Who is the chef/owner? Mary Swortwood has over 25 years experience and started her career at the Greenbriar Resort in White Sulphur Springs, WV as an apprentice. She also has a background in nutrition.

Where did the name come from? Mary, and her partner Mark Swortwood, started the Brown Dog Café and Tinks. The Brown Dog was named after their chocolate lab. With so much focus on the environment and healthy food, “GREEN” is the new Brown.

Is organic food more expensive? The food industry is plagued with large producers focusing on output. Most of our farmers and artisans are small family businesses with a hands on focus to quality and not quantity. We hope the format of the walk-up service, convenience and food quality will provide you with a value you can appreciate. We are grateful for your business.

Do you plan to implement additional processes that help the environment? We will continue to add local and regional vendors, especially as the seasons change and we get more involved in the community. With support of the city, we hope that area restaurants will begin to compost reducing waste in the landfills. Don’t be surprised if there’s a Green Dog garden someday.

Tell me more about your Vegan and Gluten initiative. With subtle changes to recipes, we can provide over 15 menu options that are vegan, wheat and gluten free. Those items are noted on the menu with a V or G.

Will the menu change? As the seasons and the availability of vegetables change, so will our menu.