This is the second post I wrote for Southern Living’s Daily South Blog!
As a Registered Dietitian living in Charlottesville, I better know where the most nutritious meals are! I love dining out but know that restaurant food isn’t always the healthiest. These five spots serve some of my favorite healthy lunches in town. I keep them all on regular rotation!
Roots
New to Charlottesville last year, Roots is popular spot on the corner for DIY salad and grain bowls. They have a full menu of their best recommendations too. You can choose kale as your base to lean to the salad side, and you can choose any toppings you like – from beans to avocado to their amazing BBQ tofu. My favorite on the menu is the Roots salad with sweet potatoes, goat cheese and crunchy pita chips!
The Juice Laundry
We finally have a hip juice bar in town! Located near downtown on Preston Ave, The Juice Laundry offers organic freshly pressed juices, oatmeal, smoothies, salads and soups. Everything is super healthy! You can get your smoothies served in a bowl with house-made granola on top. My favorite smoothies are the Coco Verde, made with coconut milk and greens, and the CB&J – a cashew butter delight! The Gentle Green is my favorite juice, and the Strawberry Shake is an almond milk gone wild. If you’re really lucky you’ll stumble upon the strawberry chia pudding – the best!!
Revolutionary Soup
A Charlottesville classic, Rev Soup has a diverse menu with salads, soups, wraps, quesadillas and more. You can always find something healthy, and they offer lots of vegetarian and vegan options too. The Gulf Salad is my favorite, which comes with shrimp, hard-boiled egg and avocado. There are two locations – one downtown and one on the Corner near the University.
Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar
This funky downtown spot known for its tea has a lovely healthy menu as well! My favorite dish is the Bazaar Salad topped with wild Alaskan salmon. It’s a hearty salad of mixed greens tossed with ginger-miso vinaigrette, with feta, pear, candied walnuts, raisins, cucumbers, carrots, and tomatoes. It also comes with warm herby pita triangles that are out-of-this-world good! They also have dahl and rice, hummus platters and wraps. The Goatherder is a platter with hummus, veggies, herby pita, cheese, olives, and dried fruit. It’s big enough to share, and SO good! Get a pot of the Moroccan Mint tea with lunch – it’s the perfect ending to a meal.
Nude Fude
A bit off the beaten path up on Hydraulic Road, at Nude Fude you’ll find creative, seasonal, fresh real food. The menu changes with the seasons, but some of my favorite dishes have been the Wheatberries with Sautéed Kale and Butternut Squash and the Sweet Potato Agridolce (sweet potato with orange and raisins!) Entrees come with two sides, which I think are the restaurant’s shining stars! The Smoked Potatoes are DELISH, and the Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Salad is awesome too. Enjoy a local kombucha with your meal!
A few honorable mention dishes to note around town:
The Beet Salad or Beet Veggie Burger at Citizen Burger
Lumi Juice, which you’ll find all around town
The smoothies at Integral Yoga
Blue Ridge Country Store’s downtown salad bar
The Catfish Salad at Whiskey Jar
The Kale Salad at MarieBette
Melissa says
Love seeing Rev Soup pop up on this list! I’ve only visited Cville once, for one night. We ate at Rev Soup because it’s relatively healthy, was on the mall and, well, my husband was sick with a summer “cold” so he was in the mood for soup. Great place!
Mer says
Now I need to visit there! Looks yummy!
Kori says
I wish Matt and I could just pack up and make a trip to Cville. My mouth is watering!
Tonya says
Hm, you know all of your “eating out” foods always look healthy. You don’t see like the typical high cal “out to dinner chain meals” in your posts.
Jess says
Love this list!
Carrie says
Just wanted to say that all these spots look amazing! I read your article in Southern living the first time you were published and I think it is so great that they asked you back to write more. Obviously you were a big hit! I like these little peeks into your life so much.
The insight you share with us on how to live a balanced life is wonderful!
I am so amazed that you are able to now juggle single motherhood, running a smooth household, being knowledgeable on issues like budgeting, exercise, and on top of that working hard to keep your blog content crisp. I need to know your secret on how you fit all this on your plate and are able to lead an active social life!
I hope I am doing as good a job as you finding such perseverance even in life’s difficult times.
Your budgeting article even made me go and look into life insurance for our growing family. You were so right, we did end up getting that crossed off the list and it is very affordable!
Jill @ RunEatSnap says
Dang I didn’t go to any of these when I lived in Cville!
omlet says
hmmm….an interesting recipe – i’ve got to try this one!
Sam @ Barrister's Beet says
These places look great! A few of them weren’t in C-Ville yet the last time we took a trip there, so I’m definitely going to re-visit this post next time we do. Have a great weekend!
Hannah @ eat, drink, and save money says
I’m so happy you are working with Southern Living (I think I wrote this exact sentence after your first post!). What a fun collaboration. And of course, this makes me want to visit Cville.
I love the new look too!