Jeremy Andrew, contributor

Nabo Neighborhood Café, the self-proclaimed “hottest foot spot on the block,” is returning to the Augsburg Dining scene after having been closed for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related staffing issues. The eatery, located on the ground floor of the Oren Gateway Center with a terrace overlooking Riverside Avenue, has been a part of Augsburg’s dining options since 2008. Today it employs over 55 people, including 22 Augsburg students. 

Nabo has a vast array of meal options, including burritos, burgers, tacos, salad and more, with a wide variety of optional toppings and your choice of protein all made to order, priced with a college student’s budget in mind. Nabo has no plans on serving pork due to the dietary restrictions of Halal and Kosher students.

Nabo has struggled to find its niche compared to other campus dining offerings. Four years ago the café focused on pasta, and then moved into offering more Mexican cuisine, before returning to pasta, only to have to shut its doors due to the pandemic. 

Nabo General Manager Jeff Johnson is not too concerned about the cafe’s lack of a niche at present, explaining that the long-term goal of Nabo is not to set a menu that will never change, but rather to work toward making good food out of locally sourced and sustainable resources. In contrast to campus coffee stop Kafe Kafeega, which sources coffee from B&W roasters, Nabo will feature offerings from Peace Coffee, the beloved socially-conscious coffee wholesaler co-founded by Augsburg alumnus Reginaldo Haslett-Maroquin (’03).