Wednesday, Nov. 12, Kim Nguyen’s new uptown Juice Bar, The Pressery, had its soft opening amidst much buzz in the neighborhood. And locals are excited for its official opening Monday, Dec. 1.
Nguyen is the owner of Magasin Café uptown and comes from a long line of restaurateurs. She is a native New Orleanian of Vietnamese heritage.
After Katrina, Nguyen’s family relocated to Houston, but she felt a longing to return home and had a particularly strong nostalgia for Magazine Street (her long-time dream being to own a business there.)
In 2011, with the help of her family, Nguyen’s dream came true when she opened Magasin Café, her modern take on traditional Vietnamese cuisine.
Magasin has become a favorite in the neighborhood and its success has allowed Nguyen to pursue other business opportunities.
When juicing came into fashion a few years ago, Nguyen found herself feeling ahead of the trend. She explains that her family has been juicing her whole life, which may account for her sparkling, youthful spirit and appearance.
Nguyen’s love of organic, fresh ingredients led her to incorporate Vietnamese culinary traditions with modern juicing ideals, bringing her own flair to popular trends like green juice, or juice shots.
After two years of perfecting her technique, The Pressery is ready to open with bottled organic juices made from fresh ingredients. The company’s concoctions offer patrons a natural path to increased energy and better health benefits. The Pressery will focus on only organic, vegan-friendly options made from greens, root vegetables, citrus, coconut water, and milks (like almond and coconut). The juice bar will even feature kid-friendly options!
The Pressery will be offering memberships and free uptown delivery. All ingredients are locally sourced, and juices are cold pressed to ensure a nutrient-dense beverage.
At the Pressery’s soft opening, guests were delighted with combinations like sweet potato-carrot-apple-cinnamon-ginger, or artichoke with raw honey, which with holiday parties and Mardi Gras looming, Nguyen explains is great for a hangover. Other options like coconut water with chia seeds and different variations on almond milk were popular with guests as well.
The Pressery will offer vegan-friendly grab-n-go food options from Seed on Prytania and Magasin Kitchen (Nguyen’s next restaurant venture slated to hit the South Market District early next year.)
“My family has been juicing for years,” Nguyen told guests at the soft opening. “Long before it was a popular thing to do.” She seems overjoyed to get to share her take on juicing with her beloved city.
The Pressery will open Monday, Dec. 1, 2014 at 3005 Magazine Street. Hours will be Monday – Saturday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
