You’re driving home from work or a friend’s house. You’re starving. You pass some fast food places, but they mostly have meat options, aside from a fish sandwich here, a salad there.
But that gets boring. Plus, it isn’t the healthiest thing to eat, even if it’s not meat. So, what do you do? Introducing Amy’s Drive Thru, a fast food place… that’s vegetarian, organic, and one of the first places of its kind in the U.S. It opened in July, but continues to attract food fans from all over.
Located in Rohnert Park, CA—which is in Sonoma County—it very well may start a trend and spread to other cities soon. (What better a place to go after wine-tasting in Sonoma, right?!) According to their website, their mission statement is:
“Amy’s Drive-Thru is returning to the roots of American fast food, serving lovingly handcrafted food to nourish hard-working citizens, busy families and road-weary travelers.”
And it also boasts, “American classics in a new American style.” If the Amy’s brand sounds familiar to you, you may have once bought their vegetarian, organic, and vegan food products at the grocery store. Both were created by Andy and Rachel Berliner.
“Amy’s: Believe the Hype.” @naanstopadventure pauses before digging in. #regram #runsonlove #fridayfeeling A photo posted by Amy’s Drive Thru (@amysdrivethru) on
Amy’s Drive-Thru meals are made with organic, non-GMO ingredients, and by using local vegetables. Some of the food items include organic pizza (the gluten-free crust has milled sunflower seeds), The Amy (an organic veggie patty with fixings), and organic mac ‘n’ cheese (with traditional, broccoli cheddar, and tomato and green onion options).
And, you can get anything vegan and gluten-free. I know just thinking about it is making me hungry—and I’m a big-time carnivore.
Amy’s Drive-Thru is also good for the environment. (How many fast food places can say that?!) For instance, it uses chairs and tables that are sustainable, as well as paper straws.
In addition, it won’t cost you a lot to eat healthy—as is so often the case when shopping organic food aisles at the grocery store. Meals at Amy’s Drive-Thru average less than $10. We’ll take that. “Our relationships with farmers and our knowledge of how to make delicious food on a large scale has really made this project possible,” Andy Berliner said in a press release.
“We’ve been able to keep the quality high and the prices reasonable.” If you’re not sure if Amy’s is for you, these three Yelp reviewers will convince you that it’s worth the trip. Besides, who doesn’t want an excuse to go to California?!
A photo posted by Amy’s Drive Thru (@amysdrivethru) on
1. There’s A Lot Of Talk About Their Non-Dairy Chocolate Shake
“The non-dairy chocolate shake made with coconut milk and almond milk. It’s less sweet & more chocolatey than the organic shake—really, really good!” ~Linda C., Petaluma, CA
2. They Have More Than Shakes
“FIRST TIMER! Love it! Great food, great service, great atmosphere. I got the vegan margarita pizza, my husband got a burrito, and we shared chili cheese fries (on a recommendation). I also got a non-dairy chocolate shake. EVERYTHING was outstanding! We’ll be back to Amy’s next time we are in town!” ~Mickey B., Lodi, CA
3. There’s Something For Everyone
“The reality is that I would support Amy’s no matter what the food tasted like—in this meat-obsessed society that we live in, it is so important to offer all the support we can to an all-veg restaurant. But the reality is, the food is good. The burger was great, the fries were good and milkshake was excellent! This will not only satisfy all your vegetarian and vegan friends but your carnivorous friends should be able to find something they love too!” ~Tonia B., Napa, CA
I don’t know about you, but my only complaint is that Amy’s Drive-Thru has not spread to other cities yet.