Try Indiana’s only Grain & Berry superfood cafe in Fort Wayne

As a mother of six, Michelle Thomas often found herself seeking fast, healthy and convenient food for her family in the Fort Wayne area. And since one of her daughters is gluten- and dairy-free, this was no easy task. But while on a road trip to Florida in 2019, she discovered a delicious solution: a superfood cafe called Grain & Berry focused on healthy, customizable bowls, smoothies and juices along with flatbreads, quesadillas and toast – all without sacrificing taste.

Now that their children have grown into their teens and 20s, Michelle and her husband Rob Thomas have made a career change into the food industry, opening a Grain & Berry franchise in Fort Wayne in November 2023 – the only location in Indiana. As their business grows, they’re planning to expand into a food truck this fall and a second location in Fort Wayne in coming years, ideally with a drive-thru for added convenience.

Their current cafe at 9821 Lima Rd. is already a popular hangout for students, athletes and anyone seeking a healthy alternative to fast food. News about Grain & Berry’s proprietary sugar-free acai and its surprisingly tasty plant-based meat appears to be spreading quickly, too. 

As we wait in line to order, customers and staff can’t help but recommend menu items, like the Kickin’ Chicken quesadilla – a favorite among several young adults bustling behind the counter, where you can also build your own smoothie bowls, if you don’t see one you want on the menu.

A longtime rural Indiana resident, Rob says he never imagined himself enjoying vegan food – let alone selling it. But he likes the vegan sausage at Grain & Berry “better than the real thing.” 

Contrary to the stereotypes of health food eateries in big cities, Michelle says many of Grain & Berry’s regular customers are just busy folks, like themselves, working to raise families and eat healthy by choice — or by their doctor’s orders.

“I get so humbled when people come in and say: ‘Thank you so much for opening this. Fort Wayne needs more healthy options,’” Michelle says. 

Her favorite menu item is still the first one she tried: the original Grain & Berry bowl made with organic granola, banana, strawberries, blueberries, Nutella, peanut butter and coconut shavings.

“We sell more bowls than any other item,” she says. “I have tried so many different combinations of bowls, and I always go back to this one.”

She notes that some of Grain & Berry’s menu items do have Nutella and peanut butter – the “rebels” made with refined sugar. But the cafe’s recipes don’t use sugar beyond that. 

“Everything else is sweetened by fruit or honey/agave,” she says. “We genuinely work really hard to provide our customers with freshly chopped fruits, veggies and herbs.”

Several staff members recommend adding extras, like kale, protein powder or health shots to smoothies and juices for added benefits. And perhaps most importantly, they say: Don’t be afraid to ask questions, ask for samples and ask about options for vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free diets.

Try it!

This month: The Local is partnering with Grain & Berry to bring all paid subscribers a free juice or health shot. Learn how to claim your offer here.

The options: Grain & Berry offers health shots in two flavors, ginger and turmeric, with a lemon chaser. It also offers nine fresh-pressed juices. Michelle recommends the Summer Glow (Pineapple, Carrot and Turmeric) with a ginger shot or the Healer (Orange, Lemon, Ginger and Honey) with a turmeric shot. Rob recommends the Beet the Heat (Beet, Apple, Ginger, Cayenne Pepper and Lemon) with a turmeric shot for those who can handle a more bitter flavor.

Here are a few more staff menu recommendations:

• Isabella: Pitaya bowl add strawberry protein powder. 
• Art: Kickin’ Chicken.
• EJ: Kickin’ Chicken and Acai Relax, Eat, Repeat bowl.
• Jillian: Any of the toasts.
• Gianna: the Healer juice.
• Lily: Best of Cluck toast and Relax, Eat, Repeat parfait.
• Kate: Relax, Eat, Repeat parfait.
• Emery: Kickin’ Chicken on cauliflower crust.
• Matthew: Kickin' Chicken, Feed the Soul bowl on Spirulina add coconut, peanut butter and Nutella, and Detox juice.
• Sam: Feed the Soul bowl on Spirulina, Healthy Elvis, Kickin’ Chicken flatbread.
• Simone: Any of the toasts.
• Gwen: Feed the Soul bowl on Spirulina.
• MacKenzie: Design a bowl with gluten-free granola.
• Cyena: Let’s go Pesto.
• Reshelle: Best of Cluck toast.
• Megan: Feed the Soul bowl on pitaya.