Joseph Mancuso, the visionary guru of the Grand Strand restaurant business, is setting his course for the future, and it’s a course for the most naturally healthy foods in a casual, unpretentious dining atmosphere…If you are “gluten free,” “sugar free,” vegetarian or vegan, you will find many delicious options.  In fact, since everything is made from scratch, you can request special preparation to suit your mood, tastes, or to safely avoid food allergies.  Even a “raw foodist” will find fresh herbs and crunchy vegetables on the regular menu that will satisfy their scrutiny.

People who look for fresh and healthy dining also tend to act with a social consciousness, seeking out products made locally, supporting local agriculture, or generally being mindful of the environment.  Fontinello’s Italian Cuisine Grounds for Change brand coffee is “fair trade,” meaning that is comes through a network of raw coffee bean buyers that purchase directly from the farmers for a fair value, avoiding corporate coffee brokers…Not only is the coffee fair trade, but it is “shade grown on woman-owned plantations, that help maintain the rainforest and indigenous wildlife,” adds Kim Amadeo, business partner of Fontinello’s Italian Cuisine.

With its contemporary décor, local original artwork adorning the walls, soft jazz playing over the sound system, and furnished with a cozy mix of living room-style upholstered seating and a scattering of tables, casual gatherings with friends couldn’t be more comfortable.  In fact, this could easily be the next big hangout place for a last afternoon along the Strand.  Coffee, friends, and excellent Mediterranean style, healthy fare. Yum.

Natural Awakenings Healthy Living Grand Strand, Keith Waller