Describe your business in one sentence.

Healthy café serving breakfast and lunch.

Are you an Islander? How did you decide to open a business on Mercer Island?

Yes, I did grow up on Mercer Island. After launching Sano Bar in 2016, my goal was to open a storefront on Mercer Island in the community where I grew up. After my factory closed down and the site where I went as a child, Roberto’s, became available, I decided it was a great opportunity to launch Sano Cafe.

What makes your business so unique?

We are the only healthy spot on Mercer Island serving gluten- and dairy-free options, and very few spots in the Seattle and the Eastside [serve these options]m so we get many customers from off-island.

What was your experience adapting to the new COVID reality?

It was hard at first just because of the virus itself being so unknown and scary at the time. I was worried for our community and how the virus was going to affect everyone. I felt bad for the employees we had to lay off but stayed open the whole time to keep our full-time employees working and the business running. I felt that was important to do as long as it was safely done. Our business was already set up for take-out and online ordering, so we really didn't need to do much besides change some interior operations we had in place.

We often say innovation comes from questioning the status quo. Have you uncovered new ways of doing business or launched new products or services that you would not have thought of before? How did it work out?

We grew our delivery options to two instead of one and started taking phone orders. Otherwise nothing really else has changed other then reducing labor costs and expenses.

If there was a single product, service, expertise, etc., your business should be known for, what is it?

I think it is the quality of food and the service we offer to our customers; especially during the pandemic, people want to maintain a healthy lifestyle, which we provide.

Tell us something about your business that would surprise us.

Sano means health in Italian, and the three stripes in my “S” logo represent my three daughters.

What is your favorite Mercer Island spot?

Of course Sano :). Second would be MI Athletic Club (now IMPACT Fitness + Training).

Since you've been in business on Mercer Island, what have you discovered about Islanders or the Island community in general?

People are nice, caring, and loyal.

When you aren't working, what's your favorite pastime?

I love to be active - tennis, golf, yoga, hiking, biking, boating, eating, reading, and hanging out with friends and my family.

If you had to convince a non-Islander to come discover Mercer Island, what would you tell them?

I think being on the island, you’re going to get a little bit of everything. Growing up here, I have realized there is nothing like it around. It’s a great place for raising kids, with all the [private\]clubs that are available, parks, sports programs, religious offerings, stores, and good schools, and it’s large enough [of a community that] there are many people to meet. It’s super easy to leave the island and reach Seattle and Bellevue quickly, and it’s centrally located to travel even farther.

Learn more about Sano Cafe at www.thesanocafe.com.