Between homework, afterschool activities, and games and practices for our active kids, getting a healthy and nutritious meal on the table in time for dinner is an increasingly difficult challenge. Lucky for us in Seattle, a growing number of local restaurants have jumped on board the “fresh food fast” movement, to offer healthy, meals that busy parents can easily grab and go on the run. Since it opened its first location in 2013, local, small chain Evergreens has been a pioneer in the field, offering a wide range of thoughtfully composed, veggie-forward dishes made from hyper-local, seasonal produce.
Choose a signature or seasonal salad, or order it as a wrap, with brown rice or in a quinoa-based grain bowl. The spicy kale Caesar is a perennial favorite, with aged Parmesan and lemon grounding the flavors, and spicy jalapeños giving it a kick. The El Sombrero is another crowd-pleaser, a burrito bowl option with local favorite Beecher’s Flagship cheese giving it a little extra oomph. Even better when ordering for the whole family, Evergreens dishes are supremely customizable, so if nothing from the menu appeals exactly, have the kids, invent their own creation from more than 40 different toppings.
A collective cheer was recently heard around the Eastside as Evergreens opened its first location east of Lake Washington, in downtown Bellevue. In addition to their lunch and dinner options, the Bellevue City Center Plaza site debuted a new nourishing, hearty and flavorful breakfast menu. The sous-vide poached eggs make a delicious and decadent touch to breakfast grain bowls, and kids love the housemade granola with yogurt. For those eating in, draft kombucha and housemade lemonade are a nice addition, as are the locally made baked treats.
Making it even quicker to get dinner on the table, Evergreens has an intuitive website that allows for easy online ordering: perfect for placing an order at halftime to pick up on the way home. It also offers plenty of educational, fun facts about their seasonal offerings, and nutritional information for those who keep an eye on calories. What’s more, Evergreens is expanding from its four downtown locations, Fremont and U-Village, to SeaTac, Pioneer Square and Kirkland as well.
Note: Opening hours vary by location, so be sure to check their website before making a trip.
