Mulberry & Vine, which opened about an hour ago on Warren Street, is the restaurant many Tribecans have been waiting for. It sells prepared foods—salads, sandwiches, soups, and more—with an eye toward healthfulness. “We’re following the 80/20 idea,” says Genevieve Lynch, who founded the restaurant with Michelle Gauthier. “We’re 80 percent vegetarian, and when there’s meat it’s incorporated into dishes. And a lot of people think you need to pile on the butter and oil to make food taste good, but you don’t.” (She hastens to point out that such food can still be hearty: “We tested all the recipes on my husband.”) Chef Justin Schwartz’s menu indicates which dishes are vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, and/or gluten-free. There’s also a focus on the medicinal benefits of certain foods, as you can see on the wall to the left as you walk in. “But we’re not dogmatic about it!” says Lynch.

Gauthier and Lynch are both are Tribecans, and neither had opened a restaurant before—Lynch was in the film business, while Gauthier owned clothing boutiques in New Orleans and a furniture shop in Nolita—which might explain why they didn’t realize what a project it would be to rent a space that hadn’t previously been a restaurant. (It was an office for the past 45 years.) But the work paid off: The room is bright and airy, with seating for around 50, including on a balcony level, and the kitchen downstairs in the basement.

“We’re sourcing local and organic whenever possible,” says Lynch. That includes not just the ingredients, but from companies such as LuliTonix (for juices), Laughing Man (for coffee), and Goodie Girl and Tu-Lu’s (for baked goods). The refrigerated case will soon be filled with more grab-and-go sandwiches and salads, and when Lynch and Gauthier get a sense of what’s popular, they’ll add more dishes from the counter.

For now, Mulberry & Vine is only open weekdays from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., but breakfast, Saturday hours, delivery, and catering will come soon.

Mulberry & Vine is at 73 Warren (between W. Broadway and Greenwich), 212-791-6300; mulberryandvine.com.

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