Cool Off With These 6 Crisp & Refreshing SaladS in RVA
Salads — the perfect mixture of tasty and nutritious. When you’re craving the crunch of a perfectly prepped medley, you can’t just pop in anywhere and expect to be wowed. Some RVA restaurants truly take their salad game seriously and mix this healthy option with intentional and unique flavor combos.
We’ve rounded up six of our favorite spots for some greens, so you can be sure to get your green’s worth when a salad craving hits.
— by Alie McArdle, Contributing Writer
Little Nickel
Little Nickel is a neighborhood hot spot with high-end appetizers, like their Hawaiian Nachos and Octopus-Avocado Cocktail. But when you’re on the hunt for a particularly refreshing entrée, you shouldn’t sleep on their salads. The spot has three signature chopped salads: Romano, Royal Siam, and Santina. Each offer its own flavor combinations that you won’t find anywhere else, but I especially recommend the Royal Siam. It has romaine lettuce, napa cabbage, oranges, avocado, cilantro, basil, peanut, and crispy shallots, topped with a delicious chili-lime vinaigrette.
Location: 4702 Forest Hill Ave (Forest Hill)
Hours: Found here
Menu: Found here
The Continental
A perfect spot to pop in for lunch, The Continental features your classic sandwiches, apps, and entrées, but people rave about their version of a cobb salad, the Three Chopt. Always made with fresh, crunchy produce, the Three Chopt features romaine lettuce, avocado, eggs, roasted red peppers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and blue cheese crumbles, served with blue cheese dressing.
Location: 609 Hull St (Manchester)
Hours: Found here
Menu: Found here
Tarrant’s Downtown
Tarrant’s has a reputation for excellent service, an inviting dining room, and of course, their delicious eats. While their pizza often hits it out of the park, their salads are a wonderful alternative. For full flavors that won’t leave hungry, try their Greek Salad (feta cheese, banana pepper, chick pea, olive, onion, roasted red pepper, cucumber, tomato, and artichoke heart, with balsamic vinaigrette) or the Tarragon Chicken (golden raisins, fresh fruit, cucumber, craisins, and candied walnuts over mixed greens, dressed with raspberry vinaigrette).
Location: 1 W Broad St (Jackson Ward)
Hours: Found here
Menu: Found here
Tazza Kitchen
A spicy salad — say whaaaa?! Yes. And it’s delish. Situated in the popular Scott’s Addition district, Tazza is frequently bustling with brunch-goers, but when you’re, instead, seeking a tasty salad with a bite, definitely try their Kale & Chilies salad (toasted pine nuts, chili pequin, grana padano, lemon grana vinaigrette) — you can also add protein on top!
Location: 1500 Roseneath Rd (Scott’s Addition)
Hours: Found here
Menu: Found here
Joe’s Inn
Paige is quite literally *in love* with the Country Greek Salad from Joe’s Inn, and if you missed her coverage about it, we’ll catch you up. This seasonal summer salad bursts with ripe (and local!) Hanover tomatoes, cucumbers, crisp green peppers, white onion, Romano, and feta cheese. Tossed in EVOO, red wine vinegar, and their top-secret seasoning blend and topped with briny kalamata olives, there's no tomato salad like it. Celebrate one of the summer’s best veggies, and treat yourself to this mouth-watering mixture ASAP.
Location: 205 N Shields Ave (The Fan)
Hours: Found here
Menu: Found here
~HONORABLE MENTION~
Chopt Creative Salad Co.
It’s not a local spot, per se, but we can’t write about the best spots for salads without mentioning Chopt Creative Salad Co. And while its name speaks for itself, you really have to stop in and try their signature salads to truly appreciate it. If you like a salad that packs a fruity flavor, try the Sweet Apple Orchard Salad (seasonal apples, dried cranberries, goat cheese, roasted almonds, romaine, and Chopt lettuce blend).
Location: 901 E Cary St (Shockoe Slip)
Hours: Found here
Menu: Found here
Craving something else?
