A new pay-if-you-can restaurant is open in Uptown.

The former Salty Tart bakery on Harriet is being put to good use. Provision Community Restaurant is now open in the space. After more than 2 years in the making, the eatery will serve its first meals, without presenting a single check.

Anna Wienke has worked almost every position in the restaurant industry, and is the driving force behind this project. This restaurant will feed you dinner and weekend breakfast, and if you can pay for it, great … if you can’t, also great.

Anna is following the lead of the One World Everybody Eats organization, which is a non-profit dedicated to supporting the pay-what-you-can restaurant model as a way to build community and fight hunger. They have over 50 independent cafes in their network around the world.

“This is about creating a space for the community to come and get nourished, whether that be with healthy food or human interaction.” This isn’t a just a soup kitchen that feeds the homeless, though anyone is welcome, there’s no checking of ID’s or proof of hardship needed. It’s for anyone who might be down on their luck, need a good meal, or some human connection to break out of isolation. “I would see these people at St. Stephen’s who would go to work all day, then come back to the shelter because they had nowhere to go. Or the elderly lady in line at Target who seems to talk your ear off because she’s alone at home, this is a place where they can have a break, can sit down to a meal with others, and not have to worry about anything.” Everything is served family style and all of the 30 seats are at communal tables. More…

BY STEPHANIE MARCH