There are very few socially acceptable reasons to drive 30 minutes off Emory’s campus just for a restaurant, and Upbeet, Atlanta’s newest health food restaurant, is without a doubt, one of those justifiable reasons. A line that is always out the door tells it all, but the indecisive Upbeet visitor usually has a hard time.
With a premade menu that includes salads, quinoa/rice bowls, smoothie/yogurt bowls and an option to create-your-own bowl, you can imagine how stressful a trip to Upbeet can be for indecisive people like me. Whether you are an Upbeet regular and are trying to decide whether to stray away from your usual order or you’re a newbie and have no idea where to start, here are my recommendations
Smoothie/Yogurt Bowl
If you are heading to Upbeet for breakfast or lunch with a sweet tooth, you cannot go wrong with any smoothie or yogurt bowl. My personal favorites are the O.G. Acai bowl and the Peanut Butter Bliss bowl, but then again, I don’t think you can miss with anything on the menu.
Create-Your-Own Bowls
Almost every time I go to Upbeet, I create my own bowl. Depending on my mood, I will either order an arugula or quinoa base. The first part of the line has all the cold toppings of a traditional salad bar. Where the decisions become harder is the second section of the line, where you have the options of adding hot veggies to your bowl. Every single option offered in this part of the line is delicious, though my go-to hot toppings are the cauliflower, carrots, or brussel sprouts.
The most difficult decisions arise when you reach the protein section of the salad bar. Every person you talk to will have a different favorite protein, but the proteins I highly recommend are the tuna poke and the turkey meatballs. Feel free to ask the Upbeet workers to try a protein if you are stuck between two. They’re very accommodating and that way, you’ll have no regrets after you order.
The final decision you’ll have to make is choosing out of the many dressings that Upbeet has to offer. I usually go with the thai peanut or roasted red pepper dressing, but I have also heard people rave about the lime vinaigrette and toasted sesame dressing.
Although you have to fight Atlanta traffic to get to Upbeet and it can get a little pricey, it is my new favorite casual Atlanta restaurant. So next time you and your friends can’t decide where to go to eat, go Upbeet—you won’t regret it.