Meet Lala 

“Keep it simple and always make your own salad dressing.”
Lauren “Lala” Higgins
Owner and Chef, Lala’s Cafe

I often tell people that I grew up in the kitchen. 

My mother worked as a recipe developer and food stylist, which meant I spent countless afternoons and weekends tasting, assisting, and observing as she experimented with spices and seasonings. My mom, sister, and I cooked dinner together every night. Spicy curries, tangy barbeque, simmering soups … The aromas permeated every room in our Rhode Island home.

While living in New York City after college, I set aside significant portions of my paycheck to explore the city’s famed restaurants. Ultimately my passion for food led me to quit my job in advertising and begin my formal culinary journey at the French Culinary Institute in Soho. After graduation, I worked the line at a number of restaurants. Though the hours were grueling, it was clear I had found my calling. 

My professional food journey continued as a recipe tester and associate editor at Martha Stewart Everyday Food. Upon moving to the Bay Area, I became a food editor for the Williams-Sonoma Cookbook series.

The Next Course: Lala’s Cafe

After taking a break from professional cooking to raise my two children, Ben and Abby, and in the midst of all that was 2020, I began offering hearty salads for pick up to friends in Mill Valley. Originally known as Lauren’s Lunches, the neighborhood quite literally ate it up! 

Today, Lala’s Cafe delivers healthy and flavorful salads, sandwiches, and soups to Mill Valley, Tiburon, Corte Madera, and Belvedere. Made with local ingredients, our nutritious and substantial meals fill you up and won’t let you down. 

Meet the family: Ben, Abby, and Wilbur.

Bon appetit!

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