Hot on the heels of our big sister cities around the world, Melbourne is getting serious about real, healthy, whole food. Yes it’s been possible to get a green smoothie or quinoa salad on café menus for some time, but what we’re talking about now is pressed juices, raw salads, sugar free sweets, nut and seed milks, fermented veggies and acai bowls.
Gone are the days of food intolerances and preferences causing the food industry to turn its nose up – vegan, vegetarian, gluten intolerant, dairy free. Now there’s something for everyone!
From a single shop front in Melbourne’s Little Collins Street, Green Press has carved out a niche for itself in this fast-growing space. Using all local, all organic produce, everything made in the Green Press kitchen is sugar, dairy and gluten free accommodating a wide range of dietary requirements as well as catering to those who simply want to live and eat well.
Chef Miles in action at Green Press HQ
Green Press came about through a story of adventure, where two brothers, James and Miles, from Alice Springs moved to New York. Both brothers started working in the restaurant trade where James met his partner (native New Yorker and health food fanatic), Lindsay who showed them that there was a better way of living by fuelling their bodies with real, whole foods.
One Norwalk juicer and many boxes of fruit and veggies later, James and Lindsay relocated from New York to Melbourne where they soon realised the potential for opening a pressed juice and raw food store. At the same time, working as a chef in New York, Miles was developing a repertoire of healthy, real food dishes – but soon he too was winging his way back to Australia and working on the concept that would become Green Press.
Despite it’s name Green Press is more than just a pressed juice bar, as well as bottled pressed juices, nut milks, seed milks and cold brew coffee, the store is full of freshly made salads complemented with “dressings on the side”, seasonal soups and sugar free treats.
Seasonal soup from Green Press
Smoothies and acai bowls are made to order from their in-store menu or according to customers’ tastes. Their ever-evolving range, has expanded to include Krispy Klean donuts, bagels, and seasonal favourites like Hot Cross Buns and Anzac biscuits – all sugar, dairy and gluten free!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Acai Bowl from Green Press
There’s also a Green Press three tiered juice cleanse which can be ordered online and is delivered daily so whether you’re a cleanse ‘Apprentice’, ‘Graduate’ or ‘Expert’ you can give your digestive system a break while still getting maximum flavour and nutrition. The entry level ‘Apprentice’ cleanse also includes a chia parfait, trail mix and seasonal salad which is cleverly positioned as “the perfect introduction to a plant based lifestyle without the confrontation of giving up chewing”.
Every product is carefully packaged in biodegradable or recyclable materials including glass bottles which can be returned to Green Press for a 50c refund to be sterilised and reused on site (but they also make great single stem flower vases and candle holders).
Their unique approach to marketing and fun product names – Kaling Me Softly, Cayenne West, Strawberry Is My Jam, Sesame Treat, Wholly Cacao to name a few – are a reminder that being healthy is anything but boring. And not only are Green Press products good for you, they taste incredible too. I’m particularly smitten with two of their seed blends added earlier this year: Sesame Treat (black sesame seeds, peppermint, coconut flesh and coconut water) and Herbal Haze (hemp seeds, matcha, cashews, sage, rice malt syrup, sea salt and coconut water).
Sesame Treat seed milk from Green Press
Herbal Haze seed milk from Green Press
If you’re not sure what an ingredient is, or you know but you can’t have it or don’t eat/drink it, Green Press menu items can be adjusted accordingly – in fact, some of their product range is based on suggestions made by their customers.
Green Press are currently serving from their store in Little Collins Street but here’s a tip for CBD workers: go for a walk at lunchtime. Grab a sunny spot in the Green Press courtyard and eat delicious, nutritious real food. You’ll feel better for it and you’ll LOVE GREEN PRESS too!
AM x
(All images provided by Green Press)
Trading hrs: Monday to Friday 7.30am – 4pm, Saturday 9.30am – 3pm
Address: Shop 7/525 Little Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Ph: 03 9973 8286
Website: www.lovegreenpress.com.au
Facebook: lovegreenpress
Instagram: @lovegreenpress
Must try: Krispy Klean donut – OMG!
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