Just what does “healthy” mean these days? That’s the question that Marisa Seifan, founder and CEO of HoneyBrains–which will open a location at 495 Amsterdam Avenue (and West 84th Street) in 2025–is trying to answer.
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“When you come to HoneyBrains, we’ve done all the hard work. You can trust that our bowls are nutritious and delicious. We want you to feel like a weight has been removed from your shoulders.”
The brand’s website makes a bold claim: “…everything you see at HoneyBrains is good for you.” While we can’t verify the truth behind that claim, HoneyBrains takes a unique approach to “healthy” food by prioritizing brain health–hence the name. The brand employs both a neurologist and a nutritionist who review every menu item.
“An easy way to start improving brain health is to use natural sweeteners like raw honey,” Seifan said. “We only use natural sweeteners.”
The three existing HoneyBrains locations in Manhattan (storefronts in Noho, Flatiron, and an outpost within Saks 5th Avenue) feature Brain Bars, which offer 100% raw honey as a replacement for processed sweeteners for its coffee and tea.
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Other items that stand out include the Grilled Kim-Cheese (kimchi, cheddar cheese, mozzarella, gochujang, basil, vegan aioli, and Pullman bread), Egg Salad Toast (egg salad, cucumber, cayenne, sourdough), and the Zen Curry Bowl (coconut corn curry, collard greens, raisins, pickled onions, almonds). The menu also includes a drink selection featuring house-made juices along with ginger and citrus shots.
“We’ve spent countless hours creating these items,” Seifan told us. “We don’t want the customer to have to think too much about what to choose.”
A former federal prosecutor, Seifan made a major career change in 2016 with the founding of HoneyBrains. She moved to the UWS a year ago with the goal of opening a HoneyBrains location in the neighborhood that can serve as more than just a small business.
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“I’m impressed by the community that exists up here,” she said. “I want to get to know the local business owners and collaborate. We really try to take an active role in whatever community we’re in.”
Seifan said the goal is to open the Amsterdam Avenue location by April 2025. The restaurant is taking over and fully renovating the space that formerly housed CPW, the long-standing fashion boutique that closed in early 2024.
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Very exited about this addition to the neighborhood. Welcome to the UWS, HoneyBrains!
maybe now ppl on the UWS will be less woke …
D – Your comment is the best I have ever read on this site! Thanks for bringing a smile to my face.