SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. –  Misty McBride harbors a passion for many things – flowers and herbs, sustainability, nurturing the body and mind – and now, she has found a way to share those passions with the community through the opening of Gather Botanical Café. 

While Gather Botanical Café provides organic, vertically-sourced coffee and a cozy place to relax, it is so much more than just a cafe. Inside, you’ll find a menu teeming with unique offerings, handcrafted teas, smoothies, juices, gluten-free baked goods, ceramics, and more. 

As a Tahoe local for 18 years, McBride is no stranger to owning and operating businesses in the area. In addition to both Ohana Midwifery and Herb & Moon Apothecary, her newest business venture started in January of this year when she took over the Tahoe Keys business space where Gathered and Grown, a homegoods store, previously resided. 

“I wanted to do a homage to [Gathered and Grown], and I stuck on the word ‘gather’ because I kept mulling over this idea, ‘From the hands that gather,'” McBride said. “From our flowers to our coffee to our teas, everything we serve. I was just thinking about this reverence and this gratitude for how much goes into a cup of coffee – from the people who plant it to the people who harvest it to the people who get it internationally from there to right here in our little cafe.” 

Starting with a blank canvas, McBride was able to bring her vision to life through four months of renovation. While building out the space, she had her sights set on everything being custom-made and reached out to Burman Woodcraft for custom-designed cabinetry and benches. Other parts of her furniture collection come from a small boutique furniture store in Los Angeles where, together with her designer, she created pieces that blend elegance with functionality.

“I really tried to make it look like nothing anyone’s ever seen,” she said, and if folks are interested in any of the furniture pieces, they’re in luck as Gather acts as a showroom where people can select and order their favorite furniture pieces.

McBride’s intentions were set on creating a place that could host events such as floral classes, baby and bridal showers, knitting and book clubs, mahjong games, and more. 

“We wanted to create a living room feeling. You could be here with your girlfriend or with a group of people, but still be a part of the collective while feeling like you’re having an intimate experience,” McBride said. 

Most notably, the cafe offers two distinctive commodities you won’t typically find elsewhere. One is a bloom bar where people can create their own flower bouquet using fresh flowers provided daily and a set of clear instructions to help you build the best-looking bouquet. From seasonal centerpieces to flower crowns during a baby shower at the cafe, the array of creations are endless. 

The cafe’s second unique offering are their meticulously-crafted mocktails, or as McBride prefers to call them, libations. 

“Libation means a drink poured from the gods,” said McBride. “Our body is our temple, right? So we should be bringing in adaptogenic, neurotropic ingredients that are good for us.”

Her elixirs present a nonalcoholic way to enjoy refreshing, invigorating and nourishing drinks while out socializing or having a good time. 

“It’s always a little bit of a challenge going places, going out at night or going somewhere to meet friends, because everything includes alcohol,” she said. “I don’t want to go out and drink juice and soda. I’m not five. I want to go out and drink something that’s going to make me feel good.”

Some of Gather’s mocktails include a Rose Spritz which has Abstinence Cape Flora, an award-winning, zero-proof nonalcoholic botanical gin alternative from South Africa, with a blood orange aperitif, and rose syrup topped with Prima Pave Rose Brut. Customers can also enjoy a Pentire Paloma, an Italian Wine Spritz, and Prima Pave Champagne, all with zero percent alcohol. 

Clean ingredients are a top priority for the cafe, and along with every syrup being made of organic cane sugar, Gather additionally provides organic dairy and is the only dedicated gluten-free cafe in the area, offering gluten-free bagels, pastries and more, baked fresh daily and delivered to the shop from Cascade Kitchen’s commissary kitchen. 

With sustainability-focused practices such as compostable cups, the cafe is also committed to planting trees with every 100 paper cups sold. 

“We’ve been composting coffee grounds since the start, and as of October 1, we have totaled almost 1000 pounds of compost,” McBride added. 

Looking ahead, Gather Botanical Café is expanding both their food menu and their curated tea menu, offering exotic teas from around the world. McBride is also hoping to, at some point in the future, extend their hours to provide a go-to for folks looking to enjoy dessert and mocktails after an evening spent dining out. 

“People are really starting to make this their community hub. I’m just full of gratitude. Even on the slow days, it’s beautiful,” McBride said. “We’re hoping to keep expanding and offering a little something for everyone so that people can continue to find us and make this their favorite community place to gather.”

Gather Botanical Café is celebrating an official ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, October 8 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Stop by for your chance to check out the beautifully-designed space while sipping on a delicious mocktail. 

The cafe’s current hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Find them on instagram: @gatherbotanicalcafe

Gather Botanical Café is located at 595 Tahoe Keys Blvd, Suite A2, in South Lake Tahoe, Calif.