Zend Conscious Lounge

Zend Conscious Lounge is so much more than a restaurant - it’s a social movement. The communal environment in the heart of Yaletown donates 100 percent of its profits to charitable causes. The venue hosts a weekly speaker’s series, kava jams (aka sober dance parties), and a Sunday charity service that has included Sun Run clean-ups, hug a stranger day, and other benevolent acts. All this is built on a cornerstone of health: raw vegan food paired with mystical kava and botanical drinks.

Zend first opened on Mainland Street in July 2015. Owner Steve Curtis had previously built a successful digital marketing agency (ZAG) at a young age, but at 24 he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Following his diagnosis, he embarked on a journey of healing; he studied meditation, spontaneous remission, inner peace and plant-based diets, and discovered the mind-quieting power of the kava plant. A passion grew to bring plants and peace to others.

General Manager Ashleigh Vogstad partnered with Steve in January 2016, shortly after he had summitted a little mountain called Everest. “When I met Steve and heard his ideas for Zend, it was clear I needed to join him in this social venture, and scale up its impact,” Ashleigh says.

“Zend is about coming back to health, creating a healing state in body,” Ashleigh explains. “Life’s not about go go go – it’s about finding peace and calm.”