Raw and Uncut, Andy’s Pure Food

At five months old, Andy’s Pure Food in downtown Rye is one of Westchester’s only vegan cafes. Specializing in organic and vegan foods (no meat, dairy, or eggs), the brightly colored shop has a few tables near the front windows, but primarily does takeout business, serving up soups, salads, smoothies, juices, freshly prepared hot and cold items, and even desserts.

Owner Andy Ozgur points out that all of the food in his store contains no preservatives and is either served raw or lightly steamed, since grilling and baking destroy essential nutrients. To flavor the dishes, he uses herbs and sea salt, but never table salt. “Table salt contains only sodium and no minerals,” explains Ozgur.

Among the specialty items prepared daily: stuffed grape leaves, wild rice, sweet pepper spreads, and quinoa salad. Sandwiches (all available on gluten-free rolls) include an almond-hummus-sprouts sandwich and a fresh mozzarella sandwich, made with tomato and a vegan mozzarella. If you’re hankering for a salad, try the vibrant seaweed salad, a mix of three seaweeds, sesame seeds, and carrots.
Eating healthy doesn’t mean foregoing dessert. Andy’s Pure Food sells gluten-free cookies and breads, wheat-free muffins, and tempting carrot cakes. “No processed sugar, no white flour,” says Ozgur. Instead, he sweetens the desserts with agave nectar, a natural sweetener derived from the agave plant.

The store’s biggest seller? The freshly blended juices. Customers swear by the energy-boosting jolt from the wheatgrass wonder, a mixture of wheatgrass, apple, celery, and goji juice (made from a Himalayan berry). Or for something more savory, there’s the “joy blast,” combining apple, celery, kale, ginger, and fennel. Ozgur also espouses the health benefits of “young coconut water” (not to be confused with coconut milk)—clear liquid sipped from a whole young coconut with its husk removed.
All of the items at Andy’s Pure Food are available for delivery and catering. And they offer three-, five-, or seven-day cleanses—specially designed menus to help rid the body of toxins. Ozgur, a vegan for two years, firmly believes that his food promotes not only greater energy, but also improved overall health.

Andy’s Pure Food
46 Purchase St
Rye 914-967-2332
andyspurefood.com