Urban Spring

I got an overpriced veggie burger (freeze brand type) that was sort of lame. Nothing special except for a slice of avocado. (no extras; how about small side salad?). The service took 15 minutes too.
You are better off going across the street to Catherine’s Caffe (I go for the homemade Salmon Burger, it comes with w/​a side of potatoes & salad too.)

We stumbled upon this place after having brunch at Café Lulu down the street. It turned out they were going out of business that same day.

The owner is a diehard follower of the organic diet movement. All food and beverages in his shop are made with locally grown ingredients. Unfortunately, these ingredients are expensive and it’s not easy making a profit out of it. He admits his business model didn’t work because he didn’t serve alcohol which could have resulted in higher volume. This is something he does not regret since it goes against his principle of healthy living through clean dieting. It’s always inspiring to meet a business owner who puts principle above profit.

I had the «famous» Brazilian nut chai which is served in a gigantic soup bowl. It is creamy, foamy, and naturally spicy from the combination of ginger and anise. I love it! It’s refreshing to have the opportunity to try this but also sad never to have it again now that this place is closed forever.

The party may be over, but the principle will live on in my heart. I wish the owner all the best and success in his new job at the United Nations. Thanks for serving us even if it’s on your last day!

Over-​priced.
$ 6 for their cheapest smoothie (and they are pretty small too!), $ 3 for a small iced coffee, and $ 3.25 or a moderately sized muffin.
Throw around buzzwords like organic, local, fair trade, bio-​friendly all you want. There is a noticeable mark-​up that simply doesn’t justify the quality of the products or the halo one feels for having supported a business that acts like it cares about more than profits.
The coffee is mediocre at best in both iced and hot varieties. The baked goods are a bit on the dryer side and are a pretty typical fair. The teas selection is boring and is not particularly high-​grade for the price.
The space itself is tiny and awkwardly designed if not bright and attractive. I can’t imagine comfortably spending any period of time here, even if I could get one of only a handful of seats. So then what exactly am I paying for with a $ 3 coffee?
It’s honestly surprising how poor the coffee shop scene is in Fort Greene.

I love to support local eateries that promote a healthy way of life, so when i walked passed Urban Spring, I knew I had to try something! So, I order a small coffee and a vegan banana nut muffin… i was a little shocked when the server asked for 5.75.the muffin was close to 4.00.okay whatever. its fort greene need i expect anything different… anyhow. after the 1^st bite of the muffin i completely forgot how miffed i was about the price… it was GREAT… moist, fresh, warm. i think i even bit into a piece of banana… and you know thats odd. cause most banana muffins are only flavored banana mix, not the actual banana… awwwww i was pleased!!! I will go for lunch next time… but this will not be a regular stop for me. as if.we are in a recession!!!

I’ve been excited to try Urban Spring for quite some time now since I always pass it on the way to work and I like the look of the place. First off, I love what they do. Minimally processed food rich on good-​for-​you nutrients? Score! I love to support small shops and cafes with good ideas.
Overall, the place is tiny, but not lacking in flair. I actually thought they ranked normal on the friendly scale.
I ordered a small (12oz.) Carrot/​Beet/​Ginger juice after taking a peek at their menu chalkboard (which conveniently does not have any prices displayed). It was obvious the ingredients were fresh and as I waited the dude juiced them. No problem.
The shock came when he laid my bright-​red, delicious looking concoction on the counter and told me it was $ 6…for a 12 oz. drink?! I paid up and left. I understand how these little shops have to hike up prices sometimes to get ahead and I totally do not mind paying more for a service to support the shops but $ 6 for a cup of juiced beets, carrots, and ginger?
As for the actual juice itself, it was definitely odd tasting… but not a bad odd. It was just something new to my tastes. It definitely grew on me more and more as I drank it. One thing I have to say is that it was definitely fresh.
Would I go back? I think so, but I’ll stay away from their high-​priced smoothies and juices.

This is my favorite place to grab lunch in the neighborhood. The sandwiches are super tasty (goat cheese & fig, chick pea pâté), and in the colder months, they have some very satisfying soups as well. I had a curried squash soup there this winter that instantly cured my cold.
True, you have to be into the healthy eating thing at least a little bit. True, the employees seem too depressed about the earth to crank out the orders when they get busy. True, the prices are higher than Chinese take-​out. But on balance, Urban Spring does what it sets out to do well.
Oh, they did a nice job with the interior too.

The 2009 Vegan Guide to NYC just proclaimed that Urban Spring had the «best two sandwiches in all five boroughs» — avocado sprouts and lemon tahini, and ginger-​tempeh avocado. I agree! I also go there for the famous Urban Spring Cookies — they are to die for. Those babies, with a cup of their great locally roasted coffee, will keep you going all day. I am a big fan of this place. They use wind power for electricity, corn plastic for their smoothies, and their food is as locally grown as possible. It’s the right thing to do.

I stopped by one summer afternoon and ordered a mango smoothie. Not too hard to mess up, am I right? Mango juice, yogurt, maybe some chopped mango pieces, a little OJ or some other filler to round it out would be acceptable. I don’t know what they did back there, but the result bore no resemblance to anything I would associate with mango. Or anything edible, really. It was like drinking unsweetened cake batter. And the whole thing took like 10 minutes, and I don’t recall getting a smile, a «hi», a «thanks», a little small talk, nothing…
Needless to say, I’m never going back.

Urban spring Urban spring Urban spring! Just like it sounds. This is such a lovely juice bar with ooooohhhh so much more! When I’m on my way to teach in Fort Greene Park and I need a little pick me up, I get a shot of wheatgrass which is the freshest you’ll find in the area! It’s got a sweet tang to it!
They have the most inventive smoothies (mango-​lime-​ginger) and the freshest juices which they’ll add spirulina or chlorella or protein or whatever you want, to it. In addition they have this incredible tahini-​molasses-​and-​fruit sandie that I am so into right now! It’s really just a healthful version of PB&J. I’m gonna get on the white bean hummus and avocado sandie next. Sounds so delish!
They make super yummy raw treats. And yesterday I had a sweet potato soup with ginger that just made working out in the cold so worth it! If you’re in the Fort Greene area, or are heading towards the park to have a nice chill day, stop by Urban Spring – they’re doing the right thang!