These Nashville Spots Will Help You Stick to Your Resolution and Eat Clean in 2019
Did you resolve to eat clean in 2019? Here’s where to head if you’re looking for a healthy treat in Nashville!
Many folks make resolutions to “eat clean” or at least healthier in the new year, and some even try to start juicing and making their own smoothies and Açai bowls at home. Unless you own an industrial juice press and have enough fridge and freezer space to stay stocked up on bushels of fruits and vegetables, it’s pretty darned hard to keep up with these resolutions without some outside help. That’s why we’re lucky to have a plethora of excellent juice, smoothie and bowl establishments here in Nashville. Here’s where to head if you’re looking for a healthy treat without messing up your own kitchen. (Beets and Açai can really stain a counter…)
The most recent addition to Nashville’s growing health food scene is Clean Juice on Woodland St. near Five Points in East Nashville. The Charlotte-based chain of juice bars prides itself on using 100 percent organic ingredients in their cold-pressed juices, smoothies, bowls and snacks. Juices are available bottled for carry-out and come in varieties that promise detoxification benefits or increased energy. Best of all, they are just delicious! Clean Juice also offers a regimen of juices that can be used for a complete cleanse over a range of days or just as meal substitutes until dinnertime.
E + Rose Wellness Cafe is a local chef-driven restaurant that challenges their customers to “defy mortality!” The team behind E + Rose believes that you can improve your longevity with a healthy diet of superfoods, and they are here to help you on that journey. Bowls made from Açai and dragonfruit are excellent ways to hide other healthy ingredients like pea protein and maca root thanks to delicious and beneficial toppings of fruits, nuts and berries. In addition to juices, smoothies and energy shots, E + Rose also serves vegetarian wraps, salads and seasonal soups. Try their Nashville Hot Kale Salad for an innovative take on the city’s famous fiery chicken dish.
Frutta Bowls opened a location recently in the Nations neighborhood of West Nashville and has quickly gained a following for their tasty Açai bowls topped with granola, tropical fruits, Nutella, peanut butter and honey. They also offer kale bowls, hot oatmeal and toast topped with sweet or savory ingredients if you’re in search of something more substantial that’s still good for you.
When True Food Kitchen opened up in Green Hills there were lines out the door to try out their brand of healthy foods from a menu designed in consultation with a renowned doctor of integrative medicine. The crowds have remained steady as fans enjoy the attractive restaurant’s seasonal fare, which ranges from healthy starters like soups and kale guacamole to bowls, salads, sandwiches, pizzas and more substantial fare like grilled salmon and tacos. In addition to exotic teas and juices, True Food also serves beer, wine and cocktails–since just because you’re trying to eat healthy doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a nice drink with dinner.
Locally-owned I Love Juice Bar (known by pretty much everyone as simply “Juice Bar”) has spread like wildfire since opening their first store in town just a few years ago. The company now boasts locations in 13 states including a dozen in Middle Tennessee, so you’re never too far away from enjoying one of their delicious juice blends made using fruits and vegetables as part of their primarily vegetarian and gluten-free menu. Their Super Greens drink is made using locally-grown wheatgrass, celery, kale, spinach, cucumber, parsley and fresh lime juice to add some tang. It’s a fantastic way to drink your veggies.
The Urban Juicer is another small local juice bar chain which has grown to multiple locations in popular neighborhoods like Hillsboro Village, the Gulch, East Nashville and downtown. They even have a juice truck if you’d like to book them to come to your event and provide fresh juices or smoothies. A novel addition to the expected menu of juice blends is a section they call “Boosters,” concoctions designed to help out your immunity system if you’re suffering from the flu or just want a shot of turmeric or ginger to get your body going. The Urban Juicer is also a big proponent of “superfoods” like goji berries and chia seeds and offer them as add-ons to their smoothies.
AVO Nashville boasts a more extensive menu than most of the other spots on this list. The restaurant offers a 100 percent plant-based menu and is certified kosher. When they first opened, AVO served only raw vegan fare, but has since expanded their menu to include a few cooked items like soups, an excellent squash bowl and an avocado toast dish using the restaurant’s namesake fruit smeared with hemp-based pesto, pickled red onions and sprouts. They also serve a novel avocado margarita available all day plus a long list of cocktails, beers and wines.
Franklin Juice Co. isn’t just in Franklin anymore now that they’ve added a location in 12South. Nashvillians can enjoy their delectable Açai bowls, juices and smoothies without schlepping all the way to Williamson County. Franklin Juice Co. also offers delivery service via Uber Eats if you can’t get away from the office and you’ve got a hankering for something healthy for lunch. They are also big fans of juice cleanses and offer several different varieties depending on your specific health goals.
Rush Bowls also specializes in delivery using several different services to speed bowls to customers seeking a replacement for a typical breakfast, lunch or dinner. Centrally located in downtown, Rush Bowls stays open until 6 p.m. so that you can still take advantage of their offerings after work. Made using no artificial sweeteners or preservatives, their bowls range from healthy superfood bowls to what they kindly call “comfort bowls,” basically frozen yogurt desserts served with all sorts of sweet toppings like blueberries, granola, graham crackers, chocolate and honey. Not that we’re complaining…
