Long before she owned two plant-and-coffee shops, The Ground co-founder Michelle Miller had more than 100 houseplants at home and was a self-proclaimed “serious plant enthusiast.”
Miller said the same thing of her co-founder Molly Kiriacoulacos. Miller, who was consulting for the owners of a multi-use brick building on North Second Street in Norris Square during COVID-19, thought that a plant-and-coffee shop would be perfect for its corner unit. Then she and Kiriacoulacos decided they should be the ones to open it.
The Ground was born in 2022, and the two entrepreneurs opened their second location on 18th Street in Rittenhouse in 2023.
The plants are mostly sourced from small, independent growers located within 100 miles of Philadelphia, which tends to result in healthier plants. Inside both locations, you’ll find a variety of tropical houseplants with diverse light options.
On the coffee and restaurant side, The Ground’s beans are from Saxbys in South Philly. Signature drinks include a chocolate-covered strawberry latte made with Ghirardelli cocoa and a rose pistachio latte topped with dried rose petals.
But what Miller is especially proud of is The Ground’s food menu. Almost every dish is made from scratch with fresh ingredients. Miller, who is half-Korean, has added Korean influences to some of The Ground’s newest menu items, including a Bulgogi cheesesteak quesadilla made with thin-sliced beef ribeye, Cooper Sharp cheese, and a charred scallion crema.
The Ground also has an in-house baking program with rotating pastries, including a gochujang banana bread made with a Korean fermented red pepper paste that mixes saltiness, heat, and sweetness.
“Bringing some of those flavors to our menu has been really big for me, and I think it’s resonated well with a lot of our clients,” Miller said.
