GREENFIELD — All seven locations of La Plaza Bakery, including those in South Monterey County, have been named Blue Zones Project Approved restaurants, demonstrating their commitment to helping residents achieve healthier lifestyles.
“I’m thrilled that all seven La Plaza Bakery locations have earned this distinction to help make healthy choices easier for our community,” said Tiffany Ditullio, executive director at Blue Zones Project Monterey County.
La Plaza Bakery, which specializes in custom cakes and authentic Mexican food, is the first restaurant in Greenfield — and the second in South Monterey County — to earn this distinction.
In addition to Greenfield, La Plaza Bakery’s six other locations — three in Salinas and one each in Gonzales, Soledad and King City — have achieved this honor by adding 10 different plant-based dishes to their menu to be approved. Among the new items are a veggie burrito, garbanzos y nopales (chickpeas and cactus), a veggie torta, grilled veggie tacos and a tostada.
Co-owner Jesse Rodriguez shared his excitement to have these kinds of dishes on the menu.
“These were dishes that we ate as children back in our land,” Rodriguez said about growing up in Mexico. “I was very pleased in a way because I was going back to eat the same way as when I was a kid.”
La Plaza Bakery now joins 27 other restaurants throughout Monterey County to be “approved” by the Blue Zones Project. Approval celebrations were held earlier in July at the bakery locations — 111 Broadway St. in King City; 150 El Camino Real in Greenfield; 901 Front St. in Soledad; 33 Third St. in Gonzales; and 20 N. Sanborn Road, 107 Bardin Road and 1036 N. Davis Road in Salinas.
Blue Zones Project is a community-by-community, well-being improvement initiative designed to make healthy choices easier through permanent changes to environment, policy and social networks. To learn more about the project, visit info.bluezonesproject.com/montereycounty.
