Business

Oakland’s New ‘Roasted And Raw’ Restaurant Offers Delectable Healthy Delights

Those with salivating vegan appetites can email R&R@roastedraw2021@gmail.com or call ahead with orders to 415-658-5609. Roasted and Raw is open Thursday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. for take-out orders and curbside pick-up only, due to current safety and health conditions.

Published

5 years ago

September 24, 2021

Isabelle Price

Chef Imani Greer at his restaurant near Jack London Square. Photo Credit: Imani Greer

Chef Imani Greer, a culinary entrepreneur, has created quite a stir — and menu — for the Bay Area’s vegan-loving community with the opening of his new Roasted and Raw (R&R) restaurant near Oakland’s Jack London Square.

Neighboring Bed, Bath & Beyond and across from Cost-Plus World Market at 550 2nd St., R&R offers clean, rustic and robust flavors in its vegan cuisine, and is already giving notable competition to some of Oakland’s best vegan-based restaurants.

Greer pondered on how he could make good, healthy food for customers without them focusing on the fact that it’s vegan, and he encourages people to make healthy choices including adding much more plant-based ingredients in foods on a daily basis.

“We sometimes get caught up in titles, positions, and using buzz words rather than actually focusing on being healthy,” said Greer. “If calling yourself vegan to hold you accountable to be healthy, then by all means, go vegan. For me, it’s not so much of a philosophy but a lifestyle change, that’s important.”

R&R’s most popular dish is its chiro empanadas by far, according to Greer, and black bean burgers come in as a close second, as well as the chipotle peppers and spices. “Thirty to 40% of our business is foods that are Latino-inspired which makes our Taco Tuesdays a popular event,” noted Greer.

“All of our dishes and bowls are healthy and flavorful whether they are plant-based or not. It is our goal to provide perfect food and perfect service.”

Eating processed foods, fried foods and heavy meats on a daily, meal-to-meal basis is a choice that can impact your health. “I encourage people to look for foods that will help improve your body and lifestyle, and to incorporate it pretty aggressively.”

Greer also pointed out how eating and dietary habits handed down by elders can be re-examined in light of nutrition and modern medicine. “We, as a people, need to look back at our culture in terms of what is good and not good for us. We are prone to high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity, and in the past, we haven’t always had the opportunity to concentrate on eating healthy. In the beginning, our ancestors did because they farmed their own food and it was always fresh, from sweet potatoes, black-eyed peas, greens, cabbage, and other foods from the earth.”

“We have to look at the way we process food today, and look at where it comes from, and how it’s made, and the amount we eat,” said Greer. “Meat, for instance, wasn’t meant to be served in 12 or 24 ounces, and your stomach can only process four ounces or less of protein during a daily meal. And when you go to other countries and cultures, it’s like; you don’t sit down and have a T-bone steak added to the other things on your plate. You can only do that in America.”

Greer already has plans for future expansion. “On average, it takes about three to five years to expand from a pop-up concept to brick-and-mortar,” said Greer. “My No. 1 goal is to expand this business. We are fast-fracking and look to grow our restaurant within a year from now. By 2022, we hope to open up in the Uptown area. Our goal is to stay in Oakland, offering Oakland healthy plant-based bowls, along with burgers, empanadas, pastas made from scratch that we can be proud of.”

Isabelle Price

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

Published

1 week ago

March 22, 2026

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

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Advice

Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

2 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC