Jennifer Chandler

Memphis Commercial Appeal

Mama Gaia closed the doors of its Crosstown Concourse location Monday. Owners Philipp and Cru von Holtzendorff-Fehling said they are shifting their focus to the location inside Ballet Memphis.

Open since March 2017, Mama Gaia is a fast-casual dining experience offering organic vegetarian menu options. The Memphis-based co-founders, who are husband and wife, set out to offer Memphians a new dining experience that served dishes that were both good for patrons’ health and the planet. The Crosstown Concourse location was the first restaurant for the company.

“We believe wholeheartedly in this concept, but we need to make this strategic shift,” Philipp von Holtzendorff-Fehling said. “Crosstown is home to 265 apartments, a high school and more than 40 other tenants. An estimated 3,000 people visit the building every day. We absolutely love the vertical village and what it has accomplished as a whole. Unfortunately, there has simply not been enough interest in organic vegetarian food to sustain business. As we move forward, we’re concentrating on the Ballet Memphis location, catering, delivery and are certainly looking at other ways to expand the concept.”

At the Ballet Memphis location, Mama Gaia will continue to serve artisanal vegetarian dishes developed by executive chef and co-founder Cru von Holtzendorff-Fehling, such as quinoa bowls, salads, hearty soups, pitas and kid-friendly items, along with several vegan and gluten-free options. Catering and delivery will also be available.

Mama Gaia’s Ballet Memphis location, 2144 Madison Ave., is open 8:30 a.m.- 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

More:Mama Gaia takes it all organic in Crosstown

“We really love Mama Gaia, and appreciate all of Philipp’s and Cru’s hard work the past year,” said Dr. Todd Richardson, co-leader of the Crosstown Concourse development. “The Crosstown neighborhood can look forward to a new restaurant moving into the space in September.”