15 Best Salad Restaurants in America
If you’re trying to lose weight, cut down on fast food, or introduce more vegetables to your diet, there’s no better way than eating salad.
There are plenty of ways to make your salad taste fresher and more flavorful, and plenty of salad restaurants make it easy to do so.
Whether you’re craving fresh veggies or need a fast and healthy lunch, we’ve got you covered!
We’ve compiled a list of the best salad chains in America, where you can enjoy tasty and healthy salads that are sure to satisfy.
15. Sweetgreen
Sweetgreen is one of the biggest and most popular salad chains in the U.S.
They have over 150 locations in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Washington D.C.
Sweetgreen was founded in 2007 by Nicolas Jammet, Nathaniel Ru, and Jonathan Neman, three Georgetown University students.
The three friends opened the first Sweetgreen in Washington DC. after growing frustrated with the lack of healthy campus dining options at Georgetown.
They began by building relationships with farmers at local farmers’ markets, allowing them to source fresh, sustainable, and delicious produce for their salads.
Nowadays, Sweetgreen is a popular salad chain known for its fast service, delicious salads, and easy online ordering system, making it a healthy and convenient lunch or dinner option.
Sweetgreen’s menu offers a variety of warm bowls, salads, and plates.
One of the most popular warm bowls is the Harvest Bowl.
It’s made with roasted chicken, sweet potatoes, apples, goat cheese, toasted almonds, warm wild rice, and shredded kale, dressed in a balsamic vinaigrette.
One of the most popular salads is the Guacamole Greens.
It comes with roasted chicken, avocado, tomatoes, red onions, shredded cabbage, tortilla chips, spring mix, chopped romaine, and dressed in lime cilantro jalapeno vinaigrette.
Sweetgreen also gives you the option to build your own salad or bowl.
You can choose your base, toppings, and dressing, crafting the ultimate salad that perfectly suits your preferences.
14. Chopt
Chopt is another salad chain with over 70 locations in Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington D.C.
Chopt was founded in 2001 also by two college friends, Tony Shure and Colin McCabe.
Their goal was to build a salad restaurant as delicious and appealing as other unhealthier fast-food options, like pizza or burgers.
Chopt’s menu is constantly expanding, offering various warm bowls, salads, and even bottled dressings, if you want to recreate your favorite Chopt flavors at home.
One of their most popular warm bowls is the Chicken Tinga Bowl.
It comes with warm grains, marinated kale, avocado, braised chicken tinga, scallions, cotija cheese, tortilla chips, and black beans, dressed in their Mexican Goddess dressing.
One of their most popular salads is the Kebab Cobb Salad.
This salad is made with romaine lettuce, spicy peppers, pickled red onion, feta cheese, pita chips, grilled chicken, and falafel, dressed in their Greek Yogurt Tzatziki.
You can also choose to build your own bowl at Chopt.
You’ll start by picking a base of greens.
Then, you’ll be able to add up to four toppings, choosing from over 60 different fruits, vegetables, proteins, cheeses, grains, and crunchy toppings.
Finally, you’ll be able to dress your salad in one of 27 different dressings.
If you have a favorite Chopt dressing, you can even buy a bottle to take home!
13. Saladworks
Saladworks is one of the oldest salad chains in the U.S., operating over 100 locations in 22 states.
Saladworks was founded in 1986 in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
From the beginning, its mission has always been to provide fast, healthy, original, and customizable options.
Saladworks’ menu allows you to choose from a variety of different flavors made into salads, grain bowls, or tortilla wraps.
One of Saladworks’ most popular signature dishes is the Avocado Cobb.
It’s made with a romaine and iceberg blend, grilled chicken, diced tomatoes, avocado, sliced egg, smoky bacon, and blue cheese, dressed with their Thousand Island dressing.
Another popular option is the Grilled Chicken Caesar.
This salad comes with a romaine and iceberg blend, grilled chicken, sliced egg, Parmesan cheese, and housemade croutons, dressed with Saladworks’ Classic Caesar dressing.
You can also make your own salad, grain bowl, or wrap at Saladworks.
You’ll get to choose your base (greens, grains, or both), add five toppings, and choose a dressing.
In addition, Saladworks serves a variety of signature sandwiches, soups, and even paninis, if you’re looking to add something even more substantial to your salad.
12. Fresh & Co.
Fresh & Co. is a New York-based salad chain with over 15 locations, most of which are in New York.
However, Fresh & Co. also has one location in Florida, Connecticut, and New Jersey.
Fresh & Co. was founded in 2010.
They’ve made it their mission to provide diners with fresh, local, non-GMO produce.
Fresh & Co. prides itself on serving 100% vegetarian-fed, hormone-free poultry and meat and ample options for vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-free customers.
The Fresh & Co. menu specializes in a variety of chef-designed salads and grain bowls.
They also serve soups, sandwiches, wraps, and breakfast bowls, including a create-your-own omelet every morning until 11 am.
One of the most popular chef-designed salads at Fresh & Co. is the Cali Cobb salad.
It’s made with baby spinach and romaine blend, roasted turkey, bacon, mushrooms, blue cheese, grape tomatoes, and cucumbers, dressed with buttermilk ranch dressing.
One of their most popular chef-designed grain bowls is the South by Southwest.
This bowl comes with wild rice or quinoa, corn, avocado, cotija cheese, kidney beans, pico de gallo, and romaine lettuce dressed in chipotle-lime vinaigrette.
11. Hale & Hearty Soups
Although Hale & Hearty Soups mainly specializes in soup, they also serve delicious salads!
Hale & Hearty Soups is a New York-based chain with over 15 locations throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Long Island.
Hale & Hearty Soups was founded in New York City over twenty years ago.
Their first restaurant was a tiny storefront on 64th and Lexington in Manhattan.
Hale & Hearty Soups’ menu features a variety of freshly crafted seasonal salads.
One of their favorites is the Avocado Green Goddess.
It comes with romaine lettuce, avocado, egg, feta cheese, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, red onion, bell peppers, and cucumber, dressed with their Avocado Green Goddess dressing.
Another popular salad is the Hearty Chicken Avocado.
It’s made with mixed greens, grilled chicken, avocado, dried cranberries, candied walnuts, and tomatoes, dressed with their signature HH Vinaigrette.
You can also build your own salad, selecting a base of fresh greens and adding up to five toppings and two dressings.
Lastly, you can take advantage of the Hale & Hearty’s Perfect Pair option.
It allows you to pair half of a Classic Caesar or House salad with a half-serving of their signature soups, like Ten Vegetable, French Lentil, Cream of Tomato with Chicken and Orzo, or Classic Chicken Noodle.
10. Just Salad
Just Salad is another New York-based salad chain with over 50 locations in Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
Just Salad was founded in New York City by Nick Krenner in 2006.
His mission was to provide accessible, delicious, and plant-centric meals made with sustainability in mind.
Just Salad’s menu specializes in salads and warm bowls.
You can filter their choices by lifestyle, allowing you to hone in on options that align with climate-conscious, keto, vegan, gluten-free, and paleo lifestyles.
One of the most popular salads at Just Salad is The Keto.
It’s made with romaine and baby spinach blend, pickled onions, avocado, almonds, roasted chicken, cage-free eggs, and sharp white cheddar, dressed with their homemade spicy avocado dressing.
One of Just Salad’s most popular warm bowls is the Rancher Bowl.
This bowl comes with warm brown rice, spinach, braised chicken thigh, pickled onions, avocado, roasted corn, and cauliflower, dressed in a combination of their homemade chipotle vinaigrette and buttermilk ranch.
You can also build your own salad, warm bowl, or wrap.
You’ll be able to select your base and then add up to four toppings and one dressing, creating your perfect lunch or dinner.
Just Salad also serves avocado toast, soup, and plant-based smoothies.
They even sell bottled versions of their most popular dressings to enjoy at home.
9. Simply Salad
Simply Salad is a Southern California-based salad restaurant specializing in fast, fresh, healthy salads served in generous portions.
They operate five locations throughout the Los Angeles area.
Simply Salad was founded in 2010 by Bruce Teichman and Cameron Lewis, who struggled to find affordable, healthy, fresh, and filling salads in the Los Angeles area.
Since they were unable to find a good salad place that met all these criteria, they decided to start their own!
Simply Salad’s signature menu serves salads and wraps in a variety of delicious flavors.
One of their most popular signatures is the Downtown Cobb.
It comes with romaine lettuce, roasted turkey breast, bacon, grape tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, cheddar cheese, and avocado, dressed with ranch or honey mustard dressing.
Another popular option is the Earthy, Nutty, Crunchy.
This salad is made with Simply Salad greens mix, tofu, beets, edamame, artichoke hearts, sunflower seeds, house croutons, and grilled corn, dressed with tahini or pomegranate vinaigrette.
You can also build your own salad or wrap at Simply Salad.
You’ll get to choose your base of greens, add up to five toppings, and pick from one of 29 different dressing options.
8. Tender Greens
Tender Greens is a California-based restaurant chain specializing in chef-crafted, seasonal, locally-sourced, and sustainable meals, including delicious salads.
They operate 25 locations throughout California, including Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, and San Francisco areas.
The first Tender Greens was opened in Culver City, California, in 2006.
Each restaurant is helmed by its own executive chef, who ensures that every meal from Tender Greens’ kitchen is of the utmost quality.
Tender Greens’ menu varies slightly based on the individual location, but you can always expect a variety of fresh, delicious salads, warm bowls, and sandwiches.
They also have seasonal Chef’s Specials that rotate throughout the year.
One of the most popular salads at Tender Greens is the Mediterranean Steak.
It comes with grilled steak, feta cheese, tomatoes, pickled cucumbers, green olives, herbs, and baby greens, dressed in a lemon vinaigrette.
One of the most popular bowls at Tender Greens is the Chipotle BBQ Chicken.
This bowl is made with seasonal vegetable salsa, organic brown rice, cabbage slaw, cotija cheese, pepitas, and lime crema.
7. Salad and Go
Salad and Go is a drive-through fast-food restaurant specializing in healthy, affordable salads!
They operate 55 locations in Arizona and Texas.
Salad and Go’s menu was designed by Chef Daniel Patino, an award-winning chef with experience working in multiple Michelin-starred restaurants.
Chef Patino brings a philosophy of fresh, whole, and natural ingredients to Salad and Go.
The restaurant does not serve preservatives, processed sugars, or syrups.
Instead, they rely on a balance of fresh produce, grains, proteins, and healthy fats to provide flavor and nutrition.
Salad and Go’s menu includes healthy 48 oz salads, wraps, and even breakfast burritos and bowls that are served until 10:30 am every weekday and until 11 am on weekends.
One of the most popular salads at Salad and Go is the BBQ Ranch salad.
It is made with romaine lettuce, mixed greens, corn, black beans, pico de gallo, avocado, tortilla strips, pepper jack cheese, and your choice of chicken or tofu tossed in BBQ Ranch dressing.
Another popular option is the Jalapeno Ranch salad.
This salad comes with romaine lettuce, mixed greens, corn, tomatoes, pickled red onions, bacon, pepper jack cheese, and your choice of chicken or tofu dressed in Jalapeno Ranch dressing.
In addition, all of the Salad and Go’s salads are also available as wraps!
6. Grabbagreen
Grabbagreen is a restaurant chain that combines the speed and convenience of a fast-food restaurant with healthy, fresh meals.
Grabbagreen operates over 25 locations in California, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, and Texas, with more locations opening soon.
Grabbagreen was founded in 2013 by two moms who struggled to find fast, healthy food that was also delicious and kid-friendly.
Grabbagreen aims to serve meals made from whole, locally-sourced produce, responsible proteins, and farm-fresh superfoods.
Their restaurants also use recycled napkins and boxes, and they make all their sauces and dressings in-house.
Grabbagreen’s menu features warm bowls, salads, wraps, and fresh-pressed juices and smoothies.
One of the most popular bowls at Grabbagreen is the Riviera.
It is made with shrimp, avocado, baby spinach, red onion, red pepper, cucumber, cayenne, parsley, and creamy avocado sauce, served over a bed of spring mix or brown rice.
One of the most popular salads at Grabbagreen is the Spring Berry.
This salad comes with chicken, baby spinach, red onion, strawberries, blueberries, feta cheese, and candied pecans, dressed in a Mediterranean pomegranate dressing.
You can also make your own salad or bowl at Grabbagreen.
You’ll choose a base green or grain, add up to six toppings, choose a dressing, and add a protein if you like.
Lastly, for an extra healthy boost, you can also get fresh-pressed juices and smoothies from Grabbagreen.
Smoothie favorites include the Power Juice, made with apple, kale, baby spinach, and lemon.
The Oxidation Elimination smoothie is made with blueberry, blackberry, strawberry, banana acai, baby spinach, green tea, and agave.
5. Roots Natural Kitchen
Roots Natural Kitchen is a restaurant chain dedicated to serving natural, minimally processed ingredients.
Roots Natural Kitchen operates 10 locations in Delaware, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
Roots Natural Kitchen’s menu features a variety of fresh, delicious salad and grain bowls and seasonal bowls that change throughout the year.
One of the most popular salad bowls at Roots Natural Kitchen is the Mayweather.
It is made with kale, bulgur, roasted sweet potatoes, roasted beets, red onions, goat cheese, avocado, and grilled chicken, dressed with lemon tahini and pesto vinaigrette.
One of the most popular grain bowls at Roots Natural Kitchen is the El Jefe.
This bowl comes with brown rice, kale, black beans, charred corn, red onions, avocado, pita chips, feta cheese, and grilled chicken dressed with cilantro lime dressing.
You can also make your own bowl at Roots Natural Kitchen.
First, you’ll choose a base of grains, greens, or both.
Then, you’ll add up to five toppings of your choice.
Finally, you’ll choose a dressing and a protein!
4. Salata
Salata is a restaurant chain specializing in fresh, customizable salads.
They operate almost 90 locations in California, Georgia, Louisiana, New York, North Carolina, and Texas.
The first Salata was opened in 2005 in downtown Houston, Texas.
Since its inception, Salata has dedicated itself to serving a variety of fresh, delicious, customizable salad toppings and dressings, allowing you to create the perfect salad.
Salata’s menu offers over 50 different toppings, including six greens bases, 28 vegetable toppings, seven cheeses and nuts, six fruits, eleven proteins, and twelve crunchy toppings.
Salata also serves twelve different dressings, which you can mix and match to create your perfect combination.
All Salata’s ingredients are prepared fresh every morning, so you know you’re always getting the freshest, highest-quality salad.
Salata also serves a variety of delicious lemonades and iced teas, as well as soups, fresh bread, sweets, and even wine in select locations.
3. Tossed
Tossed is a Florida-based salad chain with three locations in Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami.
Tossed specializes in serving chef-designed and made-to-order salads, wraps, melts, sandwiches, and soups.
Tossed’s menu features nine signature salads.
One of their most popular signature salads is the Southwest Blackened Chicken.
It’s made with romaine hearts, feta cheese, black bean corn salsa, avocado, chopped tomatoes, tortilla strips, and citrus chipotle dressing.
Tossed also serves three signature warm bowls, including the Biloxi BBQ Chicken.
This delicious bowl is made with rice, BBQ chicken, black beans, roasted peppers, jalapenos, and roasted corn.
You can also design your own salad at Tossed.
First, you’ll pick from six different green bases.
Then, you’ll get to add up to five toss-in toppings.
There are over 50 different toppings to choose from!
Next, you’ll add a protein, cheese, or gourmet topping.
Lastly, you’ll dress your custom salad with one of fifteen different dressing options.
Tossed also serves a variety of freshly made smoothies, with flavors including Mango Pineapple Blast, Very Berry, and Banana Berry Bliss.
2. Freshii
Freshii is a Canada-based restaurant chain with almost 350 locations in the U.S. and Canada.
Freshii specializes in serving fresh, healthy, and sustainable salads, bowls, burritos, wraps, soups, smoothies, and juices.
Freshii was founded in 2005 by Matthew Corrin, who worked for the fashion designer Oscar de la Renta at the time.
Corrin was inspired by mom-and-pop delis serving fresh, delicious, convenient, and affordable meals but lacked a strong marketing and branding presence.
Thus, Freshii was born.
Freshii’s menu offers three different salads and seven different bowls, each with its unique flavor profile.
One of the most popular salads at Freshii is the Market salad.
It’s made with field greens, quinoa, feta cheese, dried cranberries, beet slaw, strawberries, and carrots and dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette.
One of the most popular bowls at Freshii is the Mediterranean Bowl.
This bowl is made with quinoa, field greens, feta cheese, kalamata olives, almonds, red onions, cucumbers, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, and cilantro, dressed in a red pepper sauce.
Freshii’s salads are also available as wraps, and its bowls are also available as burritos.
1. Crisp & Green
Crisp & Green is a restaurant chain dedicated to serving fast, made-from-scratch, chef-crafted, and nutritious meals.
Crisp & Green operates around 20 locations in Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Texas, with many more on the way.
Crisp & Green’s menu features a variety of delicious signature salads and grain bowls.
One of the most popular salads at Crisp & Green is the Thai & Stop Me.
It’s made with arugula, mixed greens, citrus shrimp, orange slices, daikon radish, napa cabbage, carrot, basil, mint, cilantro, peanuts, and lime, and dressed in a Thai peanut dressing.
One of the most popular grain bowls at Crisp & Green is the Fiesta Bowl.
This bowl comes with brown rice, roasted chicken, avocado, napa cabbage, jalapeno, black beans, fajita peppers and onions, queso fresco, pepitas, roasted tomatillo salsa, and lime, dressed in a jalapeno-lime vinaigrette.
You can also build your own custom salad at Crisp & Green.
You’ll choose from a base of greens or grains, choose up to four toppings, and then pick one of Crisp & Green’s thirteen delicious dressings.
For a sweet treat, Crisp & Green also serves acai bowls.
Acai bowls come with delicious toppings like granola, toasted coconut, cacao nibs, berries, cashew butter, bananas, kiwis, pepitas, and even vegan marshmallows.
Conclusion
If you’re trying to make healthier dietary choices, one of the easiest ways to start is by incorporating salads into your meal routine.
Salads may sound bland and unappetizing to some people. However, these 15 salad chains on our list use fresh, flavorful, and unexpected ingredients to transform salads into filling, exciting, and delicious meals!
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