing happening while people are masked and meandering.

In July, the city of 45,000 residents requested proposals for grants between $100 and $2,500 that would fund “streetscape activation projects” by businesses that would bring more people downtown to shop and eat. Six applications were received and three $2,500 grants have been awarded so far.

Now the city is focusing on a buy local campaign and a program for pop-up retail markets on the Third Street sidewalk called Sidewalk Saturdays.

Frank Léal’s MOHI Farm @ Granada Hill restaurant on Monterey Road, which was a weekend-only place for special events featuring organic produce from his farm, laid off all 20 employees at its downtown location when Covid hit last spring.

Since getting its $2,500 grant, Léal said, the restaurant will be open seven days for lunch and dinner beginning Oct. 5 and employment will be more than 20.

“We've seen the difference in probably about a 25 percent increase in business” since opening outdoors in July, he said. “But now, with being able to open longer, more days, we're going to probably see upwards of 50% to 60% when it's all said and done.”

The city provided K-rail – traffic barriers walling off cars from the restaurant’s dining tables in the street – and Léal built planters along the top whose plants have grown down the side covering the wall in green leaves.

Nick Gaich, co-owner of the vegan restaurant Craft Roots, used his $2,500 to cover the K-rail with locally designed redwood siding and a mural by artist Doug Wright. “The intent there was this to really capture the spirit of Morgan Hill with the great farm-to-table opportunities for the various local farms that we deal with,” Gaich said. “We wanted to showcase that.”

Nacho Moya, a Morgan Hill resident whose gallery and studio are in Gilroy, is using his grant to paint downtown maps on the city’s sidewalks so that pedestrians can direct themselves to where they want to go. “That way we should grow more of the local businesses, the economy in Morgan Hill, and at the same time make something fun and creative for the community,” he said.

By Jody Meacham, Reporter, Silicon Valley Business Journal

Craft Roots in the News: Morgan Hill Goes All-In With Outdoor Dining [Video]

Sat, 25 Jul 2020 07:00:00 GMT

KPIX 5 Reporter John Ramos Interviewed Owners J. and Nick Gaich

As the pandemic wears on, Morgan Hill is doing al fresco dining in a big way. KPIX 5's John Ramos reported, "Morgan Hill is feeling the same economic pressures any other place, but this community is showing how much can be accomplished when you embrace change, rather than try to resist it."

John goes on to point out that the City of Morgan Hill is working to make the downtown area "an attraction of sorts." Local restaurants downtown, including Craft Roots, now extend out into the street thanks to the easing of regulations by Morgan Hill city government and helpful grants to assist businesses with making necessary upgrades to pivot to outdoor services.

John interviewed Mayor Rich Constantine who said, "So with this new norm, of, you know, the future is outside, we've actually partnered with our community to help our businesses thrive through this pandemic."

New Outdoor Improvements

We agree it's not enough to just drag tables and chairs outside, and we're thankful that the City of Morgan Hill provided grants for small businesses like us to make necessary upgrades to provide attractive outdoor dining experiences.

Craft Roots owner, J. Gaich said, "So the whole goal right now is to fight the wind, sun, and temperature." That's the new challenge on top of everything else. John reported that J and his father Nick Gaich opened Craft Roots just six months before the pandemic hit. "They spent a lot of money fixing up the inside and now they're doing it again, this time outdoors. What used to be a driveway now holds tables shaded by umbrellas." reported John.

Nick says the new additions have improved their sales from 20% of normal to up to about 70%. And according to Nick this, "allows us to go from a state of just stabilization and recovery to hopefully thinking about renewal and what it means long term for us here in our community."

Embracing a European "Al Fresco" Lifestyle

As John points out, that's the key. In Morgan Hill, we're not just trying to hang on, while we wait out the pandemic, we're embracing a model of outdoor al fresco living; placing an all-in bet that our community and visitors will actually enjoy it.

And yes, John, we agree that, "Being kicked to the curb may not be so bad." Thank you so much for covering our downtown community and interviewing us at Craft Roots!

Getting Ready to Reopen

Sat, 06 Jun 2020 01:52:38 GMT

We can't wait to serve you!

Oh, how we have missed you! It was a difficult decision to temporarily close Craft Roots back in March. But we felt strongly that we needed to prioritize the health and safety of our team and our local community in Morgan Hill and broader South County.

Since then, we’ve been working hard behind the scenes to update our processes and operations to enable us to safely reopen. And it seems the timing is finally right for us to do just that.

On June 1, 2020, Santa Clara County Health Officer Sara Cody announced amendments to our local Shelter in Place Order which allowed for restaurants to start offering outdoor dining as of June 5, 2020. While we don’t have a very large outdoor dining area, we’re able to offer a few seats and the City of Morgan Hill is exploring closing a lane of Monterey Road to allow for more outdoor restaurant seating.

In the meantime, this easing of outdoor restrictions was a good indicator to us that we could safely offer an updated, but limited, outdoor dining menu with items available for online order and pick-up. We also removed one of the benches pictured above and added some additional outdoor tables by our light post. So we’ve been planning and ...

Targeting Thursday, June 11th for Reopening with an Updated Outdoor Dining Menu

Vegan Pizzas

Because of our limited seating area, as well as limited staffing, we’re shifting to focus on our take-out menu and our pizza oven. That’s right, we’re firing up our killer pizza oven! We’re planning some creative and delicious 100% plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free pizza options that we’re very excited about!

Mo-Town Chillers

We’ve also been busy taste-testing some amazing, creative adult slushies that will be available on our curbside cocktail menu. So far, our faves are the CoCo Loco, a pina colada style slushie, and Strawberry Fields. But we’re planning on rotating flavors like guava, passionfruit, and a cucumber and mint, just to name a few. Soo good! And perfect for summer!

Be sure to sign up for our email newsletter to get a sneak peek at our latest creations and takeout menu options!

A Big Thank You to Everyone Who Has Purchased a Gift Card

A big shout out and thank you to everyone who has purchased a gift card since the gift cards went live here on our website. We are so very thankful for all the support and look forward to serving you curbside and exchanging those gift cards for great food! Until then, we’re sending out positive vibes to everyone to stay safe and healthy! Can’t wait to see you soon!

- Peace. Love. Craft Roots.

Lots Going on - Stay Updated!

That’s just the latest going on at Craft Roots Bar and Veggie Grill. Want to stay in-the-know and get updated on our new menu items, specials, and events? Sign-up for our email newsletter and we’ll be sure to send out updates on our progress to those that subscribe.

We’re Pretty Juiced About Our Partnership with Pressed Juicery

Thu, 05 Mar 2020 02:47:01 GMT

We’re so excited to offer the healthiest cold-pressed juices sourced from California’s Central Valley.

The folks at Pressed Juicery use a heat-free, cold-pressed process to extract the nutrients from fresh fruits and vegetables and turn them into amazing juices and nutrient-rich shots. You’ll notice the “just-picked freshness” in their juice selections derived from juicing ingredients almost immediately after harvest for superior taste and the highest amount of nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants.

Available at Craft Roots starting March 5, 2020.

We can’t wait to share these great juices and juice shots with Morgan Hill! Starting Thursday, March 5, 2020, we’ll begin serving Pressed Juicery’s Wellness, Vitality, and Probiotic Shots and a small selection of featured juices. Then every week, fresh shipments from Pressed Juicery will arrive at Craft Roots on Thursdays and Fridays. We’ll always have the Wellness, Vitality, and Probiotic Shots on offer while supplies last and we’ll alternate juice selections.

For more information about Pressed Juicery and their whole-food approach to cold-pressed juices visit the Pressed Juicery Frequently Asked Questions page.

Have a favorite Pressed Juicery beverage?

We’d love to hear if you’ve tried Pressed Juicery and have a go-to favorite shot or juice you’d like us to offer at Craft Roots. Drop us a line and let us know. You can use our contact form here, or reach out on Facebook or Instagram.

We're now taking reservations.

Things are getting busy over here. So much so that we’ve started taking a limited number of online reservations. So if you and your group want to plant yourselves at Craft Roots, check out our new reservations and waitlist page. This is a great option for larger groups, but know that we will hold the majority of our tables for walk-ins.

Lots Going on at Craft Roots - Stay Updated!

Going 100% Plant-Based for a Healthier You and a Healthier Planet

Fri, 03 Jan 2020 01:20:14 GMT

Going plant-based is not just good for you, it's good for the health of our planet.

Many climate scientists and economists believe that if we want to address climate change and save the planet, we need to change what we put on our tables, and how we mass-produce food. Check out the documentary, Vegan 2019, sponsored by abillionveg, a “diverse social community of vegans and non-vegans changing the world, one vegan dish and product review at a time.”

But it's not just scientists and academics that are discovering the benefits of a plant-based diet. James Wilks, an elite Special Forces trainer and The Ultimate Fighter winner, traveled the world on a quest to uncover the optimal diet for human performance across a variety of sports and military disciplines. Check out the documentary The Game Changers streaming now on Netflix. It's a revolutionary film project about meat, protein, and strength presented by James Cameron, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jackie Chan, Lewis Hamilton, Novak Djokovic and Chris Paul.

How to go 100% Plant-Based in the New Year

If you've ever been curious about the health benefits of eating a 100% plant-based diet, we've got a couple of healthy-eating challenges for you to choose from.

The Forks Over Knives Fresh Start Challenge

Join us for the Forks Over Knives (FOK) Fresh Start Challenge and commit to eating a healthy 100% plant-based diet for 21 days. The free challenge started on Saturday, January 4th, but it's still worth looking into and jumping on board.

Created by Brian Wendel, Forks Over Knives is a 2011 documentary and accompanying book that became a New York Times #1 bestseller. Subsequently, it's become a movement that encourages people to adopt a plant-based diet and regain control of their health and their lives.

To sign-up visit the FOK Fresh Start Challenge web page and join the Forks Over Knives Official Plant-Based Facebook Group.

Curious about the documentary, Forks Over Knives? It's available on DVD, Netflix, and Vimeo.

The Veganuary Pledge

Veganuary is the world's largest vegan movement, inspiring people to try vegan for the month of January and beyond. Since 2014, Veganuary has inspired and supported more than half a million people in 178 countries. So you'll be in good company.

This free healthy-eating challenge runs January 1st through the 31st. Register for the Veganuary pledge today to receive easy meal plans, delicious plant-based recipes, and helpful tips throughout the month.

Lots Going on at Craft Roots - Stay Updated!

Our Favorite Vegan and Animal-Friendly Books for Little Sprouts

Wed, 11 Dec 2019 19:23:12 GMT

Craft Roots is collecting new and gently used books for the Gift of Reading Morgan Hill Book Drive.

Now through December 14th, please consider donating a new and like-new book for a child aged 0 to 14. Bring it into Craft Roots and receive $1 off your order. Or, better yet, you can donate in person at Booksmart and receive a 20% discount for any new books purchased for the Gift of Reading program!

While you’re shopping for a children's book to donate, pick one up for your favorite little sprout. There are a lot of great children's books on choosing compassion and kindness toward all living things. Here are our favorites:

Our Favorite Vegan and Animal-Friendly Children’s Books

"That's Why We Don't Eat Animals: A Book About Vegans, Vegetarians, and All Living Things" by Ruby Roth

Geared toward six to ten-year-olds, That’s Why We Don’t Eat Animals uses an endearing cast of four-legged friends, birds, and sea creatures to introduce vegetarianism and veganism to early readers. Written and illustrated by Ruby Roth, the book describes the negative effects eating meat has on the environment and suggests ways children can learn more about the vegetarian and vegan lifestyles.

"Vegan is Love: Having Heart and Taking Action" by Ruby Roth

Another book written and illustrated by Ruby Roth, this follow up to That’s Why We Don’t Eat Animals is not your typical storybook for little sprouts. Instead, Roth introduces young readers to veganism as a lifestyle of compassion and action. The book introduces the idea that we have many opportunities in our daily lives to make choices that matter - to animals, to humans, to our planet.

Vegan is Love provides a great conversation starter for parents and kids to discuss their choices from refusing products tested on or made from animals to avoiding entertainment options like sea parks and circuses and choosing to buy organic food. We especially like the helpful resources in the back of the book.

One More by Ruby Roth: "V is for Vegan: The ABCs of Being Kind"

V is for Vegan introduces three- to seven-year-olds to the "ABCs" of a compassionate lifestyle in an easy-to-understand format that uses memorable rhymes, darling illustrations, and humor. Roth covers the major vegan food groups and other important topics like protecting animals and the environment. We love that this book helps kids feel confident about their compassionate choices and helps grownups explain theirs in a way that little sprouts can understand.

Where to Buy

Here in Morgan Hill, all of these titles by Ruby Roth are available at Booksmart. Stop in and see the owners, Brad and Cinda at their store located at 421 Vineyard Town Center, Morgan Hill, CA or order online at mybooksmart,indielite.org . Supporting local businesses is important to us at Craft Roots. Here’s where you can find an independent bookstore in your neck of the woods: https://www.indiebound.org/indie-bookstore-finder