A quaint café in Ohsweken, Ont. is catering to a cause. The restaurant south of Brantford opened at the end of 2025 after its owner, John Joseph, was diagnosed with diabetes. “I knew I was overweight, but my breathing was getting bad. I was getting really sluggish in the morning,” Joseph said. “I knew something was wrong.” Following his diagnosis in June, Joseph completely changed his lifestyle by opting for healthier foods. But when he tried to go out to eat at a restaurant as a treat, he noticed his options were limited. “Even going and getting a plain chicken - the sauce on it has got sugar, the salads have sugar. I was like, ‘Well, I can’t be the only one experiencing this,’” he explained. Taking matters into his own hands, he opened Skū Náh Café, a diabetic friendly food establishment. Educational signs are posted around the two-table café, giving customers the confidence to enjoy their meal without overthinking the menu. “Everything is balanced. The macros are all set up, and so you get your proper amounts for each meal,” Joseph said, adding that even their dessert options are sugar free. Wes Gray and his family made the 40-minute drive to check out the café. “I never knew that a place like this even existed,” said Gray, who was diagnosed with diabetes just over a year ago. “I find the lion’s share of restaurants out there do not cater to diabetics at all. Most are very good at making accommodations, but, I watch what I eat like a hawk. I have to.” Locals who live on the reserve in Six Nations of the Grand River are also being drawn to the new spot. The importance of the restaurant is hitting home as diabetes is a prevalent disease among Indigenous communities. “We look at economic factors like a historic lack of access to health care, as well to ongoing lack of access to nutritious foods,” explained Dakota Sinasac, a registered dietician with Six Nations Health Services. She added that Six Nations is also known as a ‘food desert’ due to the lack of nearby grocery stores. “It’s very reassuring that I know I can send patients somewhere they’re going to get a nutritious meal that’s good for their blood sugars as well,” said Sinasac. In the future, Joseph said he hopes to expand his café so more people will be able to enjoy his offerings. “I’m giving elders a safe place to come, eat and enjoy a diabetic meal without feeling guilty about going out for dinner and getting off their diet or eating something unhealthy.”
