New Deal Cafe

The New Deal Cafe is a restaurant and community coffee house in the historic Roosevelt Center of Greenbelt, Maryland. It is a rare example of a restaurant operated as a consumers' cooperative, as it is owned by over 200 member patrons. The Cafe, which has a small beer/wine bar in the back room, features nightly and some daytime performances by regional musicians, and sponsors several outdoor music festivals each year, including the Crazy Quilt Festival and the Greenbelt Blues Festival. The Cafe walls are decorated with art by local artists which is changed bi-monthly. The arts and entertainment activities are supported by the Friends of New Deal Café Arts (FONDCA), a separate tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. The New Deal Cafe won WTOP's Top-10 2012 best music venue in the DC region. The Cafe is in transition until January, 2017, and, until then, is offering a limited menu. The full menu will offer a variety of healthy food choices with both American and international influences. We feature all food options for Vegans, Vegetarians, and Carnivores. We also are mindful of food sensitivities including customers who are lactose-free, diabetic, gluten-free, or who have other needs. The Cafe is a commonly referred to by customers as "Greenbelt's community living room" or "third place", part of the Third place movement. Its name comes from Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal, which was responsible for the Cafe's home in Roosevelt Center, and the founding of Greenbelt.