New organic cafe in St. Charles seeking BYOB liquor license

Opening an organic coffee house and eatery in downtown St. Charles is somewhat of a pipe dream come true for owner Andrea Janes.

In the early 1990s, her goal was to launch an organic deli in Michigan City, Indiana, near where she lives. Instead, Janes got a degree in education and spent the past few decades teaching.

Fast forward to a recent vacation in Southern California, where she and her daughter visited a health-focused cafe serving Bulletproof-brand coffee, supplements and food products. While discussing Janes' upcoming retirement on the airplane heading home, she said, the pair came up with the perfect plan for her next career move: Opening an organic establishment of their own.

Kava Diem is slated to begin operating by year's end in a suite within the Fox Island Square at 1 W. Illinois St., St. Charles. The cafe will serve Bulletproof coffee, as well as other single-sourced, wet-pressed brands, according to its website. Fresh cold-pressed juice also will be available, and a full-service kitchen will offer food made with pure ingredients.

Additionally, Kava Diem operators are seeking a liquor license that would allow customers to bring in their own alcohol for on-site consumption. The St. Charles city council is expected to vote next week on the measure, which was unanimously approved last week at the committee level.

Three other establishments — two restaurants and a cigar shop — hold active BYOB licenses in the city, police Chief James Keegan said. Kava Diem's model is not dependent on the BYOB table service, he added, though it could enhance the business.

The demand for healthy, organic products is greater in the St. Charles area than in Michigan City, Janes said. Her daughter and business partner, Leah Jenski, lives in an unincorporated area near St. Charles and owns the Salternative Spa in Geneva.

Kava Diem intends to have a variety of options for any diet, including vegetarian, vegan, Paleo, gluten free or ketogenic, according to the business plan. Menu items are expected to be organic, grass-fed, pasture-raised, humane and sustainable.

The cafe's hours are from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Fridays; and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends.