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Daily Memphian Posted “Caritas Village fills bellies and nourishes community” which features Caritas Village.

I was hungry, they fed me, and when I paid the folks at Caritas Village for my meal, I added $10 to the check so they could feed someone who is hungry and can’t afford to pay. With that donation, my lunch for two came to $27.50 – and it was really for three.

Caritas Village opened in Binghampton in 2006, the answering of the call for Onie Johns. Until last year, she served as the director of the community center with a café at its heart, just as the village is the soul of the community. When she stepped down, veteran restaurateur Mac Edwards stepped in.

With a long history in the restaurant business that includes hits and misses, Edwards came in with no nonprofit experience but with a passion to the mission that he also exhibited when he was a founding member of the Memphis Farmers Market. Despite some business failings, one thing Edwards has delivered is good food, whether it was at McEwen’s, The Farmer or Brooks Pharm2Fork.

Now his food – at least food from his menus, as he’ll be the first to say that real chefs laugh at him when he dons the white jacket– is on the menu at Caritas Café and at present is being cooked by Spencer McMillin, a talented chef who has worked in numerous restaurants, most recently taught at L’Ecole Culinaire and is the private chef for the Grizzlies’ Mike Conley.

He can cook.

A plate lunch changes daily at Caritas, with some consistency. Friday is always catfish, and Monday is usually pork, for example. But as the café is run with the same farm-to-table philosophy that Edwards used in his restaurants, sometimes what’s being cooked has to do with what is available and at its peak.

We ate pork sirloin with smoked mashed potatoes and broccoli casserole on a recent Monday, a hearty meat-and-three (if you count the roll) that could’ve been proudly served at any place in town. The pork was tender, with caramelization from a good sear and covered in a light brown gravy. McMillin’s potatoes were first boiled, then put in a stovetop smoker for extra flavor before they were mashed. The broccoli was tender but still crisp, coated with just enough cheese and breadcrumbs to keep it together and give it some crunch.

Caritas Village

Best Choices: Plate lunch ($9.50); grilled cheese with potato salad and soup ($8); vegetable plate ($8.50)

Hours: The center is open 9 a.m.-8p.m. Monday through Saturday. Food is served 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a,,m,-4 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday.

Website: caritasvillage.org

2509 Harvard• 901-327-5246

Price: ($=$10 or less per entrée; $$=$11-$25 per entrée; $$$=$25-$35 per entrée; $$$$=$35+ per entrée)

Alcohol: None

Noise: Not an issue

Bottom Line: The food at Caritas is cooked by a chef; it’s restaurant quality. Prices are exceptionally reasonable and the money raised is used to continue the revitalization of the Binghampton neighborhood.

The black bean soup we ate that day was excellent, spicy and thick. Soup is in a tureen on a table when you enter the café, sitting there with cornbread and anything else that might go with it. I ordered it with grilled cheese, because sometimes there is just no meal more perfect. The sandwich was top-notch, cooked to an ideal golden crisp outside, with plenty of melted cheddar and Swiss cheese that pulled in strings as I separated the sourdough halves. It came with some of the best potato salad in town, one Edwards has carried and adapted since the days of McEwen’s (which he opened in 1997 and sold to Bert Smythe and John Littlefield in 2008). Potatoes are diced and roasted and while still warm, tossed with salt and pepper, whatever herbs are handy, olive oil and a bit of mayo.

But the grilled cheese and the soup, sans the potatoes? That’s free to anyone in need. The plate lunch? Same. That’s the meal you make possible when you pay it forward with some extra money at checkout.

You can also order a grilled pimento cheese, and it comes served with a side of habanero pepper jelly, which I asked to try. I immediately purchased a jar; it’s made by the kids in the cooking program at Knowledge Quest and – finally! Pepper jelly that is as hot as it is sweet. Good stuff.

Another day, we enjoyed a plate lunch of grilled chicken in a lemon butter sauce, served with a side of rosemary roasted potatoes and steamed spinach, and again, the plate lunch was $9.50. We also ordered a vegetable plate, which was just fabulous. The selection changes daily; unless you seriously hate cauliflower, like in a bad, sad, betrayed-by-it way, you have to order it. It’s broken in florets, roasted in oil with fragrant spices – curry forward – and browned a bit in spots. It was outrageously good for the usurper of the produce world, the vegetable that went for Brussels sprouts and came away with the crown.

Greens were good; their likker over an order of Grit Girl grits, even better. Edward’s sloppy joe, the one that made an appearance of Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” on Food Network, is served at Caritas. It starts with carrots, onion and celery, cooked down and amped up with allspice, cloves, cider vinegar and tomato paste. It’s tangy but mellowed by a slow cooking with ground beef and served on a big toasted bun.

Caritas serves a full lunch Monday through Friday and everything except the plate lunch on Saturday. Soon, likely late this month, a Saturday brunch and one dinner a month are planned.

The dining hall is large and simple, furnished with a few booths along the windowed north wall, tables in the rest of the room and a soft seating area where folks can relax with a cup of coffee or just visit. It’s a place of community, where it’s easy to linger a little.

Take note that Mac Edwards is the guest on the “Destination: Delicious” podcast scheduled for 4 p.m. March 4; tune in to learn more about Caritas and its mission.

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I Heart Memphis Blog Posted “Have Lunch At The Reopened Caritas Village Cafe In Binghampton” which features Caritas Village.

After more than a year of renovations, Caritas Village reopened in September with a new Executive Director, a revamped cafe menu, and a renovated event space that’s open to the public.

If you’re unfamiliar, Caritas Village is a beloved community center and restaurant in Binghampton. The space was founded by Onie Johns in 2006 (read more about her here) and for more than a decade served the community as a place for art, gatherings, and good meals.

In 2017, Caritas closed for renovations and has reopened with more than a fresh coat of paint: the organization has a new Executive Director, Mac Edwards, and a renewed mission to bring even more people into the space.

You may recognize the name Mac Edwards, from his previous endeavors as chef.owner of The Farmer and Pharm2Fork restaurants. If you’re missing his cooking, Caritas is your answer: Mr. Edwards is also the chef. The menu is a mix of his farm-to-table recipes and Caritas favorites.

I recently had lunch there with my pal Jeff, and was quite impressed.

We walked into the cafe, which has plenty of tables and a couple booths. We ordered at the counter, took our number, and settled into a table near the windows. There’s a daily soup and a daily special as well as casual cafe fare – burger, sloppy joe, salads, soups, veggie plate, quesadillas. The proteins, including the eggs, are all grass-fed and sourced from Marmilu Farms in Humbolt, Tennessee.

Jeff and I got the daily special – chicken thighs with roasted vegetables – and a whole chicken quesadilla (you can also get a half quesadilla). The chicken thighs were coated in a light but flavorful brown gravy, the veggies well seasoned and roasted crisp-tender. Honestly, the plate presented to us and its taste reminded me of dishes from The Farmer. A favorite from Caritas’ original menu were the quesadillas, which were served with a dab of guac and a little spicy ranch-like sauce. Good stuff.

Caritas is all about service, and no one who’s hungry is turned away for their inability to pay. Lunch item prices are between $6 – $8.50, so those who can afford it should pay it forward with an extra donation.

“Everyone who wants it can have bowls of soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, and cornbread,” Mac explained to me. “For some, this may be their only meal of the day.” Having a safe, clean, space to eat and relax for a while is so important for many in the city, and I’m glad that Caritas is there for this.

The unique atmosphere of Caritas creates a much more inclusive experience than a normal “soup kitchen” or shelter. On my visit, Memphians from different walks of life made up the lunch crowd – neighborhood regulars, a family with young kids, business people who grabbed lunch to-go, and folks catching up with friends. I will definitely be back, because my lunch was excellent.

Fun fact: Having lunch at Caritas Village is #246 on the list of 365 Things To Do In Memphis. Just another reason – besides the good food and great mission – to make a lunch date there.

The Caritas Village facility is open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Upstairs, there’s a large space for events. Currently, you’ll find classes, live music, arts events, meetings, and more taking place. The space is also open for anyone to rent. I can envision all kinds of things: performing arts shows (there are dressing rooms), meetings, catered meals for a big group, corporate or non-profit staff retreats, or presentations. Contact Caritas directly for event rental information.

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Memphis Flyer posted “Mac Edwards is new head of Caritas Village. ” which features Caritas Village.

It’s a gathering place, a safe place,” says Mac Edwards of Caritas Village. Edwards, who was the driving force behind the restaurants McEwen’s, The Farmer, and Brooks Pharm2Fork, recently took over as executive director of Caritas Village from its founder Onie Johns.

Johns created the community center under the ethos of “love for all people.” Edwards fully buys into the idea. “It was the chance to do something good, something different,” Edwards says of taking the gig.

Like Johns, Edwards lives in the neighborhood, in a blue duplex right across the street from the center. It was part of his compensation package, says Edwards.

As for the restaurant, Edwards says to expect a lot of the old favorites — the sloppy joes, the patty melt — as well as some dishes borrowed from the Farmer.

On a recent afternoon, the special was chicken thighs and legs with mashed potatoes and green beans (plus dessert!). Sides included braised greens and sauteed carrots, zucchini, and yellow squash.

Prices top out at $8, and guests can always pay it forward by adding an extra buck or two to cover the next fellow.

There are grilled cheese sandwiches and a “one story” club, quesadillas, chicken soup, and meat and two plates. More favorites on the menu are the Cobb salad and the veggie burger. The patty for the burger comes from Fuel. Edwards plans to source as much as possible locally. The pasta, for example, is made by Miles Tamboli.

There’s a pot of vegetable beef stew near the door, along with squares of cornbread. Edwards says anyone who needs a meal can get one at Caritas, gratis.

It’s a place where all races, of all stations can break bread.

“Everyone eats together,” Edwards says.

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Issu Posted “Do Good” which features Caritas Village.

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Commercial Appeal posted “The Weekly Dish: Pay it forward during lunch at the reopened Caritas Village. ” which features Caritas Village.

Caritas is Latin for “love for all people.” It is the perfect name for the loving neighborhood community that Onie Johns created back in 2006.

Located in the heart of Binghampton, Caritas Village was built to be a safe place for people to eat, meet, serve in the community and share life. It has hosted countless events like social justice meetings, Bible studies, festivals, art openings and provided meals to those who can’t afford them.

In June 2017, the beloved neighborhood gathering spot closed its doors as it underwent an extensive renovation. The building, which was originally a Masonic Lodge, was in dire need of upgrades and repairs. After a year of planning and another for construction, Caritas Village reopened Aug. 25 with a new interior and new leadership.

Johns has retired from her role as executive director and has chosen Mac Edwards to be her replacement. Edwards is a longtime Memphian and veteran restaurateur. His first foray into the restaurant business was McEwen’s, which was followed by the popular The Farmer and Pharm-to-Fork restaurants.

“Mac was the by far the most qualified person that applied,” Johns said of her choice of successor. “It is exciting to have him on board. And I have to tell you, the gardeners in the neighborhood are looking forward to his farm-to-table menu.”

A founding board member of the Memphis Farmers Market, Edwards will bring his farm-to-table philosophy to the cafe at Caritas Village.

“I have partnered with local farmers like Caleb Curlin of Marmilu Farms to give us a break on price so we can serve local, grass-fed proteins. Ray Tyler of Rose Creek Farms in Selmer is also working with us so we can afford to bring in fresh produce.”

For opening day of the cafe, the handwritten menu consisted of longtime favorites such as quesadillas, soup, a veggie plate and burgers. New items include a collection of dishes that had been popular at The Farmer, such as the Chicken Tostada Salad, the Sloppy Joe and Edwards’ signature Roasted Potato Salad side.

Serving lunch six days a week, the café is open to everyone.

“You will see people from the neighborhood, business people, politicians — people from all walks of life,” Edwards said.

The idea behind the nonprofit is that it is a gathering place. It provides meals for those who can afford to dine there and those who can’t. “We are a ‘pay as you can’ restaurant,” Edwards said. “Some people even ‘pay it forward’ and purchase extra meals for those who can’t.”

Edwards is looking forward to this new chapter for Caritas Village and himself. “I think this new role is a great way for me to do something good for my hometown. Memphis has been awfully good to me.”

At lunch on opening day, I thoroughly enjoyed my meal, but the best part was the feeling I got from adding a “pay it forward” meal to my bill. Try it — I think you’ll like it, too.

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Memphis Business Journal posted “Binghampton’s Caritas renovated to allow for more events, farm-to-table dining ” which features Caritas Village.

Caritas Village, the Binghampton restaurant and community center, is putting the finishing touches on its major renovation and is set to reopen to the public at noon Saturday.

The upgrades — which began last summer and were originally set to be complete last year — included the kitchen, windows, floors, bathrooms, HVAC, electrical system, plumbing system and the addition of a lift. The second floor received a major overhaul and is now ready to host a variety of events.

“It was a fairly significant overhaul from top to bottom,” Caritas board member Peter Hossler said. “The heart was always here, but the 1950s building made it difficult at times [to fulfill our mission].”

In the midst of the renovations, the organization hired longtime Memphis restaurateur Mac Edwards as its executive director. Edwards — formerly of Brooks Pharm2Fork and The Farmer — worked to craft the kitchen and dining space to fit his farm-to-table vision, which is a new approach for Caritas dining.

“One exciting thing about Mac being on board is [founder and former executive director] Onie Johns didn’t come from the food services industry,” Hossler said. “Now the food side of the operations will line up with [the overall] justice mission.”

Edwards said all of Caritas’ protein will soon be supplied by Marmilu Farms, a family farm in Jackson, Tennessee.

Caritas board member Jeff Hullet said he is particularly excited for the overhauled event space on the second floor, which he expects to bring a host a new events and, with them, new revenue for the nonprofit.

In total, the renovations cost about $500,000, Hossler said. That doesn’t include an in-kind donation of about $5,000 from the Tower Center or architect John Pruett donating his work. ViktorHall Construction LLC was the project’s general contractor.

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Commercial Appeal posted “Pharm2Fork’s Mac Edwards takes leadership of Caritas Village” which features Caritas Village.

Mac Edwards has been named the executive director of Caritas Village, which has been closed for about a year but should reopen by mid-June.

“I’m very excited. I’ve done a lot in the restaurant business here and now to be able to do something in the nonprofit sector and give back to the town that I’ve lived in for over 40 years is great,” Edwards said.

It’s a new beginning after a tough year for both.

Caritas Village, a community center that includes a restaurant, opened in 2006 by Onie Johns, who remained executive director until December 2016. The plan was to close the building for a short time after Johns left to renovate the former Masonic lodge, but when the air conditioning went out in June, it closed abruptly and one repair led to another.

In January, Edwards closed Brooks Pharm2Fork, a popular restaurant on the Collierville square that had been open about a year.

“The bottom line is that I was having trouble making ends meet. It came to a tipping point,” Edwards said. “It wasn’t pretty, but it was time to close.”

Since then he’s been helping with an Italian restaurant in Southaven that should open in June.

Meanwhile, Caritas Village in the Binghamton neighborhood was looking for a new executive director to replace the person who came in after Johns. Edwards applied for the job.

“Basically he was the best qualified person,” Johns said. “We have community gardens in the neighborhood, and a lot of people were interested in farm to table, and he knows about that.

“He made it clear that he wants to finish out his career in the nonprofit sector, giving back, and it’s the kitchen, we feel, that will make the village sustainable.”

It’s Edwards’ plan to get food for the restaurant from the community gardens and to establish relationships with other urban gardens, too. While he won’t run the daily operations of the restaurant, as executive director he plans to establish a menu similar to the one at The Farmer, Edwards’ restaurant that closed in 2017 after six years.

“I’m going to do the kind of food that I know, so don’t be surprised to see a sloppy joe on there. I’ll use as much fresh produce as possible, maybe local protein if I can,” Edwards said.

“Part of the renovation grant includes bigger kitchen space and some new equipment. We’ll have people from the community working there plus I’m looking for a chef. And we hope to train people in the kitchen who can then go out and find work in a restaurant.”

In addition to the first-floor restaurant and coffee shop that offers dining tables and soft seating areas for folks to visit in, art classes, yoga and community events are held in the building. A second-floor amphitheater is ready to go, as is a community room that Johns says can be used for a variety of things including special dinners.

“I intend to get local musicians to play, to give new talent a place to come, get local chef friends to host dinners maybe once a month, do art shows — who knows?” Edwards said. “Some of it will be solely to benefit the community, but some of it will be to raise money.”

It’s not how Johns, who left her Germantown home and moved to the Binghamton neighborhood when she started Caritas, did things. But she says that it might be time to shake it up a little.

“As long as he sticks to the core mission, which is ‘to break down walls of hostility between cultures, to build bridges of love and trust between the rich and those made poor and to provide a positive alternative to the street corners for the neighborhood children,’ then doing things a new way should be good.”

She remains in the neighborhood and is the doyenne of Caritas.

“I’m happy to do as much as they want me to or as little as they want me to,” she said. “I will always be involved if they want me, but I also don’t want to interfere.”

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