Healthy Gourmet Cafe, Bakery Opens In Tampa

Local health nuts, you're in luck: A new healthy gourmet cafe has opened in Tampa.

Located at 1155 S. Dale Mabry Highway, Viitals Healthy Lifestyle Cafe and Specialty Bakery offers customers a European-style espresso bar, as well as a strictly gluten-free vegetarian and vegan menu, featuring muffins, cupcakes, smoothies and paninis. Made fresh daily, Viitals' ingredients include natural sweeteners and organic fruit, opting to leave out most of the major food allergens including eggs, gluten, soy, dairy and peanuts.

“My wife Silvia and I used nutrition and good lifestyle choices to achieve vibrant health,” says owner Ivan Nikolov. “We realized early on that people have a problem -- whether they know it or want to admit it -- where they have chosen to listen to their palates when it comes to selecting food rather than listening to their body's needs. We have set out to create a solution to this: Delicious, good-for-you food and smoothies.”

Calling themselves “Healthy Lifestyle Advocates,” the Nikolovs have been selling nutritionally enhanced baked goods from their Seminole Heights cafe since 2009. Recently, they expanded their business, choosing the current 1,000-square-foot Dale Mabry site because of it's convenience and location -- Publix, Fresh Market and First Watch are all located within half a few blocks.

“In my humble opinion, Tampa needs as many healthy foods and lifestyle businesses it can support,” says Nikolov. “Our mission is to help educate our customers on the importance of practicing a healthy lifestyle while offering the tools and solutions our customers need to make their healthy living efforts a success.”

Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Ivan Nikolov, Viitals Healthy Lifestyle Cafe and Specialty Bakery