Popular Health Food Café Franchise Opens First CT Location In Stamford

STAMFORD, CT — Vitality Bowls, a health-food café franchise that specializes in açaí bowls, smoothies, salads, wraps, grain bowls and more, has opened up its first Connecticut location in Stamford at 1125 High Ridge Road within the High Ridge Shopping Center.

There are more than 126 cafés now open or in development. Another CT location is in the works for Avon.

Bill Neblock, who co-owns the Stamford location with his wife, Gabriela, said they've been working for over two-and-a-half years to bring a Vitality Bowls location to the Nutmeg State.

The couple lives in Westport, but believes Stamford is the perfect spot for them.

"It's really exciting," Neblock told Patch this week. The location officially opened Sept. 12 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. "We felt like Fairfield County, particularly Stamford, was ripe for our product and our concept."

The brand was originally founded by Roy and Tara Gilad in 2011 in San Ramon, Calif.

The Gilads started the superfood café concept after discovering their daughter’s severe food allergies and wanting to find safe, healthy food alternatives.

“We’re excited to expand into Connecticut and meet the growing demand for clean, healthy eating in the local community,” said Co-Founder and President Tara Gilad in a recent announcement.

The menu features a variety of nutrient-rich superfoods made with fresh ingredients, from signature bowls like the Superfood Bowl - made with organic acai, pitaya, almond milk, organic granola, cacao nibs and goji berries - to more savory items like the Chimichurri Steak Wrap, which comes in a tomato basil tortilla with grass-fed sous-vide steak, super greens, grains, roasted tomato, chimichurri, garlic aioli and sunflower seeds.

"Our bowls are not like our competitors' in that we don't have fillers, everything is made in-store, there's nothing pre-made. We don't even have an ice machine in the store; there's nothing but the ingredients," Neblock said. "The other thing that surprises customers is we have a wider menu of things like wraps, salads, paninis, grain bowls, and they're all excellent and delicious and made in the same way. They're made in the store to-order with fresh ingredients."

Customers can also find a variety of juices, smoothies and coffees.

The space in Stamford is around 1,300 square feet, with five tables inside - to go along with a fireplace - and two tables outside.

Neblock was introduced to Vitality Bowls before the COVID-19 pandemic on a trip to California. Wanting to get involved in a franchise, Neblock sought to do something that focused on health and community.

"We're hoping to connect to local organizations, schools. Because our products are focused on quick and healthy, our desire is to have a lot of opportunities to partner with teams, schools, churches, organizations, just to find ways to drive health and wellness to the community as well," Neblock said.

Since becoming involved in the business, Neblock says he's been more focused on his own health and has lost 30 pounds.

"It's energized me to want to spread the word to others as well," Neblock said.

Neblock expressed a desire to expand further into Fairfield County.

"Every customer who comes in seems to say, 'You need to put one in Darien, or you need to put one in New Canaan, or closer to where I am,'" Neblock noted. "As soon as we can find the next location, we hope to."

Vitality Bowls in Stamford is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Online ordering for pickup is available through the Vitality Bowls website or app, which also features a loyalty program that allows members to accrue one "Vitality Point" for every dollar spent, redeem collected points, order online with ease and more.

Delivery is also available through third-party services like Doordash and Grubhub.

For more on Vitality Bowls, the menu, and franchising opportunities, visit the brand's website or follow the Stamford location on Instagram.