With backing from a pair of fellow Mercer Islanders, Lisa Nordstrom has opened a new Sano in Bellevue to continue offering its organic house-made juices, smoothies, elixirs and nutritious meals.

Nordstrom, who founded Sano Bar in 2015 with her three daughters, opened Sano Café three years later on Mercer Island. The moniker for the healthy energy bars and cafe means “healthy mind and body” in Italian, according to its website.

Led by co-founders and Island natives Norman Wu and Danny Brawer, Conscious Hospitality Group (CHG) enters the Sano picture as investors specializing in scaling purpose-driven concepts. CHG owns Hap’s on the Island and the duo has produced Just Poké and other brands.

The new Sano opened in June in downtown Bellevue at 453 106th Ave E., and there are planned openings this month in downtown Kirkland and downtown Redmond, according to a press release.

“When I started Sano Café, it was about more than just food. I wanted to create a space where people could connect over meals that nourish the body and mind,” said Island native Nordstrom. “Opening in Bellevue with a like-minded partner that can help grow, scale and build a conscious brand is an exciting step forward, and I’m looking forward to keeping the Sano purpose alive as we continue to grow.”

Wu said he and Brawer have been good friends with Nordstrom for more than 10 years. When Nordstrom visited Just Poké in Kirkland, she and Wu spoke about their Island connection and the business world. They kept in touch over the years and shared best business tips and tricks, Wu said.

“I’ve always been super impressed with her passion for Sano and healthy eating,” said Wu, adding that Nordstrom is well-versed in nutrition and its various trends.

Wu said in a press release that Nordstrom is a trailblazer: “They were one of the very early cafes using organic produce, organic fruit, super high quality nutrition ingredients. And that’s something I’ve been very personally aligned on. I was a personal customer of Sano just as something that I’d want to consume.”

As Sano continues its healthy eating movement, Wu said that Nordstrom remains very active in the business and will help CHG work on menu development and more. With Bellevue possessing a similar demographic to Mercer Island, Wu said that it was a good fit and a natural growth extension to bring Sano to the neighboring city.

With a menu crafted by a certified nutritionist, nearly 80% of Sano’s items are made in-house, including nutrient-packed dressings, protein bites and balls, syrups and plant-based milks. The menu includes pasture raised protein-powered boxes like roast salmon, paired with avocado, black rice, nori and yuzu ginger cucumber; organic signature bowls, including antioxidant-rich organic acai topped with strawberries, banana and blueberries; housemade toasts with hummus, cucumbers, sesame seeds, cilantro, olive oil and radish and more.

Wu said he thinks as people become more aware of what’s going into their food, “I’m hoping that there’s continued increase in demand and people really wanting places where they can trust that kind of everything at the cafe or restaurant is going to be good for them.”

For more information, visit: https://www.thesanocafe.com/

Customers visit the new Sano in Bellevue. Photo courtesy of Sano