Remodeled South Lake Tahoe vegan restaurant reopens with new look, new menu, new hours

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - For over eight years Sandi Cole has been operating Simple Bliss Vegan Cafe is South Lake Tahoe inside the Swiss Chalet Village. Her homemade specialties have been treating customers to much-loved flavors and dishes, from handcrafted drinks to desserts.

Simple Bliss now has a new look and design, one that will work through the pandemic with take-out orders only to a time when all can once again sit down and enjoy a meal at a restaurant.

Cole took out the carpet, painted, stained the concrete floor, added new display cases, expanded the kitchen. Not only has the the appearance changed, but so has the logo, designed by Dharma Love.

The extensive menu is new but still contains the fan-favorite nachos, sloppy joes, and biscuits with gravy. All items are gluten and soy free, and vegan so satisfy many diet choices and allergies.

Cole said she offers healthy comfort food, something not always on a vegan menu. She makes all milks, flours and cheeses on site from scratch.

"It's exciting to be back and see our customers," said Cole.

She said it was also exciting to do the remodel after being forced to close during COVID-19. But because of that, she had time to plan and implement.

"It is a dream come true," said Cole of the new look.

At Simple Bliss one can find special logo items including hats, shirts, shopping bags, mugs, stickers, and, of course, masks. There are also natural scents and skin care.

The menu has moved on line and orders can be placed there, giving customers a quicker and more convenient way to pick up food.

Orders can also be placed at the festive outside window, or in the lobby area when cold. There are new purple and green, the cafe's theme colors, tables and chairs with outside heaters when that area can reopen when state restrictions are lifted.
Ivy and lights surround the place, making it festive year-round.

The enterprising Cole also has a YouTube channel and blog with recipes and other healthy living product reviews and ideas. Links to all she offers can be found on the website, http://www.simpleblisscafe.com/ and https://www.mywitchykitchen.com/.

Some of her children help out at Simple Bliss. Daughter Dream, son Truth and staff member Ocean help Cole run the place.

Cole is a graduate of South Tahoe High who left for awhile, then returned from Nashville where she called home for awhile. That Southern cooking shows in her current recipes. She started a food line, using the kitchen of the old Java Kitchen and Tahoe Java, both being the previous tenants of the space now home to Simple Bliss Cafe.

They are open 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. every day but Wednesday when they are closed.

For more information, and to order, visit http://www.simpleblisscafe.com/.