Being a born and raised GA Peach (which seems rarer and rarer to find these days), I have been able to put together quite the list of places that I like to eat at, or as my Dad likes to say, that "meet my health criteria." Hey....I'm a picky gal, what can I say. I used to not be as bad, just for the record -- I typically was the chicken finger and french fries type of gal to make thing easy. But now, I love to cook and try new things on any menu! I still have a way to go with getting out of my comfort zone, but I'm getting there. But at the end of the day, I'm picky because I want to be healthy and live a long, happy and sustained life. So, I'm okay with saying no to the chicken fingers now and being known as "picky" instead.
Anyways, I know how it can be challenging to locate healthy places to eat at within the Atlanta area (especially when you're in different parts), so I'm here to share my top 5 favorites (with others listed as a bonus). Some of these are chains and can be found in many different locations and are also great ideas for when you're needing something quick while you're on-the-go! (Click the title to learn more!)
Local to Atlanta, this place has easily become one of my go-to's. It's right next door to where I work, so it's SUPER convenient to start with, but I simply love so many items on their menu that you can find me eating there at least 2-3 times a week. This is a chain, so it's in many different areas of the city (and slowly growing across the country)! They have so many awesome juices, shots (for building that healthy immune system when you're feeling under the weather), smoothies, wraps, acai' bowls, salads, etc. You name it, they probably have it. Their smoothies can have a lot of added sugars though, so I typically enjoy mine without the added agave, honey or maple syrup to reduce my sugar footprint a little bit since a lot of the flavors already have fruit in them. My favorites on the menu are the Warrior, Grounded and Super Matcha smoothies as well as the Chicken Pesto Wrap (on a GF wrap), Turkey Wrap (on a GF wrap), Quinoa Bowl and Poke Bowl!
This place is my JAM. I swear the line for this place is always a thousand yards long, but it's always so worth it! Located in West Midtown, it's a great place to grab a breakfast item such as a smoothie, coffee, juice, acai' bowl or even order take-out or sit down for an amazing lunch! Whether you get a bowl, or a salad, you seriously can't go wrong. The vibes in this place are just really cool too.....I can't really explain it. I wouldn't consider myself really "hipster" but I kinda feel like I am when I'm in here (which in no way is a bad thing!). I haven't ever enjoyed breakfast there (I just never am in that area of town in the morning hours) but my favorites on their menu for lunch are the Eggcellent Bowl, Coconut Kale Salad and Them Apples Salad. Don't like what's in their pre-made bowls? You can build your own too!
I honestly forget who introduced this place to me, but whoever it was, I thank you. This place is ADORABLE. Conveniently tucked away in Buckhead (right by the bars....if only it was open late night. Jk, I don't even go out in Buckhead anymore lol), this place is a great stop-in for an amazing Matcha or Turmeric latte, raw juice, or even one of their own bowl recipes. I am still exploring their menu, but I have had their Good Mood smoothie (with added protein) after a challenging workout at Fit9 (which is in the same shopping center) which was delicious, and then also their Vatta Bowl and Paleo Bowl which were more than filling! They have such holistic ingredients, have an extremely friendly staff and also have the cutest little area dedicated to some "Zen" and "Yoga" time with a sign that says "The beauty of doing nothing" and it just makes me want to lay there and take a nap all day. We can all use some time to chill every so often, so this place is always a great reminder of that!!
So my roommate Sarah (who also is a health nut) took me to this place for lunch one day, and it's so good!! I talked with the manager about my blog for a bit, and he was extremely patient and helpful while waiting on me to decide what to eat, because it literally took me 30 minutes to choose. It all looked so good, I couldn't decide! They have a lot of gluten-free options and have both a morning cafe and a lunch spot under one roof. It's only open until about 4PM each day, but it's located right off Pharr Road in Buckhead, so it's also super convenient to get to. I was feeling a sandwich when I went so I got the Italian Chick on a GF bun with a side of their homemade coleslaw and it was delicious. I've been back a few times since and also love their Southbound Chicken sandwich and Karma Scotty Wrap! The cool thing about this place is that they are opening a sister restaurant right next door this summer that will have even more options, and will involve a take-out menu (Eat Karma Daisy currently doesn't have one) and even dinner options! So stay tuned for their newest opening, Karma Farm in Summer 2018!
I mean how cleaner of a name can you have? True Food... Damn right I want to eat food that is "true" -- whatever that means honestly lol but I am totally on board. Either way, I highly recommend. This can be a great take-out option but I definitely would plan to have a sit-down meal and spend some time at this place versus counting on it as a quick solution. This place has SO many delicious options, I literally never know what to order. They even have GF pita bread to eat with their homemade guacamole....it's amazing. Their Inside Out Quinoa Burger, Grilled Artichoke and Pesto Pizza, Grilled Fish Tacos, Ancient Grains Bowl as well as their Grilled Salmon and Mediterranean Quinoa Salad are some of my favorites! The only location is inside Lenox Mall right in-between Brookhaven and Buckhead... but hey, grab some healthy food then go do a little shopping! Sounds like a win-win to me.
Some other places I enjoy going to (even for groceries!):
Whole Foods (their hot food bar is amazing... and their gelato, YUM!)
Blue Moon Pizza (they have GF and dairy-free!)
Jason's Deli ($5 unlimited salad bar if you order the kids size....#winning)
Flower Child
Well, I hope this was resourceful! I know how overwhelming it is to find a healthy place to eat out when you're hustlin' so hopefully this will help to narrow it down a little bit. I encourage you to try to make the majority of your meals at home (not only do you save a LOT of money, but you know EXACTLY what is going into your food), but eating out every so often is an awesome treat, and I encourage you to do it! Just choose wisely :)
xoxo,
Kell