Cass Café · Chalfonte Foundation · Detroit · Investor Edition
Cass
Café
Café
Menu & Beverage Program · Working Document
Investor Package · Menu & Concept Overview · Prices are Working Estimates
"Let your food be your medicine. Let your medicine be your food." — Hippocrates
Every dish is vegan-forward by default and meat-adaptable by request — at no added charge. The kitchen draws from the naturopathic and culinary tradition of Two Moons, N.D. — author of Peace in Every Bite and the Vegan Survival Manual & Recipe Book. Three anchors in every category. Everything crosses categories. The staff know the system.
Every dish is vegan-forward by default and meat-adaptable by request — at no added charge. The kitchen draws from the naturopathic and culinary tradition of Two Moons, N.D. — author of Peace in Every Bite and the Vegan Survival Manual & Recipe Book. Three anchors in every category. Everything crosses categories. The staff know the system.
Our Sources: Meat and animal products from Shepherdswork Farm & School (Lake Township, MI — Chalfonte Foundation, independent of the family homestead). Produce from Detroit urban farms through the Keep Growing Detroit / Grown in Detroit cooperative, D-Town Farm (Detroit Black Food Security Network), Michigan Urban Farming Initiative (North End), and Planted Detroit (hydroponic greens year-round). Specialty mushrooms from Adamah Farms (oyster and lion's mane, Detroit North End) and Michigan foragers exclusively. Daily greens and herbs through Frog Holler Produce (SE Michigan organic). Seasonal fruits through MI Farm Cooperative (25+ Northwest Michigan family farms — cherries, apples, berries). Wholesale root vegetables and citrus through Del Bene Produce (Detroit-based, 24-hour farm-to-table). Bread from in-house baking. Beer, wine, and spirits from Great Lakes region producers. Out-of-region: avocados, citrus, pineapple, turmeric, ginger, cacao, and spices — sourced through Fair Trade cooperatives, noted on the menu as global partners.
Note for investors: This document presents the full Cass Café menu concept as it will be offered to the public. All items listed represent the planned program — daily anchors, weekly specials, and seasonal variations are all included here for completeness. Prices are working estimates pending final costing conversations with suppliers and the restaurant management team. The three-anchor system (three recommended dishes per category) keeps service efficient and training manageable while offering genuine variety through the build-your-own system.
Juice Bar Hours: 7 AM – 7 PM
The juice bar operates 7 AM to 7 PM only, Monday through Friday. Fresh juices are made to order throughout service hours. Juice equipment is cleaned and prepped for the next morning at close. For any ticketed or private event outside regular hours that requires bar service, fresh juice bases can be pre-made as part of the event's advance preparation.
Morning7 AM Full Service · Early Coffee by Arrangement
Full food and juice service begins at 7 AM. Early coffee and tea service before 7 AM may be available by arrangement — word of mouth for regulars. Three anchor morning dishes.
Anchor Morning 1 · Two Moons
Tofu "Egg" Salad Sandwich
$8
Firm tofu, turmeric, black salt (kala namak), mustard, celery, nutritional yeast. Black salt gives genuine egg-like depth. A Two Moons original. On whole wheat wrap or corn tortilla (GF).
Sub real egg salad. Vegan substitution at no upcharge.
Anchor Morning 2 · Two Moons
Veggie Breakfast Wrap
$9
Tofu scramble, sautéed potatoes, mushrooms, onion, curry, black mustard seed, salsa, cilantro. From Two Moons' Veggie Breakfast Wraps. On whole wheat wrap or corn tortilla (GF).
Add vegan sausage, Shepherdswork pork sausage, or Shepherdswork chicken sausage — same price. Corn tortilla always available GF.
Anchor Morning 3 · Two Moons
Breakfast Bean Burrito
$9
Pinto or black beans, brown rice, chili spices, cayenne, salsa verde — oven-wrapped. Two Moons' Breakfast Bean Burritos recipe. On whole wheat wrap or corn tortilla (GF).
Stone-Cut Oatmeal Bowl
Steel-cut or whole rolled oats. Served plain or built with add-ins: dried fruits, activated nuts, seeds, honey, maple syrup, cinnamon. Sweet or savory. Small $4 · Full $6. Vegan · GF option.
House-Baked Scones
Baked fresh each morning. Rotating: blueberry-lemon, apple-raisin-cinnamon, cherry-almond. Whole wheat pastry flour. Two Moons' recipe. With house jam. $4 each. Vegan option.
Breads & WrapsTwo Permanent · Weekly Specials · Mini Loaves for Dipping
Two permanent bread options anchor the menu — one whole wheat, one gluten-free. Additional breads rotate as weekly specials and are listed in the investor overview below. Whole wheat and GF burger buns are available for heritage sandwich specials on rotating weekly days. No full loaves — mini loaves only, for dipping with soups, dips, and pasta.
Permanent · Every Day
Whole Wheat Flatbread / Wrap — baked fresh each morning. The standard bread for all sandwiches and wraps. Made in-house from freshly milled whole wheat flour.
Corn Tortilla (GF) — house-pressed. Gluten-free. The permanent GF bread option. Available for all sandwiches and wraps.
Corn Tortilla (GF) — house-pressed. Gluten-free. The permanent GF bread option. Available for all sandwiches and wraps.
Weekly Specials · Rotating
Lavash wrap · Sprouted grain wrap · Whole wheat pita · Bolillo (Mexican Town bakery) · Sourdough · Pumpernickel rye (for Heritage Night Reuben) · Rice paper wrap (GF)
Mini Loaf — whole grain, baked fresh. For dipping with soups, hummus, pasta, and dips. Not a sandwich bread — a table bread.
Mini Loaf — whole grain, baked fresh. For dipping with soups, hummus, pasta, and dips. Not a sandwich bread — a table bread.
Flours & Pasta — Structure
Whole wheat flour — primary flour for all in-house baking: flatbreads, wraps, mini loaves, scones, desserts, and pasta. Freshly milled from the house grain mill each morning.
Buckwheat flour (GF) — primary gluten-free flour. Despite the name, buckwheat is entirely unrelated to wheat and is completely gluten-free. Used for the house GF wrap option, the buckwheat pancakes served at Saturday morning Pancakes with Puppets at Cass Café, and GF baked goods throughout the menu. Rich, nutty flavor — a nutritional and culinary upgrade from plain rice flour.
Rice flour — secondary GF flour for rice paper wraps and select GF baked goods.
Permanent noodles: Whole wheat pasta (held dry, sauced to order) · Rice noodles (GF, always available). Additional noodles rotate as weekly specials. All pasta held dry and sauced to order.
Buckwheat flour (GF) — primary gluten-free flour. Despite the name, buckwheat is entirely unrelated to wheat and is completely gluten-free. Used for the house GF wrap option, the buckwheat pancakes served at Saturday morning Pancakes with Puppets at Cass Café, and GF baked goods throughout the menu. Rich, nutty flavor — a nutritional and culinary upgrade from plain rice flour.
Rice flour — secondary GF flour for rice paper wraps and select GF baked goods.
Permanent noodles: Whole wheat pasta (held dry, sauced to order) · Rice noodles (GF, always available). Additional noodles rotate as weekly specials. All pasta held dry and sauced to order.
Soups3 Anchors · Cup · Bowl · Add Anything
Made from scratch in large batches. Held at 135°F+. Bases frozen in weekly batches without pasta, rice, or potatoes — those added fresh to order. All Three anchor soups come directly from Two Moons' cookbooks. Add any grain, noodle, or protein to any soup. Mini loaf for dipping always available.
Anchor Soup 1 · Vegan Survival Manual pg. 70
Red Lentil Dahl
Cup $5 · Bowl $8
Red lentils, warming spices, tomato, ginger, garlic, lemon. Slow-simmered into a rich, nourishing dahl. From Two Moons' Vegan Survival Manual & Recipe Book, pg. 70. Made daily.
Add brown rice, quinoa, baked tofu, or pour over whole wheat pasta.
Anchor Soup 2 · Vegan Survival Manual pg. 75
Spicy Ramen Soup
Cup $5 · Bowl $8
Bold miso-ginger-chili broth served over noodles with tofu, scallion, nori, sesame. From Two Moons' Vegan Survival Manual & Recipe Book, pg. 75. Add Shepherdswork chicken at no upcharge.
Whole wheat noodles or rice noodles (GF). Add soft-boiled egg.
Anchor Soup 3 · Peace in Every Bite
Potato Coconut Soup
Cup $5 · Bowl $8
Potatoes, mushrooms (Adamah Farms lion's mane), ginger, garlic, coconut milk, basil, cayenne. Two Moons' Potato Coconut Soup — rich, creamy, completely dairy-free.
Add wild rice, millet, tofu, or Shepherdswork chicken.
Heritage · Rotating Seasonal Soups
Roasted Curry Lentil · Tomato Bisque · White Bean & Greens · Cauliflower Coconut · Chicken & Wild Rice
Cup $5–7 · Bowl $8–11
Rotating seasonal soups including the original Cass house Roasted Curry Lentil, Tomato Bisque (heritage), White Bean & Greens, Cauliflower Coconut Curry (vegan GF), and Chicken & Wild Rice (Shepherdswork farm chicken, Great Lakes wild rice). One or two rotating soups available alongside the three anchors daily.
Soup & Salad Combo · Heritage Original
Cup of any anchor soup, house salad with choice of dressing, and mini whole-grain loaf for dipping. $10. Original Cass Café value — unchanged in spirit, upgraded in ingredient quality.
Salads3 Anchors · Wrap Any Salad in a Bread +$1
Three anchor salads daily from Two Moons' recipe tradition alongside heritage Cass classics. All dressings made in-house in daily batches. Wrap any salad in any bread for $1. Full dressing list in the nutritional appendix.
Anchor Salad 1 · Two Moons
Two Moons Tabooli
Small $9 · Large $13
Fresh parsley, lemon, bulgur wheat, tomato, cucumber, mint, olive oil, ume plum vinegar, optional chickpeas. Two Moons' Tabooli — praised as "the best tabooli" by longtime friends.
Swap bulgur for quinoa (GF). Add chickpeas. Wrap in corn tortilla.
Anchor Salad 2 · Two Moons
Traditional Potato Salad
¼ lb $4 · ½ lb $7 · 1 lb $12
Steamed Yukon golds, celery, dill, parsley, dill pickle, vegan mayo, paprika. Two Moons' Traditional Potato Salad — a staple of her kitchen for fifty years. Order in a wrap or alongside soup.
Anchor Salad 3
Grain Bowl Salad
Small $9 · Large $13
Brown rice or farro base, roasted seasonal vegetables from Grown in Detroit farms, pickled onion, tahini drizzle, tamari-roasted sunflower seeds (a Two Moons original technique).
Swap to quinoa (GF) or wild rice. Add chickpeas, tempeh, or Shepherdswork chicken.
Heritage · Rotating
Roasted Beet & Poached Pear
$13
Romaine, Gorgonzola or vegan cheese, red onion, Michigan sun-dried cherries (King Orchards / Friske), walnuts, apple cider balsamic vinaigrette. Original Cass Café — returning.
Heritage · Rotating
Rosemary Salad
$14
Rosemary-crusted baked tofu (default), wild greens, roasted red peppers, mandarin oranges, red onion, sun-dried cherry vinaigrette. Shepherdswork Farm chicken available as a substitution at the same price.
Sub Shepherdswork chicken for tofu — same price.
House (Cass Garden) Salad
$7 / by weight
Mixed wild greens from Planted Detroit, pickled red onion, tomato, carrot, croutons, house vinaigrette. The clean base — build from here.
Sandwiches & Wraps3 Anchors · Same Filling · Choose Whole Wheat or GF Corn Tortilla
Every sandwich is a wrap — same filling, choice of whole wheat flatbread or corn tortilla (GF). Weekly specials may offer additional bread options. Falafel made in-house from whole dried chickpeas, ground and formed each morning. No live cooking during service — all fillings prepped before open.
Anchor 1
House Falafel
$11
In-house falafel from whole dried chickpeas, house tahini, tomato, cucumber, pickled onion, fresh parsley. On whole wheat flatbread or corn tortilla (GF), or as a bowl.
Add avocado +$1.50. GF with corn tortilla.
Anchor 2
Baked Tofu & Avocado
$11
Marinated baked tofu, avocado, shredded cabbage, roasted red pepper, tahini. On whole wheat wrap or corn tortilla (GF).
Add Shepherdswork chicken, seitan, or tempeh instead of tofu — same price.
Anchor 3
Rice & Black Bean
$10
Brown rice, seasoned black beans, pickled jalapeño, corn, salsa verde, avocado. On whole wheat wrap or corn tortilla (GF).
Swap rice for quinoa (GF). Add protein at no upcharge for vegan/meat substitution.
Heritage Sandwiches · Rotating Weekly Specials
Heritage Classic
Lentil Walnut Burger
$13
The original house specialty. Lentil-walnut patty, arugula, cilantro, tomato, homemade salsa. On whole wheat bun (GF bun available Friday/Heritage Night only).
Heritage Classic
Café Reuben
$13
Pumpernickel rye (weekly special bread), vegan cheese or Swiss, sauerkraut or coleslaw. Seitan or tempeh by default — corned beef or smoked turkey available as a substitution at the same price.
Sub corned beef or smoked turkey for seitan/tempeh — same price.
Heritage Classic
Cass Ave. 5-Cheese Grilled Cheese
$11
Vegan cheese blend by default (pepper jack style, white cheddar style, mozzarella style) on grilled sourdough (weekly special) with wild greens, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion. Dairy cheese blend available as a substitution.
Sub dairy cheese blend for vegan — same price.
Heritage Classic
Campus Vegetarian Wrap
$10
Roasted peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, baby spinach, hummus, kalamata olives, balsamic in lavash (weekly special) or whole wheat wrap.
Heritage Classic
Smoked Salmon BLT
$16
Great Lakes smoked salmon, sourdough (weekly special), applewood-smoked bacon, wild greens, tomato, artichoke-caper aioli.
Heritage Classic
Artichoke-Pesto Melt
$11
Artichoke tapenade, spinach, lemon-caper mayo, white cheddar or vegan cheese on grilled whole wheat wrap or sourdough (weekly special).
Rice, Grain & Pasta Bowls3 Anchors · Everything Crosses Everything
Bowls are the menu's most flexible category. Three anchors daily — order as written or build from the component system. Whole wheat pasta or rice noodles (GF) are the permanent noodle options. Additional noodles and grains rotate weekly. All held warm at 135°F+. Pasta held dry and sauced to order.
Anchor Bowl 1 · Two Moons · Vegan Survival Manual pg. 130
Creamy Cavatappi
$15
Whole wheat cavatappi in a cashew cream sauce with roasted garlic, herbs, and seasonal vegetables from Grown in Detroit farms. Completely dairy-free and deeply satisfying. From Two Moons' Vegan Survival Manual & Recipe Book, pg. 130.
Add baked tofu, tempeh, or Shepherdswork chicken, beef, pork, or lamb at no upcharge.
Anchor Bowl 2 · Two Moons · Vegan Survival Manual pg. 116
Asian Sesame Noodles
$14
Whole wheat noodles (or rice noodles, GF) in sesame-ginger-tamari sauce with shredded vegetables, scallion, toasted sesame seeds. From Two Moons' Vegan Survival Manual & Recipe Book, pg. 116. Served at room temperature.
Add baked tofu, tempeh, edamame, seitan, or Shepherdswork chicken. Cold noodle salad option.
Anchor Bowl 3
Detroit Grain Bowl
$13
Brown rice or wild rice base, roasted seasonal vegetables (Grown in Detroit), pickled onion, tahini drizzle, tamari-roasted sunflower seeds (Two Moons technique), house fermented vegetable.
Swap to quinoa (GF), farro, or millet. Add any protein — plant-based or Shepherdswork animal.
Heritage · Rotating
Rotating Heritage Entrees
$14–18
Rotating weekly heritage entrees: Curry Roasted Chicken over Capellini (Two Moons, Shepherdswork chicken or tofu, same price) · Stuffed Bell Peppers (vegan GF) · Café Vegetarian Lasagna · Wild Mushroom Tortellini (Adamah Farms mushrooms) · Leek & Garlic Mac & Cheese (vegan option).
Available Grains, Seeds & Noodles · Add to Any Bowl, Soup, or Salad
| Item | GF | Protein/cup | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown Rice ★ Daily | GF | 5g | ¼c $1 · ½c $2 · 1c $3.50 | Permanent. The backbone of Two Moons' kitchen. Whole-grain, slow-digesting. |
| Basmati Rice ★ Daily | GF | 4g | ¼c $1 · ½c $2 · 1c $3.50 | Permanent. Aromatic long-grain. Lighter and fluffier than brown rice. Lower glycemic index than white basmati. |
| Quinoa ★ Daily | GF | 8g (complete) | ¼c $1.50 · ½c $2.75 · 1c $4.50 | Permanent. Complete protein — all 9 essential amino acids. The GF high-protein grain option. Listed on salads and bowls as a daily protein-rich base. |
| Millet ★ Daily | GF | 6g | ¼c $1 · ½c $2 · 1c $3.50 | Permanent. Most alkaline-forming grain. Two Moons' top recommendation. Mild, easy to digest, versatile. |
| Wild Rice ★ Daily | GF | 7g | ¼c $1.75 · ½c $3 · 1c $5 | Permanent. Great Lakes native seed-grass. Our most regional grain. MI Farm Cooperative sourced. |
| Whole Wheat Pasta ★ | — | 8g | ½c $2.50 · 1c $4.50 | Permanent noodle. Held dry, sauced to order. Contains gluten. |
| Rice Noodles ★ | GF | 4g | ½c $2.50 · 1c $4.50 | Permanent GF noodle. Light and clean. Always available. |
| Farro | — | 8g | ¼c $1.25 · ½c $2.25 · 1c $4 | Weekly special. Ancient wheat. Higher protein and fiber than modern wheat. Contains gluten. |
| Soba Noodles | GF opt | 8g | ½c $2.75 · 1c $5 | Weekly special. 100% buckwheat = GF. Rich and nutty. |
| Lentil Pasta | GF | 25g | ½c $2.75 · 1c $5 | Weekly special. Highest protein pasta. Made from lentil flour. |
| Buckwheat / Amaranth | GF | 6–9g | ¼c $1.25 · ½c $2.25 | Weekly special. Alkaline-forming. Note: buckwheat is GF despite the name — unrelated to wheat. |
Plant-Based Proteins · Add to Any Bowl, Salad, Soup, or Wrap
| Protein | GF | Protein | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baked Tofu | GF | 12g / 3 oz | 3 oz $3 · 4 oz $3.75 | Marinated and baked. Default plant protein on all dishes. Complete protein — all essential amino acids. High in calcium and manganese. |
| Tempeh | GF | 16g / 3 oz | 3 oz $3 · 4 oz $3.75 | Fermented whole soybeans. Higher protein AND fiber than tofu. Probiotic food — fermentation increases mineral bioavailability. |
| Seitan | — Not GF | 21g / 3 oz | 3 oz $3 · 4 oz $3.75 | Made from vital wheat gluten. Highest plant protein. Dense and meaty. Contains gluten — not GF. The default protein in the Reuben. |
| Chickpeas (cooked) | GF | 7.5g / ½ cup | ¼c $1.50 · ½c $2.50 | Dried chickpeas from pantry wall, cooked daily. Add to any salad, soup, or bowl. Also the base for house falafel and hummus. |
| Quinoa | GF | 8g / cup | ¼c $1.50 · ½c $2.75 · 1c $4.50 | Listed as both a grain and a protein — complete protein with all 9 amino acids. Add to any dish as a protein-rich grain base. |
| Edamame | GF | 17g / cup | ¼c $1.50 · ½c $2.50 | Whole soybeans. Very high protein. Great on salads, bowls, noodle dishes. |
| Lentils (cooked) | GF | 9g / ½ cup | ¼c $1.25 · ½c $2 | Red, green, or black. Dried from pantry wall. High folate (90% DV per cup). Prebiotic resistant starch. |
| Shepherdswork Chicken | GF | 21g / 3 oz | 3 oz $4 · 6 oz $7.50 | Free-range, forage-fed. Detroit urban farms and Shepherdswork. Available as a substitution on any dish. |
| Shepherdswork Beef or Lamb | GF | 22g / 3 oz | 3 oz $5.50 · 6 oz $10 | Grass-fed, grass-finished. No grain feeding at any stage. Available on grain bowls, salads, and heritage entrees. Rotating by what is available from the farm. |
| Shepherdswork Pork | GF | 20g / 3 oz | 3 oz $5 · 6 oz $9 | Heritage breed, free-range, pasture-raised. Appears on heritage sandwich specials (Reuben with smoked pork), grain bowls, and rotating weekly specials. |
| Duck or Turkey (Seasonal) | GF | 20–23g / 3 oz | 3 oz $6 · 6 oz $11 | Heritage breed. Appears seasonally on Heritage Night rotations, Dinner Concert menus, and weekly specials. MI Farm Cooperative network. |
| Pasture-Raised Eggs | GF | 6g / egg | 1 egg $1.50 · 2 eggs $2.75 | From Detroit urban farm network (D-Town Farm, Grown in Detroit cooperative). Free-range, forage-fed. Add to any morning dish, salad, or bowl. Scrambled, baked, or hard-boiled. |
| Applewood-Smoked Bacon | GF | 3g / slice | 2 slices $2.50 · 4 slices $4 | Shepherdswork or Michigan pasture-raised pork, applewood-smoked. Add to salads, sandwiches, soups, or grain bowls. Integral to the Smoked Salmon BLT. Also available as a breakfast side. |
| Great Lakes Fish (seasonal) | GF | 20–21g / 3 oz | 3 oz $6 · 6 oz $11 | Whitefish, perch, trout, walleye — rotating by availability. Add to any grain bowl, salad, or as a featured protein on heritage specials. See Great Lakes Fish section for full species guide. |
Nuts & Seeds · Add to Any Bowl, Salad, Soup, or Wrap
| Item | GF | Notes | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tamari-Roasted Sunflower Seeds ★ | GF | Two Moons technique. Salty, umami, crunchy. The grain bowl's default seed. High Vitamin E, magnesium, selenium. | Tbsp $0.75 · ¼c $1.50 |
| Walnuts (activated) ★ | GF | Soaked and dehydrated to improve digestibility and mineral absorption. Highest omega-3 of any nut. On salads, bowls, oatmeal. | Tbsp $0.75 · ¼c $1.50 |
| Hemp Seeds ★ | GF | Complete protein — all 9 essential amino acids. 10g protein per 3 tbsp. Ideal omega-3 to omega-6 ratio. Mild, nutty. Sprinkle on anything. | Tbsp $0.75 · ¼c $1.75 |
| Pumpkin Seeds (pepitas) | GF | High zinc, magnesium, and iron. Rich, earthy flavor. Excellent on soups, salads, and grain bowls. | Tbsp $0.75 · ¼c $1.50 |
| Flaxseed (ground) | GF | Highest plant source of ALA omega-3. Ground for absorption — whole flax passes through undigested. High lignan content. Add to smoothies, oatmeal, grain bowls. | Tbsp $0.50 |
| Almonds (activated, sliced) | GF | Highest Vitamin E of any nut. Presoaked and dehydrated. On salads, morning bowls, desserts. | Tbsp $0.75 · ¼c $1.50 |
| Cashews (raw) | GF | High magnesium and iron for a nut. Buttery and mild. Base for cashew cream sauces and dressings — also delicious whole on grain bowls. | Tbsp $1 · ¼c $2 |
| Sesame Seeds (toasted) | GF | High calcium and copper. Toasted for maximum flavor. Natural on Asian-style noodles and grain bowls. | Tbsp $0.50 |
| Chia Seeds | GF | High omega-3, fiber, and calcium. Form a gel in liquid — excellent in smoothies and puddings. Add to any drink or bowl. | Tbsp $0.75 |
| Michigan Sun-Dried Cherries | GF | King Orchards / Friske Farm. Tart, concentrated. Natural antioxidant (anthocyanins). On salads, oatmeal, desserts, grain bowls. | Tbsp $1 · ¼c $2.50 |
Fresh & Roasted Vegetables · Add to Any Bowl, Salad, Soup, or Wrap · Or as a Side with Dip
| Vegetable | GF | Preparation | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roasted Seasonal Vegetables ★ | GF | Whatever is peak from Grown in Detroit farms that week — roasted with olive oil, herbs, sea salt. The bowl's daily roasted component. | ¼c $1.50 · ½c $2.50 |
| Roasted Beets ★ | GF | Whole roasted and sliced. Earthy, sweet, deeply nutritious — one of the highest nitrate foods for circulation and endurance. On salads, grain bowls. | 2 oz $1.50 · 4 oz $2.75 |
| Roasted Sweet Potato | GF | Cubed and roasted with olive oil and cinnamon or savory spices. High beta-carotene, Vitamin A, fiber. On grain bowls, soups, morning sides. | ¼c $1.50 · ½c $2.50 |
| Sautéed Kale or Chard | GF | Wilted with garlic and olive oil. Grown in Detroit greens. High Vitamin K, calcium, iron. On any bowl or wrap. | ¼c $1.50 · ½c $2.50 |
| Roasted Mushrooms (Adamah Farms) | GF | Oyster and lion's mane, roasted. Adaptogenic properties. Meaty texture — excellent protein-adjacent addition. | 2 oz $2 · 4 oz $3.75 |
| Pickled Jalapeños or Red Onion | GF | House-pickled. Probiotic benefit. Bright acid note on any dish. | Side $0.75 |
| Raw Vegetable Plate | GF | Carrots, celery, cucumber, radish, cherry tomatoes — served raw with your choice of any house dip or dressing. A snack or side at any time of day. | Half plate $5 · Full plate $8 |
| Avocado | GF | Sliced or mashed. Fair Trade sourced. High monounsaturated fat — improves absorption of fat-soluble vitamins in adjacent vegetables. Add to any dish. | ½ avocado $2 · Whole $3.50 |
Fresh & Dried Fruits · Add to Any Dish or as a Side
| Fruit | GF | Notes | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seasonal Fresh Fruit ★ | GF | Whatever is peak from MI Farm Cooperative — Michigan cherries, blueberries, apples, peaches, pears, melon by season. On oatmeal, salads, grain bowls, or as a side. | ½c $2 · 1c $3.50 |
| Michigan Sun-Dried Cherries ★ | GF | Tart cherry — one of the highest known sources of dietary melatonin and anthocyanin antioxidants. King Orchards / Friske Farm. On salads, oatmeal, grain bowls, desserts. | Tbsp $1 · ¼c $2.50 |
| Mandarin Oranges | GF | High Vitamin C and beta-cryptoxanthin. Brightens any salad. On the Rosemary Salad and Asian Sesame Noodles — also available separately. | Side $1.50 |
| Blueberries (fresh or frozen) | GF | Michigan wild or cultivated. Peak anthocyanin antioxidant content. On oatmeal, smoothies, scones, and grain bowls. | ¼c $1.50 · ½c $2.50 |
| Dried Apricots | GF | Unsulfured. High beta-carotene and iron. On oatmeal, grain bowls, and desserts. Fair Trade sourced. | Tbsp $0.75 · ¼c $1.50 |
| Raisins | GF | Michigan-grown where available. On oatmeal, scones, salads. Simple, familiar, versatile. | Tbsp $0.50 · ¼c $1 |
| Medjool Dates (chopped) | GF | Natural sweetener. High potassium and magnesium. On oatmeal and grain bowls. Also used as a natural sweetener in certain dressings and sauces. | 1 date $0.75 · 3 dates $2 |
Snacks, Dips & Sides3 Anchors · Daily · Fermented Foods
Anchor Snack 1 · Heritage
Artichoke & Spinach Dip
$12
Cheddar or vegan cheese, mild jalapeños, pepperoncinis, spinach and artichoke blend. Served warm with corn tortilla chips (GF) or mini whole-grain loaf.
Anchor Snack 2 · Heritage
Black Bean Hummus Plate
$8
Original Cass black bean hummus with corn tortilla chips (GF), avocado, tomato, Kalamata olive garnish. Vegan and GF as it always was.
Anchor Snack 3
Mini Loaf & Dip
$6
House-baked mini whole-grain loaf with a cup of soup broth, herb oil, or hummus for dipping. Ideal alongside any soup order.
Baked Fries — Daily Side
Whole potato or sweet potato — cut, seasoned, baked. Not fried during daytime service. Half $4 · Full $6. Vegan · GF. Fried fries available during special evening events when the kitchen is operating.
House Fermented Foods
Kimchi · Sauerkraut · Pickled red onion · Pickled jalapeños · Pickled beet relish. All house-made. By the ounce or side. Add to any dish. Probiotics, electrolytes, vitamin K2.
Desserts3 Anchors · Whole Wheat Flour · House-Made
All desserts use whole wheat flour. No refined white flour. House ice cream available in dairy and non-dairy versions daily.
Anchor Dessert 1 · Heritage
Original Brownie
$6 · GF $6.50 · Heath $6.50
The original Cass brownie. Rich, fudgy, whole wheat. Also available gluten-free and with heath toffee crumbles. The heritage dessert that never left.
Anchor Dessert 2 · Two Moons
House-Baked Scones
$4
Blueberry-lemon, apple-raisin-cinnamon, cherry-almond (Michigan cherries from MI Farm Cooperative). Two Moons' recipe. House jam. Clotted cream on request.
Anchor Dessert 3
House Ice Cream
$6
Made with locally sourced ingredients. Dairy and non-dairy (coconut/cashew base) always available. Seasonal flavors. Pairs with any dessert.
Rotating Dessert Specials
$6–7
Chocolate cake (whole wheat, vegan option) · Cinnamon apple honey pie (Michigan apples, local honey, whole wheat crust) · Weekly special dessert — seasonal ingredients, changing weekly.
Dips, Sauces & DressingsAll Vegan · GF Where Noted · The Menu's Flavor Engine
This is where the menu multiplies. The same grain bowl with tahini-lemon is Middle Eastern. With peanut-ginger it's Southeast Asian. With chimichurri it's South American. The same salad with Goddess Dressing is something Two Moons has been making for fifty years; with cashew Caesar it becomes something else entirely. Every dip, sauce, and dressing here is drawn from Two Moons' Peace in Every Bite and Vegan Survival Manual & Recipe Book, made in daily batches from whole ingredients, and available to add to any bowl, salad, sandwich, or dipping plate on the menu. No bottled dressings. No powder packets. All made here.
Signature Dressings · Two Moons Recipes
Signature · Peace in Every Bite
Two Moons Goddess Dressing
Side $1.50 · 4 oz $3
Tahini, lemon, garlic, tamari, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, fresh herbs. The house dressing — the one that changes a salad from a salad into a meal. Rich, creamy, deeply savory. Vegan and GF.
Signature · Two Moons
Miso-Ginger Dressing
Side $1.50 · 4 oz $3
White miso, fresh ginger, rice vinegar, sesame oil, tamari, maple syrup. Bright, umami-forward, complex. The natural partner for the Asian Sesame Noodles and grain bowls. Transforms any plain salad.
Signature · Two Moons
Cashew Caesar
Side $1.50 · 4 oz $3
Soaked raw cashews blended with lemon, capers, garlic, Dijon, nutritional yeast, black pepper. All the richness and tang of Caesar without a drop of dairy or anchovy. GF and fully vegan.
Two Moons
Tahini-Lemon
Side $1.50 · 4 oz $3
Sesame tahini, fresh lemon, garlic, olive oil, water, sea salt. The purest expression of the house's Middle Eastern pantry. On falafel, grain bowls, roasted vegetables, or directly as a dip with bread.
Two Moons
Peanut-Ginger Sauce
Side $1.50 · 4 oz $3
Natural peanut butter, fresh ginger, tamari, lime, maple syrup, chili, sesame. Thick and deeply savory — changes a plain rice bowl into Southeast Asian comfort food. On noodles, grain bowls, or as a dipping sauce.
Two Moons
Red Wine Garlic Vinaigrette
Side $1.50 · 4 oz $3
Red wine vinegar, roasted garlic, Dijon mustard, fresh herbs, olive oil. The house Italian. Sharp, bright, clean. On any salad, over roasted vegetables, or as a marinade for tofu before baking.
Two Moons
Chimichurri
Side $1.50 · 4 oz $3
Fresh parsley and cilantro, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, crushed red pepper. South American in spirit. Transforms any grain bowl, sandwich, or grilled protein into something vivid and alive.
Two Moons
Cashew Ranch
Side $1.50 · 4 oz $3
Soaked cashews blended with apple cider vinegar, dill, parsley, garlic, onion powder, oat milk. The familiar comfort of ranch dressing — completely vegan, completely GF, made from whole ingredients only.
Two Moons
Apple Cider Balsamic Vinaigrette
Side $1.50 · 4 oz $3
Michigan apple cider vinegar, aged balsamic, whole grain Dijon, honey or maple, olive oil. Warm and complex. The house vinaigrette for the Beet & Pear Salad — also beautiful on any mixed green base.
Two Moons
Salsa Verde
Side $1.50 · 4 oz $3
Tomatillos, jalapeño, garlic, cilantro, lime. Bright, acidic, clean. The natural partner for the Rice & Black Bean Wrap and the Breakfast Bean Burrito. Also a dipping sauce for chips and mini loaves.
Two Moons
Lemon-Caper Aioli
Side $1.50 · 4 oz $3
Vegan mayo, lemon zest, capers, Dijon, fresh dill. Bright and briny. The sauce for the Smoked Salmon BLT — also excellent on the Artichoke-Pesto Melt and as a dipping sauce for falafel or baked fries.
Two Moons
Sesame-Ginger Tamari Sauce
Side $1.50 · 4 oz $3
Tamari, toasted sesame oil, fresh ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, scallion. The sauce base for the Asian Sesame Noodles, available separately to add to any bowl or noodle dish. Rich, warm, deeply savory.
Dips & Spreads · House-Made
Heritage · Original Cass
Black Bean Hummus
Side $3 · Full plate $8
Original Cass Café black bean hummus. Cooked-from-scratch black beans, tahini, lemon, garlic, cumin, olive oil. The heritage dip that was on the menu from the beginning. Served with corn tortilla chips (GF) or mini loaf.
Two Moons
Classic Chickpea Hummus
Side $3 · Full plate $8
Dried chickpeas soaked and cooked from the pantry wall daily, blended with tahini, lemon, garlic, olive oil, cumin. Made from scratch every morning — not from a can. The difference is unmistakable.
Two Moons
Roasted Garlic & White Bean Dip
Side $3 · Full plate $7
Oven-roasted whole garlic heads, white cannellini beans from the pantry wall, lemon, rosemary, olive oil. Creamy and deeply savory. With mini loaf for dipping or on any sandwich as a spread.
Two Moons
Baba Ganoush
Side $3 · Full plate $7
Charred eggplant, tahini, lemon, garlic, smoked paprika, parsley. Smoky, complex, deeply satisfying. On the menu whenever eggplant is in season from the Detroit urban farm network.
Two Moons
Guacamole
Side $3.50 · Full plate $8
Ripe avocados, lime, cilantro, red onion, jalapeño, sea salt, tomato. Made fresh in small batches throughout the day — never pre-made and left to oxidize. With corn tortilla chips (GF).
Two Moons
Herb Oil & Crushed Walnut
Side $2.50
Extra-virgin Michigan olive oil infused with fresh herbs from the DLT herb gardens — rosemary, thyme, garlic — with crushed activated walnuts (soaked and roasted per Two Moons' technique) scattered on top. For mini loaf dipping.
How the Sauce Section Changes the Menu
Every grain bowl, salad, and wrap on the menu is a different dish depending on the sauce. The Detroit Grain Bowl with Goddess Dressing is Middle Eastern. With Peanut-Ginger it's Southeast Asian. With Chimichurri it's South American. With Cashew Ranch it's something your grandmother might have recognized. The same base ingredients become a different cultural experience based entirely on the sauce — and because every sauce is made from whole ingredients in-house, every version is as nutritionally sound as the base dish. The investor menu lists all sauces here for reference. On the patron menu, dressings are listed by name alongside each dish and available as add-ons from any dish for $1.50 per side.
Cooking Sauces · Warm · Over Any Grain, Pasta, Bowl, or Wrap
These are the sauces that traditionally accompany pasta — but they work just as well over brown rice, quinoa, millet, or a grain bowl. A tomato marinara over wild rice with chickpeas and a piece of whole wheat flatbread is a complete, deeply satisfying meal that has nothing to do with pasta. A mushroom gravy over millet is better than mashed potatoes. Every cooking sauce below can be ordered warm over any grain or noodle on the menu, or as a dipping sauce with the mini loaf. All from Two Moons' two cookbooks.
Anchor Sauce 1 · Two Moons
House Tomato Marinara
Side $2.50 · Full $5
Whole canned San Marzano tomatoes (or fresh seasonal), garlic, fresh basil, olive oil, sea salt, red pepper flakes. Two Moons' classic marinara — made in daily batch, held warm. Over pasta by request, but equally at home over brown rice, quinoa, or in a wrap with roasted vegetables and seitan.
Over any grain or noodle +$2.50. In any wrap as a sauce +$1.50. With mini loaf for dipping.
Anchor Sauce 2 · Two Moons
Wild Mushroom Gravy
Side $2.50 · Full $5
Adamah Farms oyster and lion's mane mushrooms, caramelized onion, fresh thyme, tamari, whole wheat flour or arrowroot (GF), vegetable broth. Rich, dark, deeply savory. Two Moons' mushroom gravy — exceptional over millet, wild rice, or noodles, or as the sauce in a seitan or tempeh wrap.
Over any grain. In any wrap +$1.50. Ask for arrowroot version to make GF.
Anchor Sauce 3 · Two Moons
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Side $2.50 · Full $5
Oven-roasted red peppers, soaked cashews, garlic, lemon, smoked paprika, olive oil. Blended until silky. Two Moons uses this over pasta — it works just as beautifully over quinoa with chickpeas and spinach, or as the sauce inside a roasted vegetable wrap.
Over any grain or noodle +$2.50. Wrap sauce +$1.50. With mini loaf.
Two Moons
Cashew Cream Sauce
Side $2.50 · Full $5
Soaked raw cashews blended with garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon, and herbs until smooth and cream-like. The base for the Creamy Cavatappi — but over brown rice with tempeh and roasted vegetables it becomes a completely different and equally satisfying meal.
Two Moons
Coconut Curry Sauce
Side $2.50 · Full $5
Coconut milk, curry spices (turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala), ginger, garlic, tomato paste. Made from scratch — no jarred curry paste. Naturally pairs with the Red Lentil Dahl or as a standalone sauce over basmati rice, millet, or roasted cauliflower.
Naturally pairs with basmati rice, millet, and roasted vegetables.
Two Moons
Pesto
Side $2.50 · Full $5
Fresh basil, toasted pine nuts or walnuts, garlic, lemon, olive oil, nutritional yeast. Vegan by default — Parmesan available as an add-in. Over whole wheat pasta is the obvious choice; over quinoa with cherry tomatoes and chickpeas it is just as good and gluten-free.
Add Parmesan or vegan parm if preferred. Over any grain or noodle.
Two Moons
Lemon-Herb Tahini Sauce
Side $2 · Full $4
A thinner, warm version of the tahini-lemon dressing — slightly diluted and warmed for use as a cooking sauce. Over whole wheat pasta, brown rice, or falafel bowls. A bridge between the cold dressing world and the warm sauce world.
Two Moons
Tomato-Caper Pomodoro
Side $2.50 · Full $5
Crushed tomatoes, capers, kalamata olives, garlic, fresh oregano, olive oil, red pepper. Mediterranean-forward and briny. Over whole wheat pasta is traditional. Over wild rice with seitan and a mini loaf on the side is a complete meal that reframes the dish entirely.
How the Sauce Section Changes the Menu
Every grain bowl, salad, and wrap on the menu is a different dish depending on the sauce. The Detroit Grain Bowl with Goddess Dressing is Middle Eastern. With Peanut-Ginger Sauce it is Southeast Asian. With Chimichurri it is South American. The Creamy Cavatappi sauce over brown rice with chickpeas and spinach is a completely different — and completely satisfying — meal from the same sauce over pasta. The Coconut Curry Sauce over basmati rice with roasted cauliflower and tempeh is an entirely distinct experience from the same curry sauce spooned into a wrap. This is the menu's quiet multiplier: not more dishes, but more dimensions to the dishes that already exist. On the patron menu, all sauces are listed by name alongside each dish and available as add-ons at $1.50–$2.50 per side over any grain, noodle, or wrap.
Why Sourcing Matters — Animal ProductsGrass-Fed · Pasture-Raised · Free-Range · Seasonal · Detroit Urban Farms
The decision to source animal products from Shepherdswork Farm, Detroit urban farms, and Michigan's small-farm network is not only ethical — it is nutritional. The difference between a pasture-raised animal and a conventionally raised one is measurable at the molecular level. This section provides the nutritional and sourcing framework for investors to understand why the sourcing premium is built into the business model rather than passed to the customer as an upcharge.
Grass-Fed Beef & Lamb
Grass-fed beef and lamb from Shepherdswork contain a dramatically more favorable omega-3 to omega-6 ratio than grain-fed feedlot animals — typically 2:1 versus 8:1 or higher. Chronic inflammation is driven in part by excess omega-6 consumption. Grass-fed beef is also significantly higher in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) — associated with reduced body fat, improved immune function, and anti-cancer properties. The marbling in grain-fed beef comes from metabolic stress; it is not the same fat as the intramuscular fat of a healthy, active, grass-fed animal. Shepherdswork animals are grass-fed and grass-finished — no grain feeding at any stage.
Pasture-Raised Pork
Shepherdswork raises free-range, pasture-raised heritage breed pigs. Foraging pigs — rooting through soil, eating insects, clover, grasses, and seasonal forage — produce pork with a fundamentally different fat profile than conventionally raised pork. Pasture-raised pork contains significantly higher Vitamin D than any other common meat: pigs synthesize Vitamin D from sunlight exactly as humans do, and a pig that lives outdoors accumulates meaningful amounts. Omega-3 content is higher; the fat is softer, closer to olive oil in composition. Heritage breeds develop slower, producing more flavorful, nutritionally complex meat than fast-growing commercial breeds.
Free-Range Chickens & Eggs — Detroit Urban Farms
The primary source for chicken and eggs at Cass Café is Detroit's urban farm network — the Grown in Detroit cooperative, D-Town Farm, and partnering urban farmers. Free-range chickens that forage for insects, worms, and grass produce eggs with measurably higher Vitamin A, Vitamin E, and omega-3 fatty acids — studies consistently find twice the Vitamin E and more than double the omega-3s compared to conventional eggs. The yolk color tells the story: deep orange from a foraging hen versus pale yellow from a caged bird reflects the beta-carotene and carotenoid difference. Sourcing from Detroit urban farms keeps those food dollars circulating within the city's agricultural economy.
Seasonal Duck & Turkey
Duck and turkey appear on the menu seasonally — on Heritage Night rotations, Dinner Concert menus, and weekly specials. Michigan has a rich wild duck and turkey hunting tradition; farm-raised heritage breed turkeys and ducks are also available through the MI Farm Cooperative network. Duck meat is notably higher in iron and zinc than chicken, and duck fat rendered from pasture-raised birds is one of the most stable cooking fats — high in oleic acid, the same heart-healthy fat found in olive oil. Heritage breed turkey, slow-grown and free-ranging, has a depth of flavor that commercial turkeys bred purely for breast size cannot match.
Pasture-Raised Dairy
Milk and cheese from pasture-raised cows contain higher levels of CLA, beta-carotene, and fat-soluble vitamins. The color difference is visible — pasture-raised butter is golden; feedlot butter is white. The same applies to cheese. When dairy appears as a substitution option at Cass Café, it is sourced from Michigan pasture-raised producers. The difference is nutritional, not merely philosophical.
The No-Upcharge Policy Explained
Sourcing from Shepherdswork, Detroit urban farms, and Michigan's small-farm network costs more than sourcing conventionally. The café absorbs that cost rather than passing it to the guest as an upcharge for the animal protein option. If the vegan default and the animal option are priced the same, no guest is penalized for choosing either. The menu's vegan-forward philosophy holds — not because animal products are forbidden, but because the choice is genuinely open and genuinely equal. When high-quality sourcing is built into the cost model from the beginning, it does not become a price weapon at the counter.
Shepherdswork Farm & School — The Full Animal Program
Chickens (some at Shepherdswork, primarily Detroit urban farms): Free-range, forage-fed. Insects, grass, clover. No antibiotics, no growth hormones. Vitamin A 3–7× higher than caged birds. Omega-3 to omega-6 ratio approximately 1:2 vs. 1:20 for conventionally raised birds.
Pigs (Shepherdswork): Heritage breed, free-range, pasture-raised. Forage diet — insects, roots, grass, seasonal forage. Significantly higher Vitamin D than any conventionally raised pork. Softer fat profile; higher omega-3s. Slow-grown for flavor and nutritional depth.
Beef and lamb (Shepherdswork): Grass-fed, grass-finished. No grain feeding. CLA content 2–3× higher than feedlot beef. Omega-3 content 2–4× higher. No antibiotics or growth promotants.
Seasonal duck and turkey: Michigan heritage breed and seasonally available. Heritage Night menus, seasonal specials, and Dinner Concert pop-up kitchens. MI Farm Cooperative network.
The dual mission: Shepherdswork Farm & School is also the site of the Chalfonte Foundation's youth apprenticeship program — inner-city teenage youth spending 3–6 months learning to tend sheep, ride horses, spin wool, and dye yarn from plants on the farm. The food program and the education program are inseparable. When guests eat Shepherdswork products at Cass Café, they are also supporting the program that is using that farm to change young people's lives.
Pigs (Shepherdswork): Heritage breed, free-range, pasture-raised. Forage diet — insects, roots, grass, seasonal forage. Significantly higher Vitamin D than any conventionally raised pork. Softer fat profile; higher omega-3s. Slow-grown for flavor and nutritional depth.
Beef and lamb (Shepherdswork): Grass-fed, grass-finished. No grain feeding. CLA content 2–3× higher than feedlot beef. Omega-3 content 2–4× higher. No antibiotics or growth promotants.
Seasonal duck and turkey: Michigan heritage breed and seasonally available. Heritage Night menus, seasonal specials, and Dinner Concert pop-up kitchens. MI Farm Cooperative network.
The dual mission: Shepherdswork Farm & School is also the site of the Chalfonte Foundation's youth apprenticeship program — inner-city teenage youth spending 3–6 months learning to tend sheep, ride horses, spin wool, and dye yarn from plants on the farm. The food program and the education program are inseparable. When guests eat Shepherdswork products at Cass Café, they are also supporting the program that is using that farm to change young people's lives.
Great Lakes FishMichigan · Sustainable Harvest · Cold Freshwater · Native Species
The Great Lakes hold 21% of the world's surface freshwater and support one of the most distinctive regional fisheries in North America — and one of the least-utilized by American restaurants outside the immediate region. Cass Café sources exclusively from Michigan commercial fishers, tribal-operated fisheries, and sustainable Great Lakes harvesters. No farmed Atlantic salmon. No imported tilapia. What comes out of Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Lake Huron, and Michigan's inland lakes and rivers is the fish on this menu.
Why Great Lakes Fish
Cold freshwater fish from the Great Lakes are among the most nutritionally complete foods available in the Midwest. Lake whitefish, lake trout, and cisco are high in omega-3 fatty acids — the same long-chain omega-3s (EPA and DHA) found in ocean fish, without the microplastic contamination now increasingly documented in ocean-farmed and ocean-caught fish. Great Lakes fish are also a complete protein source, rich in B vitamins (particularly B12), iodine, selenium, and phosphorus. Cold water forces fish to maintain higher fat stores — and in wild fish, that fat is the right kind: long-chain omega-3s accumulated through a natural forage diet.
Sustainable Harvest & Tribal Fisheries
Michigan's commercial Great Lakes fishery is among the most carefully regulated in the country. The 1836 Treaty rights of the Anishinaabe people — the Ojibwe, Ottawa, and Potawatomi nations — include treaty-protected fishing rights in the Great Lakes, and tribal-operated fisheries are among the most sustainably managed fish operations in the region. Sourcing from tribal fisheries where possible is both a nutritional and a justice decision. The fish is better. The practices are better. The relationship honors the Indigenous communities whose relationship with the Great Lakes predates every other foodway in this region by thousands of years.
Great Lakes Fish — Species Guide & Nutritional Profile
| Species | Season | Flavor | Nutritional Highlights | Menu Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Whitefish | Year-round (peak fall) | Mild, flaky, slightly sweet. The Great Lakes' most versatile eating fish. | High omega-3 (EPA+DHA). Excellent B12. 20g protein / 3 oz. Low mercury. | Fish & Chips (heritage weekly special). Smoked BLT alternative. Grain bowls. Heritage Night. |
| Yellow Perch | Year-round (peak summer) | Delicate, sweet, firm. Michigan's most beloved panfish. The original Detroit fish fry. | Very low fat, very high protein (21g / 3 oz). High selenium — powerful antioxidant. B vitamins throughout. | Fish & Chips option. Perch tacos (corn tortilla, GF). Heritage Night rotating special. |
| Lake Trout | Fall–winter | Rich, fatty, complex. Strongest flavor of the Great Lakes species. Worth it. | Highest omega-3 of any Great Lakes species. Significant Vitamin D. Selenium and B12. Similar profile to wild salmon. | Grain bowl topping. Heritage Night smoked preparation. Roasted over wild rice. |
| Walleye | Spring–fall (regulated) | Clean, firm, mild. The most prized eating fish in the Great Lakes region. No strong fishy flavor. | Lean, high protein. Good omega-3 profile. High phosphorus for bone health. Low saturated fat. | Heritage Night featured preparation. Pan-seared over grain bowl. Seasonal and regulated — special when available. |
| Cisco (Lake Herring) | Winter (cold water) | Rich and oily — similar to sardines or smelt. Strong regional tradition, underutilized. | Exceptional omega-3 density. High Vitamin D. One of the few freshwater fish comparable to Atlantic mackerel in fat profile. | Heritage Night smoked or pan-fried. Grain bowl topping. Menu when available from seasonal harvesters. |
| Smelt | Spring run (brief) | Small, crisp when fried, mild and sweet. Eaten whole. A beloved Michigan spring tradition. | Eaten whole — bones included — providing a significant dietary calcium source alongside omega-3 profile. High B12. | Heritage Night seasonal feature. Only during the spring smelt run. |
| Great Lakes Salmon (Chinook, Coho) | Fall (salmon run) | Rich, fatty, flavorful. Pacific salmon species introduced to the Great Lakes — now fully naturalized and wild. | High omega-3 (EPA+DHA). Significant Vitamin D. Complete protein. Wild fish — not farmed. | Smoked preparation. Grain bowls. Heritage Night. Seasonally featured during fall run. |
Omega-3s in Cold Freshwater Fish
Cold water requires fish to store more fat as thermal insulation — and in wild fish, that fat is rich in EPA and DHA, the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids with the strongest documented effects on cardiovascular health, brain function, and inflammation reduction. Great Lakes fish accumulate omega-3s naturally through diet (insects, smaller fish, plankton) rather than through supplementation as in farmed fish. The omega-3 profile of wild Lake Trout is comparable to wild Pacific salmon. Lake Whitefish and Cisco are not far behind.
Mercury & Safe Sourcing
The Great Lakes have a complex environmental history, and responsible sourcing means knowing which species and locations are safest. Generally: smaller, shorter-lived species (yellow perch, smelt, whitefish) accumulate less mercury than larger, longer-lived predators. The Michigan DNR publishes updated consumption advisories by species and water body — Cass Café follows these guidelines and sources exclusively from regulated commercial harvesters and tribal fisheries operating within those standards. We do not source from areas under active consumption advisories.
Motor City Fish & Chips — Heritage Weekly Special
The Motor City Fish & Chips features whatever Great Lakes species is at peak availability that week — whitefish most of the year, perch in summer, smelt in spring, trout in fall. The batter is whole wheat (buckwheat GF option). The chips are house-cut and baked or fried. The tartar sauce is house-made — vegan cashew base with capers, dill, and lemon. This connects directly to Detroit's oldest fish fry traditions, sourced from the waters that surround Michigan, prepared in the building that has served this Cass Corridor neighborhood since 1993.
Fresh Juices3 Anchors · No Bottled Juice · Ever · 7 AM–7 PM
Three juice styles available: traditional extracted juice (pulp-free), whole-food "bullet" juice (blended with fiber and healthy fat), and creamy blended smoothie. Three anchors per style. The menu's nutritional appendix provides the full ingredient library and vitamin absorption pairing guide for building custom orders. Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) require dietary fat for absorption — this is why avocado and seeds appear in certain drinks as nutritional design, not just flavor.
Choose Your Style
Traditional Extracted Juice — pulp-free, maximum enzyme activity, 90 Cal / 22g Carbs / 0g Fat / 2g Protein (16 oz base)
Whole-Food Bullet Juice — blended with fiber and healthy fats for fat-soluble vitamin absorption, 140 Cal / 18g Carbs / 4g Fat / 3g Protein
Creamy Blended Smoothie — meal-replacement level nutrition, 160 Cal / 26g Carbs / 5g Fat / 4g Protein
Whole-Food Bullet Juice — blended with fiber and healthy fats for fat-soluble vitamin absorption, 140 Cal / 18g Carbs / 4g Fat / 3g Protein
Creamy Blended Smoothie — meal-replacement level nutrition, 160 Cal / 26g Carbs / 5g Fat / 4g Protein
Anchor Extracted Juices (Pulp-Free · 8 oz $5 · 16 oz $8)
Anchor Juice 1
Fresh Orange Juice
8 oz $5 · 16 oz $8
Straight-squeezed. No additions. Also the base for the Whiskey OJ at the bar and the pre-made evening bar stock. Vitamin C · Folate · Potassium.
Anchor Juice 2
Carrot–Ginger Sunrise
8 oz $5 · 16 oz $8
Fresh carrot (Grown in Detroit), orange, ginger (Fair Trade Peru/Hawaii), turmeric, black pepper. Anti-inflammatory. Black pepper increases curcumin absorption by up to 2,000%. Beta-carotene · Gingerol · Curcumin.
Anchor Juice 3
Green Citrus Press
8 oz $5 · 16 oz $8
Cucumber (Planted Detroit), celery, green apple (MI Farm Cooperative), lemon, ginger. Alkalizing and deeply hydrating. Apigenin · Silica · Citric acid for bile production.
Anchor Whole-Food Bullet Juices (Blended with Fiber & Healthy Fat · 16 oz $9)
Anchor Bullet 1 · Vitamin D Activator
The Vitamin Activator
$9
Coconut water, spinach (Planted Detroit), pineapple (Fair Trade Costa Rica), avocado, spirulina. Avocado's healthy fat enables absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K. The fat makes the greens work.
Anchor Bullet 2 · Heart Protector
The Heart Protector
$9
Whole orange, mango, celery, sunflower seeds (Two Moons tamari-roasted), moringa powder. Fiber scrubs cholesterol from arteries. Vitamin E from sunflower seeds protects the cardiovascular system.
Anchor Bullet 3 · Gut Soother
The Gut Soother
$9
Filtered water, green apple (MI Farm Cooperative), kale (Grown in Detroit), chia seeds, fresh ginger. Heavy dietary fiber and anti-inflammatory ginger to stimulate healthy digestion and feed good gut bacteria.
Smoothies3 Anchors · Meal-Replacement Level · 16 oz
Anchor Smoothie 1 · Recovery
The Ultimate Recovery
12 oz $8 · 16 oz $10
Almond milk, banana, almond butter, plant protein powder, moringa, spirulina. Complete profile of plant-based proteins and anti-inflammatory greens to repair muscles and restore energy after physical exertion.
Anchor Smoothie 2 · Brain Booster
The Brain Booster
12 oz $8 · 16 oz $10
Oat milk, Michigan blueberries (MI Farm Cooperative), strawberries, flaxseed, plant protein. Berry anthocyanins and omega-3 fats to clear brain fog, protect neurons, improve memory. High in antioxidants.
Anchor Smoothie 3 · Metabolism
The Metabolism Ignition
12 oz $8 · 16 oz $10
Coconut milk, mango, cashew butter, Ceylon cinnamon (Frontier Co-Op), plant protein. Healthy fats and warming cinnamon to stabilize blood sugar, control sweet cravings, and sustain satiety for hours.
Kids' Juice & Smoothie Menu · 8 oz
The Incredible Hulk — apple juice, frozen mango, baby spinach, moringa powder, chia seeds. Neon green, tastes like mango-apple. Est. food cost $0.55. |
Ocean Blue Slushy — coconut water, frozen blueberries, frozen banana, spirulina. Deep purple-blue, banana sweetness neutralizes spirulina. Est. food cost $0.62. |
Strawberry Power-Pop Shake — oat milk, frozen strawberries, cashew butter, vanilla plant protein. Tastes exactly like a strawberry milkshake. Est. food cost $0.95. Kitchen uses identical powder measurements as adult menu — liquid and fruit halved for child-sized cups. Same scoopers, perfect ratios.
Cocktails3 Anchors · Great Lakes Spirits · Fresh Juice Only
No bottled mixers. No soda gun for juice. All cocktail juices fresh-pressed by the juice bar before 7 PM and stored for evening bar service. Michigan and Great Lakes region spirits where available. Organic and clean spirits throughout.
Anchor Cocktail 1
Whiskey Fresh OJ
$10
Michigan or Great Lakes whiskey over fresh-squeezed orange juice. Nothing else. The bar's foundational drink — the juice is the mixer, full stop. Resveratrol from the OJ. Clean antioxidants.
Anchor Cocktail 2
Cass Mule
$11
Michigan craft vodka or mezcal, house ginger beer (made from fresh ginger root), lime, mint. Ginger acts as a natural digestive stimulant. All Michigan-first spirits.
Anchor Cocktail 3
Beet Negroni
$12
Michigan botanical gin (juniper berries act as natural kidney diuretics), sweet vermouth, Campari, float of house-pressed beet juice. Nitrates from beet juice improve blood flow and stamina.
Rotating Seasonal Cocktails
Carrot Sunrise (tequila, carrot-orange, lime, tajín) · Green Spritz (gin, cucumber-celery, elderflower, sparkling water) · Vodka Cranberry (house-pressed fresh cranberry, no sweetener added) · Michigan wine and Great Lakes craft beer always on draft.
Conscious Spirits Program
Organic red wine (resveratrol — protects blood vessels) · Botanical gin (juniper — natural kidney diuretic) · Clean organic vodka (GF, zero carbs) · Michigan-first spirits sourced from Great Lakes region distilleries throughout.
Mocktails3 Anchors · Available Every Day · Non-Alcoholic Alternatives
Mocktails are a permanent part of the bar program — available every day alongside the full cocktail menu. A dedicated Mocktail Night (where the alcohol bar switches off entirely for one evening) is a natural future ticketed event, to be scheduled when the time is right. Non-alcoholic distillates, Michigan botanical syrups, butterfly pea flower, fresh herbs from DLT herb gardens. The juice bar's fresh-pressed stocks serve as mocktail bases throughout service hours.
Anchor Mocktail 1
Cass Garden Spritz
$7
House-made Michigan botanical tonic, cucumber juice (Planted Detroit), fresh mint and rosemary from DLT herb gardens, elderflower syrup, splash of sparkling water. Color-shifting with a butterfly pea flower ice cube.
Anchor Mocktail 2
Ginger Fire Press
$7
House fresh-pressed ginger beer, house cranberry press, lime, cayenne rim. The capsaicin in cayenne supports circulation. The ginger stimulates digestion. Beautiful and warming without a drop of alcohol.
Anchor Mocktail 3
Two Moons Herbal Elixir
$7
Two Moons' medicinal herbal tea blend (calming, circulation, or digestive — ask what's blended today) served cold over ice with a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of raw Michigan honey. The juice bar as medicine.
Golden Adaptogen Latte (Hot)
Diaspora Co. heirloom turmeric, black pepper (2,000% curcumin absorption boost), ashwagandha root, Ceylon cinnamon (Frontier Co-Op), coconut oil in warm oat milk. Zero alcohol. Maximum anti-inflammatory effect. $7.
Velvet Cacao Elixir (Hot)
Uncommon Cacao raw Ecuadorian cacao (direct trade, farmers paid 50% above market), maca root, real vanilla bean in oat milk. Raw cacao flavanols boost blood flow to the brain and elevate mood through magnesium. $7.
Nutritional Appendix & Sourcing DirectoryInvestor Reference · Full Ingredient Library
This section of the investor menu provides the full ingredient library, nutritional framework, cost estimates, and ethical sourcing directory. The patron-facing menu will use simplified versions of this information. The QR code on the printed menu will link to a dynamic nutritional calculator allowing guests to build custom orders and see their nutritional summary before ordering.
Juice & Smoothie Food Cost Estimates (Per 16 oz Serving)
Extracted Juices: Green Alchemist $2.12 · Ruby Glow (carrot-beet) $1.41 · Fresh OJ $0.85
Whole-Food Bullet Juices: Vitamin Activator $1.75 · Heart Protector $1.55 · Gut Soother $1.02
Creamy Smoothies: Ultimate Recovery $2.40 · Brain Booster $2.48 · Metabolism $2.10
Estimated wholesale. Excludes labor, cups, taxes. Target retail $8–$11. Margins 60–80%.
Whole-Food Bullet Juices: Vitamin Activator $1.75 · Heart Protector $1.55 · Gut Soother $1.02
Creamy Smoothies: Ultimate Recovery $2.40 · Brain Booster $2.48 · Metabolism $2.10
Estimated wholesale. Excludes labor, cups, taxes. Target retail $8–$11. Margins 60–80%.
Detroit & Michigan Sourcing Network
Keep Growing Detroit / Grown in Detroit
Urban farmer cooperative. Specialty greens, collards, hot peppers, heirloom produce. Direct relationships — menus shift seasonally with what's available.
D-Town Farm
Detroit Black Food Security Network. Large-scale urban farm, Rouge Park. Seasonal vegetables and greens.
Michigan Urban Farming Initiative
North End neighborhood. Sustainable agrihood model. Seasonal produce.
Planted Detroit
Major commercial hydroponic and vertical farm. Leafy greens and herbs year-round. Consistent supply regardless of season.
Adamah Farms
Detroit North End. Oyster and lion's mane mushrooms. Michigan mushroom network exclusively — no non-Michigan mushrooms.
Frog Holler Produce
SE Michigan. Organic leafy greens, herbs, and specialized local greenhouse crops. Chef-driven distributor coordinating small-scale independent growers.
MI Farm Cooperative
25+ independent growers, Northwest Michigan. Tart cherries (Traverse City), sweet cherries, apples, seasonal berries. Fair wholesale profits direct to family farms.
Del Bene Produce
Detroit-based distributor. Daily staples, root vegetables, out-of-region citrus. 24-hour farm-to-table from Michigan family growers.
Shepherdswork Farm & School
Lake Township, MI. Chalfonte Foundation. Meat and animal products. Humanely raised, pasture-managed. Cage-free chickens.
Global Fair Trade & Ethical Partners
Uncommon Cacao
Direct-trade cacao nibs and powder. Guatemala and Ecuador. Farmers paid up to 50% above local market rates. Zero exploitative middlemen.
Diaspora Co.
Single-origin heirloom turmeric, ginger, cardamom from India and Sri Lanka. Pays average 4× commodity price. Farmer healthcare included.
Frontier Co-Op
Member-owned cooperative. Organic Ceylon cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves. Fair-trade premiums fund clean water wells and schools in sourcing communities.
Equal Exchange
Worker-owned cooperative. Fair-trade organic coffee, tea, avocados, pineapples. Guaranteed minimum prices for small-scale international farmers.
Fair Trade Coffee & Tea
Single-origin drip/espresso from Fair Trade Peruvian or Chiapas Arabica cooperatives. Ceremonial matcha from family estates, Uji, Japan.
Eastern Market
Detroit's historic food hub. Seasonal greens, radishes, root vegetables. Supports urban growers and regional family farms directly.
The Nutritional Design Principle
Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) require dietary fat to be absorbed, transported, and activated. Without fat, they pass through the digestive system mostly unused. This is why avocado, sunflower seeds, chia, almond butter, and olive oil appear in specific drinks — they are nutritional design, not decoration. Water-soluble vitamins (C and all B vitamins) and minerals absorb independently but benefit from specific pairings: Vitamin C dramatically increases plant-based iron absorption; Vitamin D unlocks calcium absorption; black pepper's piperine increases curcumin (turmeric) absorption by up to 2,000%. The Cass Café juice and smoothie menu is built around these relationships.
Key Pairings Built Into the Menu: Carrot-Ginger Sunrise (turmeric + black pepper) · Vitamin Activator (spinach + avocado for Vitamin D absorption) · Heart Protector (sunflower seeds + orange for Vitamin E + C together) · Asian Sesame Noodles (tahini fat + spinach iron).
Key Pairings Built Into the Menu: Carrot-Ginger Sunrise (turmeric + black pepper) · Vitamin Activator (spinach + avocado for Vitamin D absorption) · Heart Protector (sunflower seeds + orange for Vitamin E + C together) · Asian Sesame Noodles (tahini fat + spinach iron).