We all know the feeling: your diet is going well, you’re feeling great and noticing progress. That is, until you visit your favorite restaurant and your resolve crumbles after just one look at the menu.
Statista, an international online database of statistics and market research, reports that 54 percent of people trying to maintain a healthy diet ruin their good habits when going out to eat. But forget the statistic and defy the odds – just because you want to drink more water, lose a few pounds and feel better doesn’t mean you have to lose out on the best menu options.
Check out these health-focused restaurants and bakeries in central Ohio that won’t set your healthy lifestyle back.
True Food Kitchen
Easton Town Center, Columbus
Set to open at Easton Town Center early April, True Food Kitchen will feature colorful, fresh and good-for-the-soul dishes. Born with the vision to combine delicious dining with conscious nutrition, top chefs and a doctor of integrative medicine promise guests that they will leave the table feeling good.
The kitchen focuses on individual ingredients and True Food is able to explain the health benefits of each bite. Plus, you’ll never get tired of this joint because the menu is seasonal.
SŌW Plated
Shops on Lane Avenue, Upper Arlington
S is for sustainable. Ō is for organic. W is for wellness.
SŌW Plated believes fresh, healthful meals can connect the mind, body and spirit. It strives for zero food waste to combat a rapidly growing issue in the U.S. and sources locally. If that doesn’t give you a warm feeling in your belly, the restaurant also rounds up every check to the nearest dollar to support the On Our Sleeves movement at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
While you’d normally never pair the words “healthful” and “alcohol,” the tastemakers at SŌW Plated believe in balance. Its unique menu of cold pressed cocktails, like Hendrick’s gin, hibiscus water, fresh lime and cucumber ribbon, enhance your happy hour experience. The famous SŌW Old Fashioned is created with house-made cacao-infused rye and chocolate bitters.
Comune
Parsons Avenue, Columbus
If you want simple, Comune will give you simple. However, don’t call it bland. Comune presents its dishes elegantly with a plant-based menu full of seasonal ingredients. These shareable plates make it easy to try a plethora of tastes.
The dish Pantry Love contains vegetables pickled year round. To smash a carb craving, delve into the salt and vinegar potatoes, dressed with laurel valley cora cheese and tomato oil.
Lávash Café
North High Street, Clintonville
Experts report that the Mediterranean diet contains some of the most healthful foods you can eat. Lávash Café’s menu is filled with colorful vegetables and monosaturated fats such as olive oil, which doctors give two thumbs up. Lávash’s hummus and baba ghanoush hide no ingredients, made from whole, natural foods and spices.
Portia’s Café
Indianola Avenue, Clintonville
This café is a vegan’s paradise. But it’s not just free of animal byproducts; its menu features gluten-free ingredients and organic, local and GMO-free food. A Portia’s novice may read this and ask, “Well, what the heck is on the menu then?” The best part of Portia’s Café is actually the wide variety of options. From house-made, gluten-free quesadilla wraps served with dairy-free cheese to a burrito bowl of brown rice, lettuce, black beans, guacamole, salsa and house-made vegan sour cream, the possibilities are endless.
Little Eater
North Market, Columbus
Little Eater celebrates colorful vegetables and uses local, organic ingredients. The produce-inspired restaurant serves seasonal veggies to ensure the best quality and freshness. You’re actually able to mix and match your scoops to create your own flavors. Plus, if you’re a breakfast hound, Little Eater’s signature granola is made with organic, gluten-free oats, coconut, raisins and vanilla. It’s sweetened with Ohio maple syrup, of course.
Pattycake Bakery
North High Street, Clintonville
These sweets are made from scratch using organic, vegan and natural ingredients. The bakery boasts a menu of buckeye bars, cookies, cakes, muffins and more – something for every sweet tooth. Plus, with recycled and biodegradable packaging, you’ll feel even more guilt-free while you indulge.
Tony Belleau
Bake Me Happy
East Moler Street, Columbus
When the shop owners of Bake Me Happy watched a family member suffer through gluten intolerance, they saw no other choice but to open a gluten-free bakery. Plus, many people feel better choosing gluten-free options. It’s hard to pass up a quinoa flake monster cookie, a flourless peanut butter cookie with quinoa flakes, chocolate chips and candy-coated chocolate pieces. While everything should be consumed in moderation, catering specifically to sweet tooth’s with food sensitivities is a major plus.
Mallory Arnold
Beauty is on the Inside
Do you judge a tomato by its nutrients and not by its shape? Do you believe a sweet potato is beautiful no matter how wonky its shape? Then Misfits Market may be for you. This locally sourced produce company ships delicious and affordable misfit produce (fruits and vegetables rejected from grocery stores for their aesthetic imperfections) right to your doorstep in order to reduce food waste in the U.S. Don’t worry, they may not be beautiful, but they still taste delicious.
For more information, visit www.misfitsmarket.com.
Mallory Arnold is an associate editor. Feedback welcome at marnold@cityscenemediagroup.com.
