By Heather Francis, Forum Contributor

White River Junction is home to many unique and inspiring places to eat. Among several noteworthy eateries is an organic healthy café, Juel Modern Apothecary.

The café prides itself on using real ingredients, supporting local businesses, and encouraging a healthy lifestyle. Juel’s name is misleading, as it is not an apothecary. Instead, it is a modern take on an apothecary, offering healthy, tasty food with medicinal benefits.

Juel’s house made elderberry syrup is a medicinal miracle. Elderberry can be used to build a strong immune system or fight an on-coming cold. The syrup is made with reishi mushrooms, schisandra berries, cinnamon, lemon, raw honey, and ginger, making it easy and delicious to drink. The syrup may become your new staple around cold and flu season.

The to-go fridge is filled with fresh-pressed organic juices, wellness shots, raw wraps, elderberry syrup, and their famous Juel switchel (made with apple cider vinegar, raw local honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, ginger, and red cabbage). My favorite juice is the green grapefruit made with apple, celery, grapefruit, and cucumber.

The café has a full-service espresso bar, a smoothie bar, and makes specialty toasts. There are fresh pastries at the counter, including vegan and gluten-free treats. My favorite is the vegan chocolate chip cookies made with organic and earthy ingredients.

Every time I stop in Juel, I go back-in-forth from a maple oat latte to their mocha latte (always with Oatley’s oat milk). They use Tavernier chocolate, a local Vermont company, to make the mocha latte. Their chocolate is dairy-free, yet silky smooth. If you are not a coffee fan, Juel uses this chocolate in a delicious hot chocolate. If you fall in the love with this chocolate like I did, you can buy a bag of Tavernier’s from the café.

Aside from using products from local and sustainable companies in their food, they also sell the products so you can try them in recipes at home. The products rotate periodically, currently they are selling barrel-aged vinegar from Fable Farms, located in Barnard, Vermont. There are also homemade bags, essential oils, plant-based collagen from a Brooklyn Apothecary, and other products you can buy for yourself or as a unique gift.

Juel is devoted to promoting a sustainable future. Juel is running a promotion to encourage less waste. If you bring your own reusable container, you receive 25 cents off your purchase. If you want to use to-go cups, it will cost you 25 cents. Or, if you’re not on-the-go, you can dine in.

The café is an inviting place to hang out. I spend many hours studying at Juel sipping on coffee or a smoothie. There are plants lining the walls and plenty of sleek wooden tables. Juel’s music playlist never disappoints with alternative and indie jams.

The next time you are in White River Junction, I encourage you to make a pit-stop at Juel Modern Apothecary, nestled on the White River’s main street. I recommend trying their kimchi avocado toast and the berry pie smoothie.

To learn more about Juel, head to juelmodernapothecary.com or follow them on Instagram, @juel_juice.