Making healthy choices while living in a city that tempts you with the some of the best unhealthy food in the country is pretty hard. If you make the daily walk down King Street to class or work, all you can see is restaurant after restaurant of amazing but not so nutritional food.

Now, in order to not gain the freshman 15 every year, we may want to take a break from the burgers and pizza and take a look into some of the healthier options that there are downtown. They’re there if you look hard enough, and they’re pretty tasty, too.

Verde

Charleston

Photo by Samantha Buckley

Verde may have been around for a little while, but it has recently found a very strong place in my heart. All of the ingredients are local and fresh, and the salad dressings are all homemade. There are so many options (42 to be exact) to spice up your salad or wrap, so I honestly don’t think you could get bored of eating at this place.

Freshii

Charleston

Photo courtesy of @freshii on Instagram

If you haven’t tried the Buddha Bowl yet, you are missing out on a beautiful part of life. You can try any of their signature bowls, and with so many options, it would be hard to be disappointed. If none of those interest you, you can even create your own delicious healthy concoction. What’s not to love?

Huriyali

Charleston

Photo by Lizzy Volavka

If you love beautiful and tasty food, look no further than the delicious and trendy smoothie bowls. If you are looking for something lighter, their freshly made juices are a great option to order as well.

Gnome Cafe

Charleston

Photo courtesy of @spotstosavor on Instagram

This is a recently opened cafe that is completely vegan. It’s an amazing thing to see popping up in Charleston as our food scene develops to include more dietary restrictions. They serve plant-based meals for breakfast and lunch, which is great news for all of our veggie friends out there who just want a good meal downtown.