DALLAS – Opening a new cafe in South Dallas is about more than just serving food.
This fall, Ruthie’s Café will open its doors in a Dallas neighborhood that has suffered from food shortages for years.
Ruthie’s For Good, a food truck founded over a decade ago, is expanding to a brick-and-mortar restaurant on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
Since 2011, Ruthie’s has been committed to spreading kindness and giving people a second chance.
“We’ve become a second chance employer, and that’s changed my life, and I think it’s changed the life of the people who work with me,” said Ashlee Kleinert, founder of Ruthie’s For Good.
Alonzo Anderson, known by his nickname “Zo,” has been an employee of Ruthie’s For Good for several years. He is the man behind the creative grilled cheese menu.
“My family is proud of me. I had a past, was in prison, made some bad decisions, but now I’m on the right path,” Anderson said.
Ruthie’s for Good was one of the first businesses in the food truck revolution in Dallas.
It’s about more than serving legendary grilled cheese. It’s about rebuilding lives.
Over the years, the founder and staff of Ruthie’s realized that the needs of the South Dallas community went beyond what gourmet food on wheels could provide.
“There are over 40 liquor stores and an area of several square miles within that radius. There was nothing to eat. And there is an incredible community that deserves more,” Kleinert said.
Ruthie’s Café partnered with St. Philip’s School and Community Center to not only combat food insecurity, but also to contribute to the vital education and resources that St. Philip’s provides to South Dallas families.
“Seeing a food truck become a restaurant and being a part of it,” Anderson said.
Anderson’s legendary grilled cheeses remain on the menu – they are his trademark. But there’s even more to expect behind the counter.
“We will also be able to add some healthy options with some salads and soups. In the morning there will be eggs and fruit (and) yogurt,” Kleinert said.
The cafe partners with LifePlate, a Dallas-based food preparation company, and local farms to ensure the freshest, locally-sourced produce is served.
Ruthie’s Cafe will be an extension of Ruthie’s For Good in the nonprofit’s mission with the hopes of serving more people.
“Our hopes and goals at Ruthie are that we continue to spread grace, light and food, nourishing the soul and the body. And that we may encourage others to do the same,” Kleinert said.
“I’m just happy to be here and I’m so grateful to Ruthie’s for giving me the opportunity and chance to be here,” Anderson said.
Click here to follow Ruthie’s Cafe and its grand opening date.
