Café 180 believes everyone deserves a meal

By Monica Parpal Stockbridge

It’s easy to help out someone less fortunate than yourself, and it can be as simple as ordering lunch.

Founded in 2010, Cafe 180 is committed to the idea of serving food to all, whether or not guests can pay.

“Cafe 180 is a restaurant with no set prices on our menu,” says Sarah Lesyinski, executive director of One Good Turn, Cafe 180’s overarching nonprofit. “We offer different payment methods. We exist so that all people can eat regardless of their ability to pay. We believe that everyone has something to give, so we offer creative ways for people to give in exchange for the meal they receive.”

Lots of different people walk through the restaurant’s doors on a daily basis. A person experiencing homelessness might be sitting next to the mayor of Englewood or the CEO of a major company.

“The cafe breaks down barriers of all kinds to reveal the beauty of differences in humanity,” Lesyinski adds. “We can all sit in the same building, with the same food and the same service no matter what. I love that.”

Boo Crosby has been a part of Cafe 180 since Thanksgiving Day in 2014.

“It’s one of those places that just steals your heart,” he says. He became the cafe manager and volunteer coordinator in 2017.

The restaurant is designed to give people a hand up—not a handout. In fact, Thanksgiving Day is the only day the restaurant gives away food, serving a free community meal provided by Footers Catering. Every other day at Cafe 180, guests are encouraged to pay what they normally would pay for a comparable café meal, pay a bit more than usual to support those who cannot, or volunteer an hour of time.

“The majority of our friends who come and work for their meals are food insecure, experiencing poverty or homelessness,” Crosby says. “What’s special about being a donation-based restaurant is the fact that people do not feel a sense of shame if they can only afford the minimum.”

That’s why the cafe’s mission is summed up in one word: dignification.

The lunchtime eatery on South Broadway serves a menu of fresh and healthful dishes six days a week.

“Our food is high-quality and made from scratch daily,” says Lesyinski “[Our food] is nourishing and we are here to nourish!”

Crosby and Braxton Adams, the kitchen manager and chef, oversee a kitchen buzzing with staff, almost all of whom are volunteers helping construct salads, wait tables and wash dishes.

“Our volunteers range from 14 years old to 75 years old. We welcome any and all volunteers,” Crosby says.

The lunchtime spot serves a combination of sandwiches, salads, pizza and soups. Last November, the menu was overhauled to focus primarily on pizza.

“We have our mission, and we have our idea of what we want to do for our community,” Adams says. The goal with the new menu, he adds, is to cement a culinary identity and attract the attention of millennials and new residents moving to the neighborhood.

Adams and his team make all their pizza dough and marinara sauce by hand, and make soups, salads and sandwiches from scratch. Many of the restaurant’s ingredients are donated, and are sourced as locally as possible.

“We’re a community-based restaurant, and we wanted to do be community-based with food as well,” Adams says.

Two of the newest menu items include a spicy mushroom pizza with housemade marinara, mozzarella cheese, spicy sausage and king grey oyster mushrooms (sourced from Englewood-based Elevated Mushrooms) and the Bacon Brussel Hustle salad, with arugula, shaved Brussels sprouts, bacon, cherry tomatoes, walnuts, apples and golden raisins, topped with crumbled Gorgonzola.

Cafe 180 also hosts an annual fundraiser, CHEFS 180. Numerous local chefs, restaurants and breweries have supported the event in the past, including Ash’Kara’s Daniel Asher, Jen Jasinski of Stoic & Genuine and Vesta’s Nicholas Kayser, as well as Mockery Brewing and Wibby Brewing.

One of the biggest misconceptions about Cafe 180 is that it’s not a restaurant, but a food pantry.

“We appreciate all of the efforts food pantries and soup kitchens provide for all of those folks in need, but our cafe separates itself in a major way from organizations like that,” Crosby says. “We are a fully functioning restaurant that highlights a sense of community and provides an incredibly welcoming place for everyone.”

Crosby notes that almost 10 percent of the Colorado population does not earn or have enough money to adequately provide food for themselves.

“Cafe 180 helps combat that food insecurity,” he says, by offering the opportunity for work for a hearty meal.

Want to get involved? Come in for a meal or book a time to volunteer for a 2.5-hour shift.

“Those are the two biggest ways to help that are so important to us, and honestly, the most fun,” Adams says.

To learn more, visit the restaurant at 3315 S. Broadway, Englewood, or check out cafe180.org.

Monica Parpal Stockbridge writes about food, travel and technology in Colorado and beyond. Read more of her work at monicastockbridge.com.