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In the spring of 1990, three old friends and long-time residents of the Madison Valley neighborhood met to discuss the possibility of buying the abandoned laundromat at 29th and East Madison and converting it to a vegetarian restaurant. Their motives were simple; to establish a friendly, community based vegetarian restaurant close to home, to develop a restaurant that could stand as a model business in attending to the health of the planet and to start a restaurant that would introduce superb non-meat dishes from culinary traditions around the globe utilizing local, organic and sustainable produce. Architectural and environmental consulting firms were brought in based on their compatibility with the goals of environmentally sensitive, energy efficient design and construction along with the owner's commitment to hiring minority and women owned businesses for all of the sub-contracting work. The kitchen was designed to be appropriate for a vegetarian restaurant - that is, spacious and open with large amounts of prep space, and maximum opportunity for interaction and collaboration among the cooking staff. After a year of planning and development process in which the Laundromat was gutted and rebuilt for it's new purpose, Cafe Flora opened October 1st, 1991. Since opening its doors, Cafe Flora has been at the forefront of utilizing local, organic and sustainable produce and herbs and building strong and direct relationships with Washington farms. It's culinary team draws inspiration from international culinary traditions along with the availability of an abundance of locally grown produce to create imaginative and dynamic vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free cuisine. Cafe Flora has also carried its eco-conscious philosophy into their atrium, a charming garden retreat just off the main dining room. Once an outside patio, the garden atrium was enclosed in the fall of 1996 to bring al-fresco dining to guests year round. Bathed in natural light, the space boasts exotic greenery, a bubbling central fountain and natural stone accents. The collective effect creates a warm, appealing and calming environment for guests. The winning combination of eco-friendly philosophy, community based involvement and cutting edge, dynamic vegetarian cuisine has brought tremendous success. Sixteen years and one abandoned laundromat later, Cafe Flora remains Seattle's premier vegetarian restaurant.