Madera County builds first vegan restaurant

OAKHURST, Calif. (KFSN) -- Driving into Oakhurst, a mural of a pin-up ranger greets visitors to the mountains. Inside the building adorned with the mural, the warm scent of food from the Love Cafe beckons customers.

"I love this town and I love this community and I just want to say welcome," says owner Tricia Louise Tracy.

The Love Cafe is the first vegan restaurant in Madera County. Tracy, her husband, and son run the cafe. They say you won't find food like theirs around.

"We call it hearty vegan food," says Cosmo Tracy. "You can get the typical salad, sprouts but also we pulled pork sandwiches, biscuits and gravy with sausage gravy, all plant-based."

Even meat eaters like Chloe Dean stop by for the grand opening to try out the new spot.

"I could tell any difference between any real egg or meat or anything in this. It's really good, really flavorful," says Dean.

The Tracy family has rebuilt the facility and brought it new life. Cosmo calls it "a complete transformation."

Tricia says the cafe's focus is on locally grown and sourced food. "I really want to show people you can get your vegetables and fruits from our local farmers. Where we live here, the Central Valley there are so many beautiful families and they are small privately owned farms."

The restaurant is 98-percent organic with the goal to reach 100-percent one day. There is also a focus to be as green as possible. Straws and containers are biodegradable and food left on plates will be composted.

The cafe has hired four employees to make the food and serve customers.

Tricia says she hopes that the restaurant can show each customer the power food can play in their lives. "Everything is based on love and we always say love wins so hopefully, the cafe does as well."