Fried chicken, bacon cheeseburgers, french fries, and cheesy shrimp and grits are well worth the temptation, but sometimes a lighter meal is much needed to ease through the day. With beach season in full swing, it's time to think of a few healthier options on Charleston menus. Most restaurants can offer plates to indulge any dietary restrictions, like gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, paleo, and more — these picks represent easy choices without modification that won't make diners feel like they need a nap afterwards, but are still filling.
Note: Map points are listed in geographicalorder and are not ranked. Did we miss your favorite spot? Show it some love in the comments or send us an email.
Verde may be know for its salads, but many might not know that grain bowls are also on the menu. The portions are large and can almost stretch into two meals. Featured this month is a wild rice bowl with mesclun, brussels sprouts, clementines, caramelized onions, feta cheese, sunflower seeds, and a citrus vinaigrette.
Many wouldn't expect a restaurant known for fried chicken to have a healthy option on the menu, but the Siam salad will save those watching what they eat. Crispy, crunchy, and with just the amount of acidity, this cabbage/orange/mint/avocado combination is a sensation.
The new location of Butcher & Bee offers a wealth of mindful eating options. Using the freshest ingredients possible, the kitchen cooks up dishes like a brown rice bowl with seasonal vegetables, almond butter, and a poached egg or stick with the mezze options like the addictive kale slaw or bean salad with jalapeño vinaigrette.
Dell'z has a way of making clean eating easy and seem somehow decadent. A vegan Snobby Joe can hit the spot just as good as its meatier cousin. Full of savory tempeh, tomatoes, cucumbers, sprouts, avocado, fresh field greens, and goddess dressing, this wrap can keep even the heartiest eater full all day.
Gnome keeps it vegetarian and vegan friendly, so almost everything on the menu can be made to meet dietary needs. For breakfast, try the grit bowl with sautéed kale, tofu scramble, and portobello "bacon."
Bright and airy space Beech offers refuge on King Street with juices, free wifi, and healthy menu options. Go for a fresh poke bowl with tuna, zucchini noodles, pickled cucumber, and toasted sesame seeds. A tofu option is also available.
Billed as a "a cafe restaurant with affordable gourmet food," Gathering Cafe offers an eclectic lunch and dinner menu full of different international influences with a healthy bend. Sample the North African sweet potato and chick pea stew, the panang curry, or the falafel burger.
Huriyali is known for its fresh, refreshing juices, but the store on Huger Street also offers hearty acai bowls. The meal is full of acai, bananas, nut butter, coconut water, fresh fruit, cacao nibs, goji berries, coconut flakes, pumpkin and chia seeds. Add granola for even more crunch.
The easiest way to keep healthy at Five Loaves Cafe is to go with the soup and salad combo. There's a long list of choices like a mushroom and quinoa salad or smoked salmon version. The soup choices change on a daily basis.
Go for a basic bowl at Basic Kitchen and be rewarded with a filling dish of brown rice, sesame kale, brussels sprouts, grilled sweet potatoes, and sides of "magic green" sauce and carrot ginger sauce.
Verde may be know for its salads, but many might not know that grain bowls are also on the menu. The portions are large and can almost stretch into two meals. Featured this month is a wild rice bowl with mesclun, brussels sprouts, clementines, caramelized onions, feta cheese, sunflower seeds, and a citrus vinaigrette.
Many wouldn't expect a restaurant known for fried chicken to have a healthy option on the menu, but the Siam salad will save those watching what they eat. Crispy, crunchy, and with just the amount of acidity, this cabbage/orange/mint/avocado combination is a sensation.
The new location of Butcher & Bee offers a wealth of mindful eating options. Using the freshest ingredients possible, the kitchen cooks up dishes like a brown rice bowl with seasonal vegetables, almond butter, and a poached egg or stick with the mezze options like the addictive kale slaw or bean salad with jalapeño vinaigrette.
Dell'z has a way of making clean eating easy and seem somehow decadent. A vegan Snobby Joe can hit the spot just as good as its meatier cousin. Full of savory tempeh, tomatoes, cucumbers, sprouts, avocado, fresh field greens, and goddess dressing, this wrap can keep even the heartiest eater full all day.
Gnome keeps it vegetarian and vegan friendly, so almost everything on the menu can be made to meet dietary needs. For breakfast, try the grit bowl with sautéed kale, tofu scramble, and portobello "bacon."
Bright and airy space Beech offers refuge on King Street with juices, free wifi, and healthy menu options. Go for a fresh poke bowl with tuna, zucchini noodles, pickled cucumber, and toasted sesame seeds. A tofu option is also available.
Billed as a "a cafe restaurant with affordable gourmet food," Gathering Cafe offers an eclectic lunch and dinner menu full of different international influences with a healthy bend. Sample the North African sweet potato and chick pea stew, the panang curry, or the falafel burger.
Huriyali is known for its fresh, refreshing juices, but the store on Huger Street also offers hearty acai bowls. The meal is full of acai, bananas, nut butter, coconut water, fresh fruit, cacao nibs, goji berries, coconut flakes, pumpkin and chia seeds. Add granola for even more crunch.
The easiest way to keep healthy at Five Loaves Cafe is to go with the soup and salad combo. There's a long list of choices like a mushroom and quinoa salad or smoked salmon version. The soup choices change on a daily basis.
Go for a basic bowl at Basic Kitchen and be rewarded with a filling dish of brown rice, sesame kale, brussels sprouts, grilled sweet potatoes, and sides of "magic green" sauce and carrot ginger sauce.
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