The rumors, sadly, are all too true. Nice n’ Natural, a Columbia tradition for over 28 years, is closing its doors. Long an oasis of nutritional lunch options for the health conscious living and working around the USC campus, Nice n’ Natural appears to have fallen victim to the stagnant economy and will be shutting its doors for good Friday, October 29, 2010. We learned of this sad news earlier today while enjoying a Friday Lunch on a perfect autumn day in the capital city. All of the Lunchmen (including frequent guest blogger Frodo) encourage all of you to head out to Nice n’ Natural next week for your last chance at their chicken salad, a fruit, nut and yogurt plate, or my personal favorite meatless Rueben. No word yet on the fate of Cool Beans Coffee, located directly above Nice n’ Natural (and home to totally legit lunch options in its own right). Thanks for 28 years guys, you’ll be missed.
-Rabbit
I am very sad about this. I can't think of a healthier place to eat, nor a cafe where fresher ingredients could be found. The staff is very friendly, and service is fast. I will miss that awesome frozen yogurt concoction, and the cold tuna sandwich packed with fresh sprouts.
R.I.P. Nice 'n Natural
Sincerely,
One of your greatest fans from Columbia College
The place that replaced it -- College Grounds Cafe -- is surprisingly good. It is a thoughtful and interesting menu, dominated by sandwiches. The food tastes very good, and I like that they offer Adluh grits w/ cheese as a side dish.
I'd like to agree with north2south - the phrase "surprisingly good" is exactly right. We visited the new spot after north2south posted this comment. We need to find our photos so that we can do a proper post, but in the meantime, I'm giving College Grounds Cafe a thumbs up.