Iceberg salad? Scratch that. Don’t eat bland, even during ‘new year, new you’ season.
How’s the healthy eating going? Just because you resolved to get 2020 off to a nutritious start doesn’t mean you are resigned to bland meals or giving up your social life in Charlotte.
Sure, you’ve got Nourish home delivery on auto pilot and anything at Living Kitchen is safe, but what if your friends don’t want to eat vegan health food for dinner?
Whether you are looking for a quick bite or nutritious indulgence, there are plenty of “more mainstream” Charlotte restaurants with options for you — and your crew:
(1) Abugida Ethiopian Cafe & Restaurant
3007 Central Ave.
Adding Ethiopian cuisine to your diet is a delicious way to stay on track with healthy resolutions. Each dish is packed full of nutrition-dense vegetables or meat flavored with mouth-watering savory spices and served with bread made from protein-packed teff flour. Try the Yemisir Kik Wat ($8), split red lentils cooked with bebere herbs, sauce and onions, or Beef Tibs ($10) sautéed in onions, tomatoes, jalapeno and a touch of rosemary and Ethiopian spice butter.
(2) Crepe Cellar
3116 N. Davidson St.
Ordering the AIP Salad ($12) off the Crepe Cellar special diet menu is an easy way to get a delicious meal full of superfoods. The salad consists of a bed of mixed greens topped with carrots, cucumbers and a olive oil and apple cider vinegar dressing. Customize the salad with avocado ($2) and protein such as chicken ($4), salmon ($8) or scallops ($4 each).
(3) Dandelion Market
118 W. 5th St.
Dandelion Market has several healthy options on its menu full of small plates. Eat some veggies with the Zucchini Pasta ($8)- a dish consisting of spiral zucchini, pickled beets, pumpkin seeds, basil and lemon vinaigrette, or get a protein fix with the Cherry Glazed Lamb Lollipops ($19.50), served medium rare with dark sweet cherries, spring mix, feta and red wine vinaigrette.
(4) Eight + Sand Kitchen
135 New Bern St.
If you can make it past the row of delectable baked goods, bistro and bakery Eight + Sand Kitchen is a great place for a light and healthy bite with lots of plant-based and special diet options. The Breakfast Bowl ($7.95) is a well-balanced entree featuring an over medium free-range egg served with potato wedges, avocado, kale, peppers and onions and a savory parsley pesto. Sub out the egg for a vegan tofu scramble at no extra cost.
(5) The Egg Cafe
Multiple locations
The Egg Cafe has lots of protein-packed breakfast options to help you start your day strong. Try the Neptune Omelette ($9.50), an omelette served with lightly sauteed crab meat and diced tomatoes.
(6) Gusto Farm to Street
4400 Sharon Road
Eating healthy does not mean you have to live without pizza. Gusto Farm to Street has a cauliflower crust made with five simple ingredients — cauliflower, parmesan cheese, egg, gluten free rice flour and black pepper — to lighten up your slice. Try the Wild Shroom Pizza ($9.95), a cauliflower crust pizza with balsamic mushroom truffle sauce, smoked gouda, mozzarella and cremini mushrooms topped with baby arugula, goat cheese and balsamic drizzle.
(7) Link & Pin
South End bistro Link & Pin has several tasty lunch and dinner options that will keep you in line with your resolutions. For lunch, dine on Ceviche ($15) with lettuce wraps and a ginger citrus marinade or a Roasted Beet Salad ($10) with arugula and green goddess dressing. Smart dinner choices include BiBimBap Korean Rice Bowl with salmon ($14) or Mahi Mahi ($25) served with Blueberry Gastrique, Carrot Purée and Haricot Verts.
(8) The Lucky Duck Gastropub
933 Market St., Fort Mill
Foodies will find lots of flavorful healthy options at The Lucky Duck Gastropub in Baxter Village. Start your meal with the Harvest Bisque ($6), a curried butternut squash and apple soup, then feast on Grilled Squash ($12) served over seasoned rice, charred poblano street corn, pickled jalapeños, and avocado crema. Or try the Tandoori Chicken Bowl ($14) featuring spice-grilled chicken breast with cucumber, tomato and feta salad and roasted red pepper hummus, served over seasoned rice.
(9) NoDa Bodega
1200 E. 36th St.
This friendly neighborhood joint features Whole 30 friendly features every Wednesday night, and a vegan menu every Thursday night. If you pop in on another night, the Bodega always has a rotation of healthy offerings such as a daily fresh soup option along with hummus, cold cuts and salads. The menu changes weekly, but past features include a Whole 30 Pho ($13) made with sirloin, zucchini noodles and a medley of vegetables, and West African Peanut Stew ($9) with okra, sweet potatoes, eggplant, kale and chickpeas over jasmine rice.
(10) Paco’s Tacos and Tequila
6401 Morrison Blvd.
Paco’s Tacos has an entire menu dedicated to healthy choices to make your dining decision easier. Any taco can be made into a lettuce wrap for a healthy indulgence. Try Brisket tacos or Shake Down Shrimp tacos with lettuce cups. The Shake Down Shrimp tacos can also be ordered with grilled shrimp to lighten up the meal. Your choice of two ($11.50) or three ($13.50) tacos is served with your choice of beans, rice and citrus-chipotle slaw.
(11) Pho at NoDa
Pho at NoDa opened in mid-2019 and has lots of veggie-packed Vietnamese dishes to choose from. Try one of the phos ($11-16), or beef broth-based noodle soup, with protein options such as brisket, filet and chicken, for a filling and nourishing meal. For a plant-based option, try the Đậu Hũ Mì Xào ($14), a dish of stir-fried tofu, baby bokchoy, mushrooms, carrots and onions.
(12) The Roasting Company
Multiple locations
Charlotte restaurant staple the Roasting Company, or RoCo, has a menu full of healthy options incorporating locally sourced chicken and fresh salads and vegetables. Try a Kale and Veggie Bowl ($7.99) featuring kale and arugula, sauteed veggies, cotija cheese and Italian dressing or the Rotisserie Salad ($9.99) with Romaine lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, black olives, sour cream, pickled jalapeños, crunchies and pulled rotisserie chicken. Substitute a protein such as chicken salad, beef chili or RoCo brisket for no extra charge.
(13) Roots Cafe
2135 Southend Drive, Suite 109
Just because you are making healthy choices doesn’t mean all burgers are off limits. Try the Roots Chickpea Veggie Burger ($11), a house recipe veggie burger served with fresh greens, feta, pickled onion, cucumber, lavender tzatziki and citrus vinaigrette.
(14) Sabor Latin Grill
Multiple locations
A nutrition-packed meal doesn’t have to break the bank. Sabor Latin Grill has four hearty and wholesome entree options on the “Healthy” section of it’s menu. The Quinoa Avocado Bowl ($7.95) features quinoa and brown rice topped with avocado, grilled vegetables, and a cilantro lime yogurt sauce. Add a protein such as grilled steak or tofu ranchero for a $1 upcharge.
(15) Yafo Kitchen
Multiple locations
Customize a bowl at Yafo Kitchen ($8.99) to deliciously meet your dietary needs and health goals. Choose from a base of salad, grains or a little of each, then pile on your favorite veggies like beets and chickpeas, and add on extra proteins such as a hard boiled egg ($.99) or falafel ($1.75) to create the perfect meal.