Manju Medha Devi Dasi, our Chef from Australia, and Ratna Bhakti Devi Dasi, a baker from China, who was trained by Manju Medha.

We have opened Govinda’s Kadamba Kafe in New York City right at the front of our temple building in Brooklyn, offering a fresh new take on prasadam distribution in the city. The opening ceremony took place on the auspicious day of Aksaya Tritya. Jayadvaita Swami, Dilip Chauhan, the Deputy Commissioner for Trade, Investment and Innovation at the NYC Mayor’s Office, Temple President Hansarupa Dasa, Arcita Dasa, and many other Vaishnavas came for the occasion. A puja was performed, devotees sang melodious kirtan, and danced joyfully.

A wonderful addition to the Brooklyn temple renovations, this café is set to heighten the experience of newcomers and familiar faces alike, transforming what was once an underutilized street-level space into an inviting and innovative outlet for prasadam distribution and outreach. Bringing the flavors and creativity from the Australian coast to the heart of downtown Brooklyn, Kadamba Kafe explores beautifully woven tapestries of vibrant natural hues alongside delectable textures and tastes. 

His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami put a lot of his energy into laying down the foundations to create a dynamic future for the temple in New York City, a place so important to Srila Prabhupada’s mission. Over the few years that Swami was here, he was able to inspire countless numbers to take up the association of devotees and to be a part of the project. His vision included opening a juice bar, and at the beginning of this month, his disciples were able to realize that goal. 

So, let’s backtrack a little. Many of us know of the iconic Cardamon Pod restaurants based in Australia, which were a part of the wave of culinary talent that firmly put Oz on the map for vegetarian gastronomic delights. Manju Medha Devi Dasi and her husband, Subhadra Dasa, are the masterminds behind the success of Cardamon Pod, a combination of unrivaled creativity, down-to-earth people skills, and talent. They are another example of the kind of devotees that Kadamba Kanana Swami inspired to take part in this venture. 

“We were listening to the classes of Maharaj in Vrindavan before he left his body, and we were very moved. We decided to sell our restaurant in Australia and go to the Holy Dhams,” said Subhadra Das. “At the samadhi of Rupa and Sanatan Goswami, we prayed for service, and I guess the rest is history! Here we are in New York serving at the temple of Radha Govinda. We had been running Cardamon Pod for around 23 years with four different locations, each one more progressive, until we got to the level of vegan à la carte. The last restaurant won ‘best breakfast of the city’ with a vegan menu in a city of meat eaters.” 

Manju Medha Devi Dasi always has her finger on the pulse when it comes to food trends. She is an expert at creating colorful, healthy, dynamic, and tasty food that is offered with love and devotion to Krishna. 

This new café with a “K” aims to bring a new audience of people closer to Radha Govinda and devotee association, opening opportunities for a diverse range of people to experience extraordinary prasadam in a beautifully designed environment. 

The café is run by Kadamba Kanana Swami’s disciple Jagadhatri Devi Dasi, who has inspired many other disciples to serve alongside her. Planning for over a year, Jagadharti was committed to ensuring this dream became a reality. Open from morning until the afternoon, the café offers an eclectic variety of fresh smoothies, hot drinks, sumptuous cakes and cookies, vegan sushi, pastries, artistic salads, not to mention their incredible à la carte menu which features “avocado benny,” “blue pea flower flatbread,” and “aloo and beetroot tiki burger” to name but a few. 

So, see for yourselves, come visit us the next time you are in New York City, and try out some of these amazing offerings. To keep up with the latest news, please follow Govinda’s Kadamba Kafe on Instagram.