Café with Unique Community Mission Opens on the first floor of Halifax Central Library
HALIFAX, June 13, 2022 - A café focused on social progress opens today in one of the most celebrated and inclusive spaces in Halifax: The Ampersand Café is now ready to serve customers on the first and fifth floor of the Halifax Central Library.
The café and its parent organization MetroWorks, a non-profit, has a commitment to being part of positive social and business change in the community. Ampersand honours this commitment by carefully sourcing local products and supporting local producers whenever possible. The chefs behind The Ampersand Café wanted the soups, salads and sandwiches to reflect and cater to the needs of Halifax’s diverse community.
“We spent many months crafting the menu for the Ampersand Café,” said Chef Rob MacIsaac, Food Service Manager at MetroWorks. “We knew we wanted to showcase local Nova Scotian produce and also keep the menu accessible for different dietary needs, taste buds and budgets.”
Stone Hearth Bakery, also a MetroWorks social enterprise, cooks, bakes and prepares the Ampersand’s menu daily. The bakery has proofed and baked kosher-pareve breads since its opening in 1982. It expanded its operations over the years and now offers catering and confectionery products.
Patrons of the café in the Halifax Central Library will also find desserts from award-winning Delectable Desserts and Schoolhouse Gluten-Free Gourmet. As the summer progresses, Ampersand will feature produce from Common Roots Urban Farms and other local growers.
Ampersand’s unique coffee blend comes from Annapolis Valley’s Nova Coffee. The café also carries authentic Arabic and Turkish coffee from Roasted Coffee, who have trained Ampersand staff to properly prepare these cultural drinks.
MetroWorks is a local non-profit that has a variety of programs to help community members facing barriers to employment. Its social enterprises put resources back into the community and offer employment and training opportunities for program participants.
“We’re excited to bring a business to the community that fills a need for great coffee and social progress,” said Dave Rideout, president and CEO of MetroWorks. “Our social enterprises have a priority to give customers great service and products, but also have a commitment to give back to the community. We give back through our employment programs, food security programs and our new partnership with Halifax Public Libraries.”
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Media Contact
Bethanee Diamond, Communications and Marketing Coordinator
Phone: 902-240-5619
Email: bethaneed@mymetroworks.ca
