I can’t believe I do not have a Boston travel tips post on where to go, what to eat and what to see, etc. I can tell you that Boston has very few restaurants that are 100% dedicated to healthy grub. Sweetgreen is one of the very few in actual Boston (I’m excluding Cambridge, Newton, etc.)
If you live in Washington DC or New York City, you might know the amazingness that is Sweetgreen. They serve fresh, often organic, delicious and seasonal salads made to order. It is not cheap but it is filling and you feel good about your dollars spent because many of the ingredients are purchased from local markets and farms.
Last night, I had the privilege to join the Sweetgreen team for a look at their new seasonal Fall menu at Ward’s Berry Farm in Sharon, MA. I drove down with my friend Emily which only took 40 minutes. This month, they revamped the menu to include 3 seasonal salads that will be on the menu for 3 months, all featuring local produce in season. In the past, it was one salad that changed each month. Ward’s was adorable with pumpkin patch and activities for all the kiddies. There were birthday parties everywhere.
We spent the first part of the afternoon on a hayride, checking out the farm. We saw corn, red peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, cabbage, brussels sprouts, pumpkins and more all being grown. There were blankets for the ride but the weather was not too bad!
I did not know you could literally eat sweet corn straight off the cobb. Our guides hopped off the tractors and grabbed a few ears right off the stalks. I tried a bite and was surprised at how good it really was without salt, butter or a grill! Ward’s Berry Farm is one of Sweetgreen’s local farms where produce is sourced from. Afterwards, cocktails and appetizers were passed around including local cider brewery, Downeast Cider which I love!
The hummus tahina salad is not part of the seasonal menu but is new to the menu. I got it last week and was in heaven. It features hummus, baked falafel, crumbled pita chips, feta, cucumber tahini, tomatoes, cucumbers and red onion. We were not served the salad but did sample fresh veggies from the farm with the baked falafel and homemade hummus to start out. So good. I highly recommend trying the Hummus Tahina salad though!
We also sampled roasted Brussels Sprouts from the Roast Turkey and Fall vegetable salad, sliced apples, pears, candied walnuts and cheddar cheese that highlight the Apple, Pears and Organic Cheddar Salad as well as the Curry Cauliflower and Quinoa bowl.
My favorite however was the Rad Thai Shrimp dish and Wild Child Rice Bowl. My pictures came out awful but if you love pad thai, try the Rad Thai salad the next time you visit Sweetgreen. The Wild Child Rice Bowl tasted like a healthy comfort food mix between Chinese Food and Sweetgreen staples. Both were so good!!!
I left with a full tummy and lots of laughs. It was great getting to hanging out with fellow healthy Boston community leaders like Caroline, Lucie, Christina and the Flywheel team. Rachel, who blogs at Healthy Chicks did a fabulous job putting together this fantastic community event.
In addition to seeing old friends, it was great meeting the team behind Sweetgreen including the 3 founders who flew up to Boston from DC for the event. They do a great job at making their brand community focused. I love the new seasonal approach and every new item. I didn’t even mention how good the butternut squash soup I tried was!
What is your favorite in season vegetable right now?
