Arlington, Virginia, has become a prominent destination for individuals seeking health-conscious dining options. Whether you're a local resident or just visiting, the city offers a diverse range of restaurants and eateries that prioritize fresh, nutritious ingredients and cater to various dietary preferences. This article will guide you through some of the best healthy food restaurants in Arlington, highlighting their unique offerings and commitment to providing wholesome meals.
Juice Bars and Smoothie Havens
For those looking to quickly boost their nutrient intake, Arlington boasts several juice bars and smoothie shops.
South Block: This local chain, which began in Clarendon, has expanded to multiple locations throughout the D.C. metro area. South Block is known for its smoothies, cold-pressed juices, and acai bowls. In addition to beverages, South Block offers toasts, energy balls, and other healthy snacks. Whether you're seeking a post-workout recovery drink or a refreshing pick-me-up, South Block provides a variety of options to satisfy your needs.
Greenheart: Another Arlington favorite, Greenheart, focuses on fresh juices, smoothies, and bowls. These establishments emphasize using high-quality ingredients to create flavorful and nutritious items.
Healthy Options in Food Halls
Arlington's food halls also offer a variety of healthy choices, making it easy to find something that suits your taste and dietary needs.
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Ballston Quarter's Quarter Market: This food hall features several vendors with healthy options. Maizal serves South American street food and specializes in arepas, a Venezuelan stuffed cornmeal bread. These arepas can be filled with various healthy ingredients, offering a customizable and satisfying meal. There are options to create your own bowls with grains and greens with many veggie and protein options to create a healthy meal.
Mezeh Mediterranean Grill: This restaurant, also located in Ballston Quarter, serves all-natural food made daily with fresh ingredients. Mediterranean cuisine is known for its emphasis on fresh vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats, making it an excellent choice for health-conscious diners.
Taste Project: A Unique Approach to Community Dining
Taste Project, a nonprofit organization, operates Taste Community Restaurants. These restaurants stand out due to their unique "pay-what-you-can" model, which aims to ensure that everyone has access to healthy, nutritious food regardless of their financial means.
The Arlington Location: Located at 200 North Cooper Street, just north of The University of Texas at Arlington, the restaurant opened its doors to the public on Wednesday, March 5th at 11:00am. Taste Project partners with local growers to source fresh ingredients for its seasonal menus. The restaurant has served over 250,000 meals.
Seasonal Menus: Taste Community Restaurant launches new seasonal menus, featuring lighter, fresher fare with some ingredients harvested from their on-site garden. Dishes include Buckwheat Pancakes, Shaved Asparagus Salad, Vietnamese Noodle Bowl, Southwest Burger, and so much more.
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Community Impact: Taste Project's commitment extends beyond providing meals. The organization also engages volunteers and offers culinary job training programs.
The Hive: Savory Sandwiches and Fresh Salads
The Hive is the savory arm of Sugar Bee Sweets Bakery. Sandwiches are a specialty, with a focus on fresh breads, gourmet cheeses, smoked meats, crisp salads, and warm soups.
Menu Highlights: The Hive offers a variety of sandwiches and salads, including options like THE BOOT (a take on a traditional Italian sandwich), Basic Bee, B.L.A.T., and Bleu Caesar (crisp chopped romaine and spring mix, shredded chicken, parmesan, sliced red onions, and homemade croutons with house-made dressing).
Lunch Options: The Hive provides boxed lunch and bagged lunch options, including sandwiches, salads, soups, chips, cookies, and utensils.
P.F. Chang's: Asian Cuisine with Healthy Choices
P.F. Chang's offers a variety of signature Asian, Thai, Korean, Japanese, Mongolian, and Chinese food dishes including Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Chicken Pad Thai, Signature Lo Mein, Fried Rice, Mongolian Beef, Chang's Spicy Chicken, and Pork and Shrimp Dumplings. Many gluten-free and vegetarian menu items are available.
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