Always Organic, Always Plant-Based At Christopher’s Kitchen, West Palm Beach, FL

by Michael Wilkins

Marjie and I were diving in West Palm Beach over the weekend. On Sunday we decided to look for a restaurant for brunch that catered to vegetarian/vegan diets. We had quite a bit of time, so we sat down on the couch with the laptop and began browsing through the different options available on the internet. Many of the places listed as vegetarian either were not popular or had only one item on the menu that qualified them to be put into the group of restaurants that had vegetarian/vegan offerings. We were patient while looking for a place and our patience paid off.

We struck gold with Christopher’s Kitchen in Palm Beach Gardens, just north of West Palm Beach. The restaurant was easy to find as it was a short distance from I-95 going West on Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard. As it says on their website, the mission of Christopher’s Kitchen is to serve only the finest high-quality organic plant-based food. In this restaurant you will find food that has great nutritional value and outstanding taste. There will be no need to remove items from your plate that you don’t want to ingest because I found nothing on their menu that any of us would exclude from our diet.

Christopher’s Kitchen is located in an area that includes other stores and is built like a town place setting. This seems to be the theme for many of the shopping areas that are springing up in the area. That being said, there were many tables outside and the dining atmosphere was pleasant. The wait staff was knowledgeable and courteous, as well as very gracious when I asked if I could take pictures.

The menu is loaded with many different options from starters, such as soups, nachos and nut cheese, to a house classic they call CK tacos which is their most popular dish. The CK tacos are made with handmade vegetable tortillas, sweet and spicy walnut taco mix, lettuce, guacamole, pico de gallo, and special sauces. I, of course, had to try this when I heard that it was their most popular dish and I was not disappointed. My wife and I actually split the taco because they had the option to order one taco instead of the entire plate which would be two. The reason we did this was so that we could both enjoy entrées of our own but still try the taco.

CK Tacos

CK Burrito

Marjie ordered a grain bowl called the Powerbowl. This dish included quinoa, black beans, sautéed vegetables, avocado, chickpeas, bok choy, teriyaki sauce and cashew cheese. She really enjoyed this dish, and in fact took some of it home because there was too much food for her to eat. I sampled her dish as well and was pleasantly surprised. I must say at this point that there wasn’t anything we tried here that left us disappointed.

The Power Bowl

I ordered the zucchini and heirloom tomato lasagna, which is a raw lasagna dish. The taste was outstanding and the lasagna included shaved zucchini and walnut herb pesto which was the best part. It also included macadamia ricotta, red sauce, tomatoes, basil, thyme and oregano.

Christopher’s Kitchen Raw Lasagne (photo from CK Facebook page)

The options also include a separate menu for smoothies and juices. A wine list is available, which includes offerings that are selected specifically because they are grown organically. I do not consume alcohol but there seemed to be many people enjoying a glass of wine.

Blueberry Bliss  (photo from CK Facebook page)

Christopher’s Kitchen Interior (photo from CK Facebook page)

We were one of the first customers there when the restaurant opened their doors. The outside area filled up quickly and the restaurant seem to be fairly full when we left. The only thing that may be perceived as negative about this establishment is that the prices were a little high. Our bill came to about $55, but I need to say that we sampled a couple of things that normally we wouldn’t have ordered. The restaurant also has a market next door that sells homemade cold pressed juices and many other items as well as take out which can be ordered off the menu.

Christopher’s Kitchen Fresh Lemon Vanilla Cheesecake                                           (photo from CK Facebook page)

If you have a sweet tooth they have a lot to offer in that regard as well. You will be pleasantly surprised to find that their desserts are sweetened with maple syrup, coconut palm sugar and other organic plant-based substances which are not GMO modified or showered in pesticides. We consider this a great find because we go down to West Palm quite a bit to do diving.

 After one stop, Christopher’s Kitchen has become one of our favorite places and we are planning to go back again as soon as possible. It excites me to find these little gems and know that there are people out there offering alternatives and creating great tasting food from organic plant-based options. Needless to say, I think I have already become an evangelist for this establishment.

Christopher’s Kitchen can be found by exiting I-95 at exit 79, PGA Boulevard in Palm Beach Gardens Florida. Head West for about a half a mile and you will see an enclave of the buildings on your right, turn into the drive and take an immediate right and you’ll see Christopher’s kitchen to your left.

Michael Wilkins is a respiratory therapist, an avid scuba diver and an accomplished photographer. He has been living with hepatitis C for more than two decades and is a cancer surviver. Michael has kept liver cancer at bay by employing the healing properties of a plant-based diet.

A year later, after a strict plant-based regimine, his tumor markers are normal and his MRIs are clean! This has made Michael more passionate about staying on a vegan diet. He has met lots of wonderful passionate people with amazing stories while walking down this path. Michael’s area is Northeast Florida, particularly the Jacksonville area. Contact Michael to share your restaurant finds, make comments, or just to say hello!