‘Organika Kitchen’ Eatery Coming To Main Street

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Kalifornia Burger from Organika Kitchen, coming to New Canaan.

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Almond Crunch Açaí Bowl, from Organika Kitchen.

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A look at some foods from Organika Kitchen, including the portobello pizza, pancakes, taco salad, dragon bowl, almond crunch bowl and bottled juice.

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Three juices from Organika Kitchen, coming to New Canaan.

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Organika Kitchen is coming to 96 Main St. (at the corner of East Avenue, formerly Kaahve coffee shop) in February. Credit: Michael Dinan

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Kalifornia Burger

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Organika Kitchen in Southport. Contributed

A provider of vegan and vegetarian foods is moving into the recently vacated commercial space at Main Street and East Avenue.

Organika Kitchen—which offers pancakes, mezza plates, smoothies, organic salads and juices, protein and açaí bowls, burgers, pizza and more—is on track to open in February, according to Dimitri Pantzos, a partner in the business.

The company’s first and highly successful eatery is in Southport and Pantzos said New Canaan was chosen as a second location because “we love small towns.”

“We love the community and families. Our mission is to bring healthy food to families at an affordable price. That is why we don’t take any shortcuts. Everything is made in-house: Bread, all the buns for sandwiches, burger patties—our ‘Kalifornia Burger’ is the number-one seller in Southport—falafels, ‘meatballs,’ all sauces, dressings.”

The Kalifornia Burger, which will come to New Canaan—not every single menu item here will, as the space is smaller, he said—is made with quinoa, sweet potato and black beans, lettuce, tomato, chipotle sauce and guacamole on a multigrain bun.

A graduate of the Academy of Information Technology and Engineering in Stamford who rowed with the New Canaan High School crew team in South Norwalk, Patntzos added: “Food is our medicine and we want to bring good, clean food and take care of all the families in New Canaan, like we do in Southport.”

Organika doesn’t use any refined sugars or flours, only coconut sugar, he said, and no artificial sweeteners.

“Only good, organic ingredients,” Pantzos said.

The planned opening at 96 Main St.—formerly Kaahve coffee shop—marks the fourth opening of such a healthy food provider in three years, after Green and Tonic on Burtis Avenue, Embody Fitness Gourmet on Forest Street and Greens on the Go in Pine Street Concessions.

“The foodie scene in New Canaan just got even better,” said Tucker Murphy, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce.

Organika Kitchen currently is renovating about half of its approximately 1,600-square-foot commercial space in New Canaan. An estimated $15,000 renovation includes installing a new water heater, building a new wall for the kitchen and putting in new floor drains, according to a building permit application filed in October.