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The New Deal Cafe is a restaurant and community coffee house in the historic Roosevelt Center of Greenbelt, Maryland. It is a rare example of a restaurant operated as a consumers' cooperative[1], as is owned by over 200 member patrons.[2]
The Cafe features performances by regional musicians[3], and hosts several music festivals each year, including the Green Man Festival, Crazy Quilt Festival, and the Greenbelt Blues Festival[4]. The Cafe walls are decorated with art by local artists. The arts and entertainment activities are managed by the Friends of the New Deal Cafe (FONDCA), a separate tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization.
The Cafe menu focuses on Lebanese cuisine, and includes a variety of vegetarian and meat items.[5]
Its name comes from Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal, which was responsible for the Cafe's home in Roosevelt Center, and the entire town.[6]
History[]
The New Deal Cafe was founded by a group of Greenbelt residents.[7] From 1995 to 2000, the Cafe operated as a part-time coffeehouse in the Greenbelt Community Center. In April, 2000, the Cafe obtained a lease and opened its current full-time retail space.[8] For several years, it struggled without a kitchen on the premises, and debt increased.[9][10] However, in June 2008, the Cafe built a kitchen as part of a 4-month renovation and began a partnership with chef Karim Kmaiha and his wife, Maria Almeida.[11][12]
References[]
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