There is a stigma to plant-based food. Sure, it’s nutritious and good for you, but it tastes terrible. But Delicious Raw’s menu proves that taste, texture and flavor profiles need not be sacrificed in order to be healthy.

When Flemming Madsen founded the company at its first location in Naples, Fla., in 2013, he wanted to create something that was health-focused but had a broader appeal.

He and his team first spent a lot of time developing a drink menu, finding combinations that tasted really good and kept customers coming back for more. With a growing demand, they started working on a food menu that was unique to Delicious Raw and only used natural and unprocessed ingredients and nothing artificial in the making.

“We looked into high-end cuisine and worked with chefs experienced in those techniques and with farm-to-table expertise.”

They ended up with items that are both sophisticated and complex in taste and texture. Original and popular dishes, and some of Madsen’s personal favorites, include the vegan burger topped with scratch-made pickles, smoked aioli and truffle-infused garlic dijon; lentil meatballs simmered in a bold San Marzano tomato basil sauce; and the Buddha Bowl with house-made vegan sweet potato pasta, zesty fiesta corn salad, savory marinated portobello mushrooms, tangy kale slaw, roasted candy stripe beets, spiced chickpeas, and Buddha dressing.

Finally, Madsen wanted Delicious Raw to “have that aspect where you meet interesting people, that has an inviting atmosphere that encourages you to sit and enjoy the moment. When you go to a restaurant it shouldn’t just be to refuel.”

What started as a juice bar has now expanded into four locations in Naples, one in Davie, and the Miami Beach location in Sunset Harbor opened in 2018. Locations in Aventura and Wynwood are opening in the future.

But the health-conscious brand ethos of not sacrificing quality in order to have an impact goes beyond their product.

As a local business in Miami Beach, they became founding members of the Plastic Free Miami Beach (#PlasticFreeMB) campaign, which aims to showcase businesses that have taken action to reduce plastics from their establishment and to help organizations learn and implement best practices in the area of environmental stewardship.

By Estefania Garcia, Contributing Writer