Business

‘It’s Just Been Amazing’: Barvida Marks One Year on Elm Street

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Asked what his first year in business in downtown New Canaan has been like, Barvida owner Brennan Branca says “it’s been overwhelmingly positive.”

The organic vegan juice bar and café he opened last November at 137 Elm St. has seen a steady stream of customers, according to the Darien native, and his business is integrating into the community in ways he couldn’t anticipate. 

The New Canaan location is Branca’s second, after his native Darien, though even there he had patrons coming down from the “Next Station To Heaven” to sample cold-pressed juices, smoothies and organic foods including bowls, wraps, salads and toasts. “When we were in Darien, we had a bunch of people from New Canaan come over and ask us to open,” Branca recalled. “And as soon as we opened, we had a bunch of people come in that kind of knew the name and honestly, everyone in New Canaan has been extremely nice, more so than I could ever imagine. They were extremely welcoming.

Business

‘Barvida’ Organic Vegan Juice Bar and Café Opens on Elm Street

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A new organic vegan juice bar and café has opened in the heart of downtown New Canaan. Darien’s Brennan Branca opened his second location of Barvida on Nov. 12 at 137 Elm St., next to the alley by Chef Luis. The business’s first store opened in Darien in 2020. Serving cold-pressed juices, smoothies and organic foods including bowls, wraps, salads and toasts, Barvida is focused on “providing the absolute highest-quality ingredients that we can possibly source,” Branca told NewCanaanite.com on a recent afternoon.