Sneak peek: Taproot Café offers locally sourced, healthy meals in Hoover

If you are looking for healthy meals that embrace locally sourced ingredients, the just-opened Taproot Café in Hoover is your new “go to” place.

This past weekend, Bham Now toured the Taproot Café in Hoover, which is located at 5190 Medford Drive, Suite 124—next door to Jubilee Joe’s. We were given a personal tour by the owners – a  husband-and-wife dynamic duo Reggie and Michelle Torbor. 

Former NFL Player & Professional Counselor 

The Torbors are generous and entrepreneurial. New to the restaurant business, Reggie is a former Auburn University football player, NFL linebacker, and Giants Super Bowl Champion. He currently serves as a prolific motivational speaker and Personal Development Manager at Brasfield & Gorrie. Michelle is a Licensed Professional Counselor and owner of Cardinal Wellness where she specializes in anxiety and trauma. Their family lives in Hoover, and they love the community.

“We wanted to do something that was health conscious, community focused and environmentally friendly,” Reggie told me. “We decided we could do this however we wanted, so we started dreaming – we got out the whiteboard and started brainstorming. We wanted to basically use food as a tool to get people to come and have great conversations.  Meet really good people -affecting the community from there.”

Healthy Food

Providing healthy food options is important to the Torbor’s Taproot Café . 

We needed a healthier option in Hoover,” Michelle said. We live here. Our kids are here. I work here. We needed healthier options, so we thought why not us?”

Fresh, local ingredients are what makes Taproot stand apart. They serve:

• Salads
• Sandwiches
• Toasts
• Smoothies

Here is their menu board.

Sourcing their food from local farmers and makers is also important to the Torbers.

“We believe that this route is worth it. Playing our part in the sustainability of people, the environment, and our local economy is worth it. We want to see others understand their power to make a difference as well.”

On a personal note, I tried Taproot’s berry smoothie. It was perhaps the first “real fruit tasting” smoothie I have consumed in years.

Customer-Led

Welcoming and humble, the Torbors freely admit they are not experts in the restaurant business. 

“We tell folks that walk in we are not experts. Some of the improvements we have made come from customer feedback. We have made a lot of those changes and it has helped us get better. It is a living evolving thing, which is fun to be a part of,” said Reggie

Michelle added, “It is intentional, one of our values. We set out in the beginning to be open to change to realize that we can not be perfect. We want to be customer-led.”

If you are looking for healthy food options and good company, Taproot Cafe is a new exciting place. Check it out. Additional details

Hours

Open 7:00am to 7:00pm Monday to Saturday

Closed on Sunday

Location & Additional Info

How do you find the Taproot Cafe? Input into your GPS –  5190 Medford Drive, Suite 124, Hoover, AL 35244. They are next door to Jubilee Joe’s and near the Starbuck’s Coffee.Call 205.502.7781 or email info@taproot-cafe.com to place order.

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