Kenwood’s Carver 47 reopens with updated menu from chef
After closing earlier this year because of the pandemic, Carver 47 Food & Wellness Market (1050 E. 47th St.) recently reopened in Kenwood with a renovated space and an updated menufromchef andgeneral manager LizzWright.
While reopening a cafe during this time is obviously difficult, Wright explains that she is inspired to help the community.
“I think it’s nurturing to my mind and spirit to do something purposeful and challenging and helpful,” says Wright. So far, she’s been thrilled by the local response.
“Our regulars missed the kind of place they could count on,” says Wright. “I canwatch themwalk in and see their faces soften as they feel happy in the space.”
Besides running Carver 47, Wright is also an acclaimed vocalist, who has recorded a number of albums. She also graduated from the Natural Gourmet Institute inNewYork City.
The cafe is located inside Little Black Pearl Art & Design Academy, a cultural arts center in the Kenwood neighborhood. The space was designed by Little Black Pearl’s founder and executive director, Monica Haslip.
“I spent a lot of time thinking about what brings people together,” says Haslip. One prominent feature is an enormous charcoal portrait of Dr. George Washington Carver, the Black agricultural scientist who also inspired the cafe’s name.
“That place is designed with Dr. Carver in mind,” says Haslip. “We used a lot of reclaimed objects to have a combination of textures in the space.”
The all day breakfast menu includes options like Belgian waffles, avocado toast and a breakfast sandwich, along with Intelligentsia coffee, fresh juices
and smoothies. The cafe is also now offering dinner boxes for guests to reheat at home. That includesweekly offerings like a carnitas taco box ($25 per person) and a chicken and wild rice stew box ($22 per person), along with larger format options that will be available closer to Christmas.
Haslip was happy to report that a corporate sponsor just donated over 300 meals to help feed residents in the area.
“Wewant tobe a cafe that people feel connected to,” saysHaslip. “A lot of elderly people can’t see their family
right now because of the virus, and they are missing out on meals. We love the idea that there will be people in the neighborhood who get a thoughtfully created meal for the holiday.”
“It’s important to stay hopeful in a difficult time,” says Haslip. “Communities are coming together to support one another.”
Carver 47 is open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. 1050 East 47th St., 773-891-1386, carver47.com