Last week, we shared a list of 10 decidedly unhealthy dishes that would be great for anyone whose only New Year’s resolution is “eat more awesomely.” Perhaps, however, you really are trying to better yourself this year, and a part of that bettering could involve eating better. If that’s the case, here are eight DFW spots with good vibes and healthy fare.
Ann’s Health Food Center and Market
2634 S. Zang Blvd.
Ann’s Health Food Center and Market stocks organic produce, herbs and supplements, and also features an organic cafe. Its Dallas flagship store has been helping customers get healthy since 1984. DART Police Sgt. Mike Oswalt has been grabbing lunch there for years.
“They have a salmon burger that’s real good,” he says. “And their portions are the right size.”
We tried the Grandma’s and Grandpa’s pudding smoothies. Grandpa’s, which was a blend of coffee, vegan hazelnut spread, almonds, choco chia pudding and soy milk, resulted in a smooth flavor with a bittersweet kick. Grandma’s, with its vanilla chia, pecans, coconut, vanilla wafers and coconut milk was much sweeter. If you’re further south than Oak Cliff, Ann’s also has a location in Waxahachie.
Cosmic Cafe
2912 Oak Lawn Ave.
With its soulful surroundings, wholesome menu and upstairs meditation rooms, Cosmic Cafe is a seriously Zen place to grab a bite. There is no meat on this menu, but dishes this hearty and filling don’t even need it.
The ornate restaurant is beautifully decorated, and the people there aren’t too bad either. While lunching on a Cosmic Stir not long ago, my Honda hybrid was sideswiped in the cafe’s parking lot. The culprit could have simply driven off while I tasted my tofu. Instead, he walked back into the restaurant leaving his name, number and good karma.
Kalachandji’s
5430 Gurley Ave.
From homemade bread and steamed vegetables to chutney and tamarind tea, this decades-old vegetarian palace inside a Hare Krishna temple pays homage to India’s “beautiful, moon-faced one” also known as Kalachandji.
It’s also a good place to grab a bite quickly, as the food here comes from a delicious buffet, but make time to linger in this peaceful spot. When you pay your bill, browse the gift shop for incense and essential oils.
Wholesome Grub
4609 W. Park Blvd., Plano
Wholesome Grub is fast food with a mission “to provide society with a healthy, fast and tasty alternative.”
The restaurant provides gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian and paleo options. Their breakfast dishes are made with all natural, cage-free eggs. Other dishes include fish tacos, assorted salads and burgers, hummus and kale chips. They even offer personalized meal prep with help from in-house nutritionists.
True Food Kitchen
8383 Preston Center Plaza
With its Brussels sprouts and wild mushroom or butternut squash pizzas and Kale Aid, True Food Kitchen is sure to pique the interest of a few foodies trying to stay true to their New Year’s resolution.
True Food ascribes to the anti-inflammatory diet and offers a hefty selection of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes. And who the hell wouldn’t want a citrus skinny margarita?
Beirut Rock Cafe
5330 N. MacArthur Blvd., Irving
1201 S. Cooper St., Arlington
This Lebanese and Greek grill’s Mediterranean menu offers a selection of healthier items like baba ganoosh, a char-grilled eggplant blended with tahini sauce, lemon juice and garlic, as well as vegetarian grape leaves and Greek salads. Fill up on fattoush and end your meal with a potent dose of Arabic coffee.
Potager’s Other Stuff
208 S. Mesquite St., Arlington
This earthy coffee house is an offshoot of the original Potager’s Cafe.
“I still dabble in food, but I’m not a restaurant,” owner Cynthia Chippendale says.
Potager’s Other Stuff stocks a supply of local, naturally healthy foods like Dr. Sue’s all-natural dark chocolates, organic honey and gluten-free baking mixes. The vibe here is country store charm with mismatched tablecloths and teacups, along with the sound of twinkling wind chimes that provide a Zen-like atmosphere.
“I serve only organic, fair trade coffee from Sumatra, because it is delicious,” Chippendale says on Potager’s website. “I don’t have a bunch of artificially flavored syrups — have you read the list of ingredients in those things?”
Milk alternatives are always on hand here, with options like hemp, rice, coconut or almond. Health conscious customers can also select from about 50 organic teas all served from a sweet teapot.
Righteous Foods
3405 W. Seventh St., Fort Worth
In Fort Worth, Righteous Foods serves up organic deviled eggs, asparagus soup and grilled organic salmon. The food here is processed as little as possible, the chickens free-ranged and the juices organic and cold-pressed.
The restaurant cooks up a righteous BLT, but “don’t get us wrong,” Righteous Foods’ menu reads. “We aren’t self-righteous. We love our guilty indulgences, just not every day.”