Food critic's guide to Cava, Chopt, sweetgreen and other fast food salad chains
Tell me which salad chain you eat and I'll tell you who you are. Do you like to hit up that organic spot with the “broth bowls” and paleo muffins? You own a yoga mat and sometimes listen to ambient music. Do you frequent the eco conscious chain with the TikTok salads and plant-based meats? Just your average millennial. Or are you devoted to that vaguely Mediterranean place that looks like Chipotle but sells harissa sauce from a squeeze bottle? Short on time, but a true foodie.
And then, there are the people who don't have a favorite, because maybe they love salads but don't know the best place to go. Or maybe they're only moderately interested in salads, but want to love them more. Either way, they're in luck because 2024 could be the year of the healthy takeout salad/grain bowl on Long Island.
Fast-casual healthy eating spots are multiplying by the minute and we're not mad about it. The offerings are not replacements for great meals at independent restaurants — you can get more thoughtful and delicious salads elsewhere. But the chains do offer quick and (moderately) inexpensive meals that are good to our bellies and the environment. So with that in mind, here are Long Island's top salad brands, ranked by preference, from “passable” to “pretty, pretty good.”
Before Larry Wilson opened his first CoreLife in 2015, he ran a company called Video King that made electronic bingo consoles. Now he's ditched the bingo for “broth bowls” (otherwise known as soup), Buddha bowls, grain bowls and basically any non-GMO food you can dream up in a bowl. The Syracuse-based chain CoreLife Eatery is geared toward wellness enthusiasts with combos that cater to paleo and keto diets. There's a lot of quinoa going around here, and not necessarily in a Bolivian way, as the chain plays loosey goosey with its regional dishes. The Korean BBQ pork bowl ($12.20) for example doesn't really have any of the fermented chile funk of Korean food. The kimchi is only kimchi in name, not essence. So our suggestion is to take back control and customize your own bowl.
More info: Two Long Island locations at 207 Airport Plaza Blvd., Farmingdale, 631-396-0852, and 910 Franklin Ave., Store 1, Garden City, 516-280-7292, corelifeeatery.com
This popular NYC-based chain really gets into its dressings, which they proudly display on the counter and also on the wall. Their website also claims they invented the Mexican Caesar salad, which is a little silly considering the original Caesar salad was invented in Tijuana, Mexico and did not contain jalapeños or fried tortilla chips. But order it anyway, because it's spicy and crisp. If you're getting a salad to go, remember to ask for the dressing on the side — if you don't, that finely chopped salad turns into a cold ranch porridge, real quick.
More info: Four Long Island locations at 1606 Marcus Ave., New Hyde Park, 516-519-8188, 383 Willis Ave., Roslyn Heights, 516-464-5111, 946 Old Country Rd., Unit 46, Garden City, 516-274-7444, and 8285 Jericho Tpke., Woodbury, 631-534-7065, choptsalad.com.
The only local eatery on the list, Organic Krush is the product of two Long Island moms who had trouble finding organic fast food while taking their daughters on a Taylor Swift tour. They opened their first store in Woodbury in 2015 and have gone on to introduce four more locations. The salad and tofu rice bowl takes significantly longer to come out of the kitchen than other spots, but that just gives you more time to build connection to your food. And it does feel good to know that the chicken in the Krush Cobb salad ($15) is certified organic.
More info: Five Long Island locations at 108 Woodbury Rd., Woodbury, 516-224-4423, 1495 Old Country Rd., Plainview, 516-209-4153, 1508 Old Northern Blvd., Roslyn, 516-206-4072, 27 N. Park Ave., Rockville Centre, 516-240-5520, 1111 NY-25A, Stony Brook, 631-759-4180, organickrush.com
This West Village restaurant (now a chain) is said to make the best falafel in New York City, a claim that is even written on the front window of its new Farmingdale location. But Taïm seems to be having growing pains, as this is not the best falafel in New York City, and maybe not even the best falafel in Farmingdale. Something changes when the falafel sits for too long, especially in an empty restaurant alongside half-full tubs of veggies. But Taïm (Hebrew for tasty) has extremely fluffy pita bread. In fact you could order a pita sandwich, packed with hummus and chopped cucumbers. The sabich pita ($11.50) subs the falafel for eggplant and hard boiled egg, a good bet here.
More info: Two Long Island locations at 397 S. Oyster Bay Rd., Plainview, 516-822-2105, 1024 Broadhollow Rd., Farmingdale, 631-293-8796, taimkitchen.com
Think of it as the Chipotle of Mediterranean food — CAVA inspires the fiercest loyalties and the longest lines, packaging one of the world's healthiest cuisines in a palatable way. Visits to two Long Island locations were a bit of a whirlwind, with stressed-looking employees flinging sauces and piling proteins into paper bowls. Presentation did not seem to be the focal point. But prepare to be fooled: The Chicken + RightRice featuring low-carb rice made from lentil and chickpea flours tasted like the real thing. Better yet, the harissa avocado bowl ($16.95) has super greens and (real) basmati rice in a spicy North African chile sauce. And if you're down to splurge, the spicy lamb meatball pita is messy, glorious and the best food to be had here.
More info: Two Long Island locations at 1256 Old Country Rd., Westbury, 516-253-0524, 880 Walt Whitman Rd., Space F 876, Melville, 631-301-3809, cava.com
This utterly fashionable, eco-conscious chain feels like a celebration of vegetables with abstract art on the walls and a long buffet brimming with color. The company got its start in Washington, D.C., but is now based in Los Angeles. And they nailed it on the restaurant design, paying respects to all their suppliers with a large sign by the door. This translates to slightly higher prices, but honestly, none of these places are cheap. And sweetgreen is generous with its portion sizes. The TikTok-famous Italian chopped salad ($14.45) did not disappoint, with its primo salami and curly bits of shredded kale that made it all feel healthy, despite the saturated fats.
More info: Three Long Island locations at 160 Walt Whitman Rd., Space 1021C, Huntington Station, 516-518-2539, 7969 Jericho Tpke., Woodbury, 516-548-8892, 191 7th St., Suite B, Garden City, 516-980-2500, sweetgreen.com
The name and restaurant décor may be simple, but this New York City-based operation is everything you need in a fast food salad joint: It keeps the prices reasonable, gets the salads out fast, has friendly staff, and best of all, excels in execution. The chicken thighs taste like something you'd purchase at a restaurant. But even better, Just Salad puts an emphasis on tofu and plant-based meats. The Buffalo cauliflower ($12.49) has an assertive, satisfying dressing. And the Tokyo Supergreens ($12.99) features sesame tofu on a bed of super greens, with a salty little shake of Japanese furikake seaweed seasoning. I like this place so much I'm thinking of purchasing one of its reusable bowls so I can go here all the time, and save even more paper.
More info: Four Long Island locations at 350 Walt Whitman Rd., Unit 16, Huntington Station, 866-673-3757, 6040 Jericho Tpke., Commack, 866-673-3757, 1256 Old Country Rd, Westbury, 866-673-3757, 3535B Long Beach Rd., Oceanside, 866-673-3757, justsalad.com
Tell me which salad chain you eat and I'll tell you who you are. Do you like to hit up that organic spot with the “broth bowls” and paleo muffins? You own a yoga mat and sometimes listen to ambient music. Do you frequent the eco conscious chain with the TikTok salads and plant-based meats? Just your average millennial. Or are you devoted to that vaguely Mediterranean place that looks like Chipotle but sells harissa sauce from a squeeze bottle? Short on time, but a true foodie.
And then, there are the people who don't have a favorite, because maybe they love salads but don't know the best place to go. Or maybe they're only moderately interested in salads, but want to love them more. Either way, they're in luck because 2024 could be the year of the healthy takeout salad/grain bowl on Long Island.
Fast-casual healthy eating spots are multiplying by the minute and we're not mad about it. The offerings are not replacements for great meals at independent restaurants — you can get more thoughtful and delicious salads elsewhere. But the chains do offer quick and (moderately) inexpensive meals that are good to our bellies and the environment. So with that in mind, here are Long Island's top salad brands, ranked by preference, from “passable” to “pretty, pretty good.”
CoreLife Eatery
Before Larry Wilson opened his first CoreLife in 2015, he ran a company called Video King that made electronic bingo consoles. Now he's ditched the bingo for “broth bowls” (otherwise known as soup), Buddha bowls, grain bowls and basically any non-GMO food you can dream up in a bowl. The Syracuse-based chain CoreLife Eatery is geared toward wellness enthusiasts with combos that cater to paleo and keto diets. There's a lot of quinoa going around here, and not necessarily in a Bolivian way, as the chain plays loosey goosey with its regional dishes. The Korean BBQ pork bowl ($12.20) for example doesn't really have any of the fermented chile funk of Korean food. The kimchi is only kimchi in name, not essence. So our suggestion is to take back control and customize your own bowl.
More info: Two Long Island locations at 207 Airport Plaza Blvd., Farmingdale, 631-396-0852, and 910 Franklin Ave., Store 1, Garden City, 516-280-7292, corelifeeatery.com
The Korean barbecue pork bowl, left, and Greek chicken with quinoa at CoreLife Eatery in Farmingdale. Credit: Newsday File/Andi Berlin
Chopt
This popular NYC-based chain really gets into its dressings, which they proudly display on the counter and also on the wall. Their website also claims they invented the Mexican Caesar salad, which is a little silly considering the original Caesar salad was invented in Tijuana, Mexico and did not contain jalapeños or fried tortilla chips. But order it anyway, because it's spicy and crisp. If you're getting a salad to go, remember to ask for the dressing on the side — if you don't, that finely chopped salad turns into a cold ranch porridge, real quick.
More info: Four Long Island locations at 1606 Marcus Ave., New Hyde Park, 516-519-8188, 383 Willis Ave., Roslyn Heights, 516-464-5111, 946 Old Country Rd., Unit 46, Garden City, 516-274-7444, and 8285 Jericho Tpke., Woodbury, 631-534-7065, choptsalad.com.
A salad from Chopt. Credit: Randee Daddona
Organic Krush Kitchen & Eatery
The only local eatery on the list, Organic Krush is the product of two Long Island moms who had trouble finding organic fast food while taking their daughters on a Taylor Swift tour. They opened their first store in Woodbury in 2015 and have gone on to introduce four more locations. The salad and tofu rice bowl takes significantly longer to come out of the kitchen than other spots, but that just gives you more time to build connection to your food. And it does feel good to know that the chicken in the Krush Cobb salad ($15) is certified organic.
More info: Five Long Island locations at 108 Woodbury Rd., Woodbury, 516-224-4423, 1495 Old Country Rd., Plainview, 516-209-4153, 1508 Old Northern Blvd., Roslyn, 516-206-4072, 27 N. Park Ave., Rockville Centre, 516-240-5520, 1111 NY-25A, Stony Brook, 631-759-4180, organickrush.com
The Krush cobb salad (front) and the Thai tofu bowl at Organic Krush in Rockville Centre. Credit: Newsday/Andi Berlin
Taïm
This West Village restaurant (now a chain) is said to make the best falafel in New York City, a claim that is even written on the front window of its new Farmingdale location. But Taïm seems to be having growing pains, as this is not the best falafel in New York City, and maybe not even the best falafel in Farmingdale. Something changes when the falafel sits for too long, especially in an empty restaurant alongside half-full tubs of veggies. But Taïm (Hebrew for tasty) has extremely fluffy pita bread. In fact you could order a pita sandwich, packed with hummus and chopped cucumbers. The sabich pita ($11.50) subs the falafel for eggplant and hard boiled egg, a good bet here.
More info: Two Long Island locations at 397 S. Oyster Bay Rd., Plainview, 516-822-2105, 1024 Broadhollow Rd., Farmingdale, 631-293-8796, taimkitchen.com
The chicken shawarma bowl at Taïm in Farmingdale. Credit: Newsday/Andi Berlin
CAVA
Think of it as the Chipotle of Mediterranean food — CAVA inspires the fiercest loyalties and the longest lines, packaging one of the world's healthiest cuisines in a palatable way. Visits to two Long Island locations were a bit of a whirlwind, with stressed-looking employees flinging sauces and piling proteins into paper bowls. Presentation did not seem to be the focal point. But prepare to be fooled: The Chicken + RightRice featuring low-carb rice made from lentil and chickpea flours tasted like the real thing. Better yet, the harissa avocado bowl ($16.95) has super greens and (real) basmati rice in a spicy North African chile sauce. And if you're down to splurge, the spicy lamb meatball pita is messy, glorious and the best food to be had here.
More info: Two Long Island locations at 1256 Old Country Rd., Westbury, 516-253-0524, 880 Walt Whitman Rd., Space F 876, Melville, 631-301-3809, cava.com
A salad from Cava. Credit: Randee Daddona
sweetgreen
This utterly fashionable, eco-conscious chain feels like a celebration of vegetables with abstract art on the walls and a long buffet brimming with color. The company got its start in Washington, D.C., but is now based in Los Angeles. And they nailed it on the restaurant design, paying respects to all their suppliers with a large sign by the door. This translates to slightly higher prices, but honestly, none of these places are cheap. And sweetgreen is generous with its portion sizes. The TikTok-famous Italian chopped salad ($14.45) did not disappoint, with its primo salami and curly bits of shredded kale that made it all feel healthy, despite the saturated fats.
More info: Three Long Island locations at 160 Walt Whitman Rd., Space 1021C, Huntington Station, 516-518-2539, 7969 Jericho Tpke., Woodbury, 516-548-8892, 191 7th St., Suite B, Garden City, 516-980-2500, sweetgreen.com
A salad from sweetgreen. Credit: Randee Daddona
Just Salad
The name and restaurant décor may be simple, but this New York City-based operation is everything you need in a fast food salad joint: It keeps the prices reasonable, gets the salads out fast, has friendly staff, and best of all, excels in execution. The chicken thighs taste like something you'd purchase at a restaurant. But even better, Just Salad puts an emphasis on tofu and plant-based meats. The Buffalo cauliflower ($12.49) has an assertive, satisfying dressing. And the Tokyo Supergreens ($12.99) features sesame tofu on a bed of super greens, with a salty little shake of Japanese furikake seaweed seasoning. I like this place so much I'm thinking of purchasing one of its reusable bowls so I can go here all the time, and save even more paper.
More info: Four Long Island locations at 350 Walt Whitman Rd., Unit 16, Huntington Station, 866-673-3757, 6040 Jericho Tpke., Commack, 866-673-3757, 1256 Old Country Rd, Westbury, 866-673-3757, 3535B Long Beach Rd., Oceanside, 866-673-3757, justsalad.com
A salad from Just Salad. Credit: Randee Daddona
Andi Berlin is from Arizona and does not know where she is going. But when she gets there, she’ll find something beautiful and delicious that the world needs to taste.
