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Oakland’s New ‘Roasted And Raw’ Restaurant Offers Delectable Healthy Delights

Those with salivating vegan appetites can email R&R@roastedraw2021@gmail.com or call ahead with orders to 415-658-5609. Roasted and Raw is open Thursday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. for take-out orders and curbside pick-up only, due to current safety and health conditions.

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Chef Imani Greer at his restaurant near Jack London Square. Photo Credit: Imani Greer

Chef Imani Greer, a culinary entrepreneur, has created quite a stir — and menu — for the Bay Area’s vegan-loving community with the opening of his new Roasted and Raw (R&R) restaurant near Oakland’s Jack London Square.

Neighboring Bed, Bath & Beyond and across from Cost-Plus World Market at 550 2nd St., R&R offers clean, rustic and robust flavors in its vegan cuisine, and is already giving notable competition to some of Oakland’s best vegan-based restaurants.

Greer pondered on how he could make good, healthy food for customers without them focusing on the fact that it’s vegan, and he encourages people to make healthy choices including adding much more plant-based ingredients in foods on a daily basis.

“We sometimes get caught up in titles, positions, and using buzz words rather than actually focusing on being healthy,” said Greer. “If calling yourself vegan to hold you accountable to be healthy, then by all means, go vegan. For me, it’s not so much of a philosophy but a lifestyle change, that’s important.”

R&R’s most popular dish is its chiro empanadas by far, according to Greer, and black bean burgers come in as a close second, as well as the chipotle peppers and spices. “Thirty to 40% of our business is foods that are Latino-inspired which makes our Taco Tuesdays a popular event,” noted Greer.

“All of our dishes and bowls are healthy and flavorful whether they are plant-based or not.  It is our goal to provide perfect food and perfect service.”

Eating processed foods, fried foods and heavy meats on a daily, meal-to-meal basis is a choice that can impact your health. “I encourage people to look for foods that will help improve your body and lifestyle, and to incorporate it pretty aggressively.”

Greer also pointed out how eating and dietary habits handed down by elders can be re-examined in light of nutrition and modern medicine. “We, as a people, need to look back at our culture in terms of what is good and not good for us. We are prone to high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity, and in the past, we haven’t always had the opportunity to concentrate on eating healthy. In the beginning, our ancestors did because they farmed their own food and it was always fresh, from sweet potatoes, black-eyed peas, greens, cabbage, and other foods from the earth.”

“We have to look at the way we process food today, and look at where it comes from, and how it’s made, and the amount we eat,” said Greer. “Meat, for instance, wasn’t meant to be served in 12 or 24 ounces, and your stomach can only process four ounces or less of protein during a daily meal. And when you go to other countries and cultures, it’s like; you don’t sit down and have a T-bone steak added to the other things on your plate. You can only do that in America.”

Greer already has plans for future expansion. “On average, it takes about three to five years to expand from a pop-up concept to brick-and-mortar,” said Greer. “My No. 1 goal is to expand this business.  We are fast-fracking and look to grow our restaurant within a year from now. By 2022, we hope to open up in the Uptown area. Our goal is to stay in Oakland, offering Oakland healthy plant-based bowls, along with burgers, empanadas, pastas made from scratch that we can be proud of.”

Those with salivating vegan appetites can email R&R@roastedraw2021@gmail.com or call ahead with orders to 415-658-5609. Roasted and Raw is open Thursday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. for take-out orders and curbside pick-up only, due to current safety and health conditions.

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