On Bonpland Street, in the heart of Palermo Hollywood, at the end of September, in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, a new gastronomic venture landed in the neighborhood.

A new cafeteria opened its doors. But not just any specialty coffee shop. The first vegan specialty cafe in the country, with its 100% vegan coffees and sweet delicacies that invite the curious to try vegan gastronomy that has been booming lately.

The café was founded by two friends who love coffee and have always wanted to face a project together, and that is what they found Bioma. They hired Deleh Cardenas, an experienced barista who is also a vegan activist. The three together developed the coffee menu and the recipes for vegetable milks.
Bioma follows the idea of creating a space where high quality coffee could coexist with the ethical principles of veganism, which the owners share.


The place is also highly innovative. Although there are several specialty coffee shops with options suitable for vegans, the world of coffee has always had cow's milk as one of its main inputs. With Bioma, the owners have the goal to show that specialty coffee can coexist in the best way with 100% vegetable milk without sacrificing anything in terms of quality or experience.

They called their first cafeteria Bioma, because it refers to a community of organisms, flora and fauna that inhabit a certain region of the planet. The owners seek to generate awareness and respect for the environment and empathy for all species, so that people can feel comfortable and included, while welcoming diversity.

Although the gastronomic sector in 2020 was one of the hardest hit by not being able to open the doors of its restaurants, many places decided to open, such as the entrepreneurs of Bioma. They are glad that the place had a great repercussion after arriving in the neighborhood. Also, it is worth noting that there are plenty of clients who do not follow a plant-based diet. The owners believe that they are on the right track, as that is a sign that society in general is changing and people are more open to positive changes.

What can be found in Biome? The pistachio pudding with passion fruit filling covered with cream is one of the most requested by customers. Beyond its specialty coffee menu, there is a menu of infusions such as matcha latte, golden milk, chai latte and a variety of organic juices. To accompany them, their pastry is unique. They have: croissants, pain au chocolat and sourdough cinnamon rolls, plain and stuffed puddings, “alfajores”, muffins and brownies. For those who are gluten intolerant, there are gluten free options, and all of the above products are made 100% plant-based without any ingredient of animal origin.

All the pastry is homemade and they replace animal fat with vegetable fats, which are mainly oils.
Regarding coffee, its beans are from Guatemala, roasted and provided by their friends at Café Puerto Blest. They also offer the classic espresso, and have the filter bar through methods such as Chemex or Aeropress.

Those who want to consume it with milk, they have three types of vegetable milks made by themselves: almonds, cashews and peanuts. These are made every day on the premises before opening so that they are fresh.

The owners believe that plant-based nutrition is a global trend and as time goes by, more and more gastronomic projects are going to join this movement. Specialty coffee, on the other hand, recently began to grow with greater momentum in the country and still has a long way to go. Undoubtedly, the new generations already come with a different conscience in terms of caring for the environment and respect for others, that sets a pattern that it is very likely that this trend will continue to grow and be maintained in the future.

What is veganism?
Veganism or strict vegetarianism is the abstention from the use of products and services of animal origin, whether for food, clothing, medicines, cosmetics, transportation, experimentation, help at work or entertainment, except in the latter case for pets. Veganism is defined as a lifestyle and as an ideology. Those who practice veganism are called vegans.
The main products and services excluded in veganism are: meat, eggs, honey, milk and derivatives (such as cheese or yogurt); leather, wool and fur; cosmetics and drugs tested on animals; and they also reject the use of animals in zoos, circuses, etc.

The history of veganism is mixed with that of vegetarianism. Since ancient times there have been people who have renounced the consumption of products of animal origin, but the term veganism is modern: it was created in 1944 by Donald Watson with the aim of differentiating it from vegetarianism, which rejects the consumption of meat but accepts the consumption from other products of animal origin, such as milk, eggs and cheese. Today, veganism is a minority and even marginal lifestyle, but it is fast growing.

Other news in Click Here