In Brooklyn, Nacha Focaccia, a new black-owned vegan focaccia café, has already become a hit with its specialty lattes, classic coffees, and focaccia-based sandwiches and sweet treats. Created by vegan chef Charlise Rookwood and barista Naima Coleman, the café sold 400 sandwiches during its opening weekend, showcasing the power of plant-based cuisine in the community.

Rookwood and Coleman have plans to expand their vegan empire with a speakeasy in the café's basement and the upcoming launch of Vegan Soulicious Cafe nearby, celebrating Mauritian and Caribbean cuisine. With hopes to attract investors for future expansion, Rookwood aims to create a chain of plant-based, nutrient-dense restaurants in urban centers, building on the success of Nacha Focaccia in Brooklyn. The opening of Nacha Focaccia brings some much-needed good news to Brooklyn's vegan dining scene, amid recent closures of other vegan eateries in the borough.