I had some time today after my dentist appointment and wanted something good to eat but it was so…read morehot that I decided on a smoothie. I'm glad I did. I ordered the Vanilla Warrior protein shake and it was great! I didn't have to wait long for my order.

Many business owners think about their products and services from the perspective of a provider or…read morevendor. Not the customer. Here's some advice: Walk through your business the way a customer would. How do they enter your space or navigate your website? How easily can they identify what they need? How smoothly is their order fulfilled? Where are the natural opportunities to upsell or add value? What does the payment experience feel like? Every step shapes their perception of your brand. If customers sense high effort, confusion, or indifference from staff, they will look elsewhere. Of the four customers I saw during the visit to your location: 1) the first one was frustrated because the ingredients advertised weren't available, so instead of being guided to an alternative she had to make that choice, 2) The second customer was frustrated because there was only one person working, and while this individual was making his order, the soul worker did not acknowledge any of the other customers, so he was frustrated when the customers pulled his attention away from crafting his order, leaving him with a negative experience, 3) the third. Customer was clearly frustrated because she was purchasing premade juices, but still had to wait an under amount of time before even being acknowledged by staff, 4) the fourth customer (myself) after waiting in line and have to ask a new employee who just came on shift if I could be helped was immediately informed by the staff regarding what they were out of and what they didn't have. Here's a tip: Instead of delivering a flat "we're out," train your team to offer alternatives that keep the experience positive. If you're out of vanilla on a hot day, guide the customer toward other refreshing options. They came to you to solve a problem--thirst, hunger, comfort--and your job is to preserve that momentum. When your marketing has already done the work of getting someone to your door or onto your site, honor that investment. Even if you can't provide the exact product they wanted, create a smooth transition so you don't lose the sale, the relationship, or the goodwill. Your brand, values, and reputation are being formed in real time. Inconsistency, poor service, indifference, or discourtesy can undermine your business before it gains traction. A customer‑centered process is your competitive advantage. For customers who are trying to support your business, especially as a black owned business, you are making it hard for customers to give you their money. Please fix this.

Came here twice over the past few months, once for brunch and once for dinner. So impressed to have…read morethis quality of food at a purely plant-based restaurant. I think it's excellent in general, not just compared to other vegan restaurants. I give Great Sage 5 stars, meaning everything was tasty and I was impressed. Well balanced flavor in all the dishes. Cheese didn't feel oily or fake, just nice and creamy. Staff is great. Space feels clean and open. Wish it was a little cheaper so I could come more often. However FYI - happy hour on M-F 3-6pm where tapas are $6 instead of $9 and appetizers are $12 instead of $18. Definitely makes it more doable!

Hey friends! This is an unfortunate review. So, the first time I visited Great Sage, I felt the…read moresense that I wasn't welcomed. More particularly, because of my race. I didn't comment nor react to that feeling as I didn't have hard evidence as the staff did not blatantly do/say anything to me. Fast forward, to a year later at my next visit. That feeling was confirmed. Both times I visited with my godmother, who is Caucasian. My issue is with the hostess and NOT the entire staff. It started when we entered and my godmother was greeted warmly and I got a side eye. Hmmm. When we were leaving, I was walking in front of my godmother, she was about two feet behind me. The hostess say absolutely nothing me as I walk by but says "have a great night" to my godmother. To me, these were blatant acts telling me that I was not welcomed. This is unacceptable and unfortunate. Everyone should be allowed and feel welcomed in any establishment regardless of race. This behavior from the hostess was disappointing. I will not be returning to Great Sage.

Black owned business! Great family, great smoothies! They…read moreare grateful for all of the support they have received and you can feel the love in each smoothie

From the owner: Our specialties include fresh egg white omelette's, breakfast sandwiches & our organic all natural…read moreprotein shakes/smoothies....And don't forget "We Meal Prep For You!"

Popular restaurant and café, good food, many coffee and tea varieties, including dry packaged…read more Café Jun is a restaurant and café in the Forest Green shopping center on US 40. It's a smallish space and indoor seating was really full at 11 AM on a weekday. Because of rain, the outdoor benches were not in use, and I saw closed-up patio-umbrellas too. I ordered from a kiosk or you could order online or in person. I got the bacon egg and cheese croissant and it was made quickly by welcoming staff. It was a regular size croissant with very light cheese and a layer of crispy bacon pieces in a well toasted croissant. The flavor was good. This café also sells a number of beverages, including fresh ground espresso, and various teas And they sell some bakery goods, candies, and quite a variety of dry-packaged teas and coffee. The parking right in front Café Jun can get pretty full, but there's plenty parking in the rest of the shopping center. You can enter the shopping area from eastbound US-40 Baltimore National Pike, or from westbound Frederick Road. It's just east of Centennial Lane/Bethany Lane and about a mile West of US 29. The larger shopping area has a diner 3-strip mall sections, one of which is called Princess Shopping Center, so I'm a little confused which mall-name covers which shops. They have a summer concert planned! That should be fun!

I ate here on a Saturday in late April around 11:00AM. The line was out the door and seating was…read morepacked inside. People do seem to respect the 90MIN seating window though so you should be able to find a seat. You order and pay at the counter first and then they give you a table number card. This is how they find you to serve your food. I ordered a regular matcha latte, a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on croissant bread and their famous croffle. I loved their matcha latte. It's pre-sweetened so no need to add extra vanilla syrup or anything. This does not taste like a traditional matcha, which in my opinion tastes like dirt. This is a sweeter, dessert like matcha. I didn't care for the bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. It was kind of dry and it tasted like something was missing. The croffle was amazing. It has a nutty, pecan like taste to it and it was topped with vanilla gelato and blueberries. I couldn't really taste the maple syrup but it was delicious nonetheless.

It's great to have Nekter in the Crofton area! While there are lots of food options available…read morenearby, this juice bar stands out. Upon walking in, I noticed the welcoming setup with modern couches and chairs. I ordered the açaí superfood bowl and after tasting the first scoop was glad that I did. I can easily see myself coming back to order again in the future.

Went for a date day with my little daughter-…read more we ordered a smoothie & a granola bowl- both were packed with ingredients, but the ingredients weren't really what we expected. For my bowl: The caoaco nigs were actually chocolate chip morsels- the coconut shaving was coconut sweet flakes- the fruit chunks were smaller than expected. This, factoring in the price, doesn't put them high on my 'yummy acai bowl spot' list- For my daughter's smoothie, she ordered a chocolate banana pb- and we added in blueberries, but they pureed them in, where the photo had them looking big chunks dropped- and she was a bit upset. The place had great bright, clean nice couches ambiance- but it did take awhile as the only people there to actually get our items because they fill a lot of doordash tickets behind the scenes. Glad we tried, but probably going to go back to our routine spot.

Great place with wonderful customer service and the owners are the staff. They want you to return…read moreand are very accommodating. The food is great and they have veggie/vegan options. It is a great location to hang for any old reason. I try to get stop by as often as I can.

More than Java Cafe is a hidden gem. At least they were to me. I visited for a friend's birthday…read moregathering, and didn't quite know what to expect outside of the glowing reviews that my friend gave about the brunch items. I had the Jerk Chicken & Egg, potatoes, and drip coffee. Everything was delicious, and I had plenty of food leftover for later. The owners were hilarious when they joked with me about my tolerance for spicy food. The Jerk Chicken Sandwich (wrapped in coco bread) is advertised as spicy, but it wasn't overwhelming to me. The service was timely, and everyone was kind. There's plenty of seating to choose from, and you can explore the other small businesses while you wait for your food. If you're looking for a small Black owned business to support, I highly recommend More than Java Cafe. The food is delicious and the service is on point. I will definitely return when I'm in the area.

An absolutely fantastic experience from start to finish! Toastique is exactly the kind of fresh,…read morehealthy, and vibrant spot that Columbia has been waiting for. The space is bright, impeccably clean, and welcoming, and the staff is incredibly friendly and efficient, even when they are busy. The food is simply next level, balancing beautiful presentation with outstanding flavors: * Gourmet Toasts: The Avocado Smash and the PB Crunch toasts are absolute must-tries. You can taste the high quality of the ingredients, and the thick-cut artisan bread provides the perfect crispy-yet-chewy base for the generous toppings. * Smoothie Bowls & Juices: The açaí bowls are refreshing, perfectly textured, and loaded with fresh fruit and crunchy granola. Their cold-pressed juices are crisp, vibrant, and perfect for a quick energy boost. * Coffee & Vibe: Their coffee and espresso drinks are fantastic, making this the ideal spot for a quick morning pick-me-up, a post-workout refuel, or a relaxed weekend brunch with friends. Everything on the menu feels crafted with care and premium ingredients. It is absolutely worth every penny for the quality you get. I cannot recommend this place enough!

I love toastique. I've been a few times and every time, I love trying a new toast. They have good…read moreseasonal flavors or their menu has some good staples on it. This time I got the fig and prosciutto toast and it was just a flavor bomb! Salty, sweet, hearty, just everything you want in an open faced sandwich basically. They are also very accommodating. My son's milk soft has allergies to peanut which is on a lot of their menu items. They do a good job at directing you to available items and telling you how things are prepared in case of cross contamination. I also took him on this particular day to get a smoothie after getting his tonsils removed. They were very kind to cater to his every need with the order.

I am always excited to come into a MOM store. This one being so calm makes shopping enjoyable…read more I came in for tea as they have a great selection of teas (organic and specialty). The store is as stated calm, clean and organized. Eventhough I was not greeted coming in, the staff are always friendly and never rude. Im sure whatever organic food or item you are looking for you will find it here. Stop by if in the area and grab a look or a few items. You will enjoy your time shopping or looking around.

This grocery store is so convenient for me since it's only 5 mins from my house. They have a great…read moreselection of fruits and vegetables. The place is always clean and the workers are always friendly and ready to answer questions. There is a guy there who kinda looks like Bob Marley and he always makes my day