Plavsic initially launched her catering business in 2016 and expanded the business to the brick-and-mortar location on Rayford Road in February 2019. The cafe shifted to only offering takeout during the coronavirus shutdown and as of press time June 2 was planning to open for dine-in service June 9. The cafe continued to offer items from the full menu for takeout during limited hours.
“Business has been going well, we were able to serve our customers the best we could given the circumstances,” Plavsic said in a May 31 email.
Plavsic said she had just started her journey into veganism before launching the business. Sampling a few items sparked her interest in making vegan foods.
“It changed my perspective. I wanted to know how they did it,” Plavsic said. “My husband [Nemanja] always wanted to open a coffee shop, so we merged our ideas together.”
Plavsic said she wanted to offer meals that fit every level of veganism at Wisdom Vegan Bakery and Cafe, from meals that replicate comfort food such as fried chicken and burgers to more traditional vegan items such as chickpea salad.
“Most of the things we have here, we make from scratch,” Plavsic said. “Our spicy ‘chicken’ sandwich is a six-hour process to make the ‘meat’; our cupcakes and icing are made from scratch. ... It puts our own twist on it.”
Plavsic said her favorite items include the crispy ‘chicken’ wrap because it is the closest replication to country fried chicken she has been able to make.
“I like comfort food a lot,” Plavsic said. “Before I started veganism, I thought I would not be able to have a cheat meal or find comfort in food, but you can.”Among the meat substitutes that Plavsic uses are seitan, which is a wheat protein; quinoa, which is a protein-rich grain; mushrooms; and the tropical jackfruit, all of which can be used to replicate the taste and texture of meat. Plavsic said being vegan has challenged her to get creative in her cooking, which she recently did by creating a vegan fried fish recipe utilizing mushrooms, a marinade and seaweed.
Plavsic said the cafe has options suited for every kind of diet.
“This is a no-judgement zone, whether you are vegan or not,” she said. “If you have questions, we are willing to answer them.”
Wisdom Vegan Bakery and Cafe
25192 I-45, Ste. 103, Spring
281-507-5460
www.wisdombakeryandcafe.com
Temporary hours: Tue.-Fri. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.,
Sat.-Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m., closed Mon.
