Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 665-9710
Website
I recently was asked to attend the grand opening of Sweetgreen on Chestnut. I had never heard of it, but figured I would mosey over and see what it was all about.
They are like a cross between Chiptole and Wholefoods. An impressive collection of fresh veggies stored behind the counter let you know that whatever you are eating is going to be healthy.
They handed out a "beets don't kale my vibe" bag to stay hip to the current slang.
The veggie tray was full of . . . veggies. There was also falafel. Hands down my favorite thing was the spicy cashew dressing. I was filling endives with it like it was cream cheese in a jalapeno popper. I can even make vegetables unhealthy!
The roasted butternut squash toast was pretty tasty as well. The parm on top really helped give it some fatty flavor.
The butternut squash "shooters" were unlike any shot I have done. Mostly because instead of cheap whiskey they were filled with organic vegetable puree.
"Falafel" shown below.
The Executive chef came all the way up from DC to welcome everyone and explain the meal. In the picture below he looks to be saying "who let you in"? I assure you, he was merely thinking that while explaining the ethos behind the company.
They serve beer here, which is great if you just want to pop in for a quick lunch salad and beer. I am sure people do that, right?
Here is a pear salad. It tasted fresh, but was missing lard.
This quinoa salad was also very fresh and healthy. I would have prefered some chicken cracklings or lardons, but this would probably NOT take a year off of my life like the things I typically eat.
The below pescatore delight might look like salmon. But it is actually Steelhead. Which is like salmon, but a sort of trout.
It tasted like a cross between salmon and trout.
The charred brussel sprouts with cranberry glaze were one of the crowd pleasers. The tart sauce helped the bitter greens down the gullet. I bet healthy eaters LOVE these things. They were pretty good in hindsight.
This place is perfect for office folks looking for a healthy alternative for lunch, and to be honest, I don't think there are a lot of places in Philly that specialize in local ingredient salads in a fast-casual environment. If you are on a diet or looking to make up for that late night cheesesteak, you should definitely give them a try.
