City Beach Organics

City Beach Organics is bustling on a weekday during lunch, with a line nearly out the door and not a free table in sight. This gives us time to peruse the extensive menu.

Most dishes are vegan, along with the option to add sustainable meats and dairy. The signature item is house-made tortillas, or “ahava amore,” which the owners say means “love love.” More like a chewy crepe, these gluten-free tortillas are flattened on a panini press. They are the base for many items on the menu, including the Reuben, which has tangy sauerkraut, thin-sliced beef summer sausage, raw cheddar cheese, romaine, red onion, red bell pepper, local microgreens, and spicy cashew horseradish.

We also get a sausage scramble on tortillas. It is more like a traditional breakfast wrap with scrambled eggs, chicken sausage, raw cheddar cheese, red ginger sauerkraut, spinach, and avocado. Both are good and filling, but the Reuben is more interesting, especially with that sauerkraut.

Southwest salad with chicken is fresh and hearty, with turmeric garlic walnuts, a black bean and corn pico, southwest sauce, green onion, avocado, microgreens and tortilla chips. 

One of the many smoothies on offer is the “Cocolalla Cocomint,” named after the lake just 12 miles south. It’s like a Thin Mint in liquid form, with cacao powder, banana, mint, spinach, coconut milk, cacao nibs, green leaf stevia, and a hint of Himalayan salt.

City Beach Organics is the brainchild of the Edmondson family, who have a passion for food as well as a variety of food allergies. Originally, they delivered produce, then moved to a marketplace, followed by a bakery with prepared goods. Today, they’re living out their dream to offer the citizens of Sandpoint organic, gluten-free options. Many of the recipes are dreamt up by Rylie, the eldest daughter.

We walk about five minutes from the restaurant to eat our lunch at the actual City Beach, where picnic tables and a view of the lake make for an ideal setting.