As one of the top foodie cities in the U.S., Chicago has a lot to offer. And sometimes it can be hard to sort through it all. To make it a little easier, I set out to find the best of the best salads in Chicago so you don’t have to.
Whether you’re looking for grab and go or a formal affair, here are the salads in Chicago you gotta try.
1. sweetgreen
Some of sweetgreen‘s core values include thinking sustainably, keeping it real, adding the sweet touch, and living the sweet life. Not only does this apply to their food, but to their business practices as well. They believe that “the choices we make about what we eat, where it comes from and how it’s prepared have a direct and powerful impact on the health of individuals, communities and the environment.”
The Spring Caesar is my personal favorite and has organic arugula, chopped romaine, asparagus, radishes, hard-boiled egg, za’atar bread crumbs, fresh lemon squeeze, cucumbers, sweet green hot sauce and Caesar dressing.
2. Mixed Greens
When you’re at Mixed Greens, it’s clear that these people know their salads. The combination of ingredients like the char-grilled flank steak, caramelized onions and bleu cheese dressing in their “Black ‘n’ Bleu” salad is not only mouthwatering, but also so worth the $9 price tag.
And if you don’t want one of their other signature or vegetarian salads, you can always build your own, so you can make it exactly to your liking.
3. Doc B’s Fresh Kitchen
While Doc B’s has locations in both Chicago and Florida, this place is still deserving of a spot on this Windy City list. I mean, come on. Just look at that Brussels Sprouts Salad. I don’t even like Brussels sprouts and I wouldn’t think twice about ordering this based on how yummy it looks. If Brussels sprouts really aren’t your thing, they offer seven other kinds of salads including grilled chicken, Cobb and quinoa.
4. Left Coast Food + Juice
With a philosophy to “change the perception that eating healthy is dull and flavorless,” Left Coast Food + Juice packs a ton of flavor and nutrition into everything they offer, and their salads are no exception. My personal favorite is the Robust Rosa, which is packed with kale, spinach, roasted broccoli, red onion, roasted tomato, toasted hemp seeds, and avocado Caesar dressing. Left Coast is super trendy and serves some of the yummiest (and healthiest) salads in Chicago.
5. Hub 51
Hub 51 is known as one of the must-eat places in Chicago, and while they aren’t necessarily known for their salads, they are a solid option when looking for something a little healthier.
While it is known for the nachos, burgers and tacos, Hub 51 also makes a mean salad. Their Complete Chopped Salad has everything you’d expect, plus some added quinoa, hemp, and pumpkin seeds.
6. Portillo’s
Portillo’s is an iconic part of Chicago not only for their hot dogs and Italian beef, but for their salads, too. The Portillo’s Chopped Salad is fresh, flavorful, and reliable.
The perfect combo that Portillo’s sells includes chopped romaine, iceberg lettuce, red cabbage, diced chicken breast, ditalini pasta, bacon, diced tomatoes, gorgonzola cheese and green onion.
7. Salata
Salata claims itself as the “Next Generation Salad Bar,” and with its more than 50 toppings and house-made dressings, it sure is well on its way. All of the nutritional information is readily available, so it’s easy to know exactly what is going into your salad. Salata is located in Schaumburg and Wheeling, which are both suburbs of Chicago.
8. Blue Door Farm Stand
Brussels sprouts seem to be gaining popularity as a feature ingredient in many salads around town, and Blue Door Farm Stand is following suit. Their Brussels and Kale salad that has bacon, almonds, Parmesan cheese, and maple tahini dressing is one of the most Instagrammed items on their menu.
9. Freshii
This Canadian fast-casual chain has locations all over the globe, but with 32 locations in Illinois alone, it’s hard to take a trip to Chi-town and not walk past a Freshii. A lot of people think that chains sacrifice quality for quantity, but that’s not true at Freshii. They are focused on making healthy food affordable and convenient, because isn’t that the way food should be?
10. Fred’s at Barney’s New York Chicago
While the name “Fred’s at Barney’s New York Chicago” is can be confusing, this restaurant located inside the iconic luxury department store knows its way around a salad. Similar to the merchandise in the store, this food ain’t cheap. But I gotta say, that Oak Street Salad with lobster, shrimp AND crab is worth $29.
11. Wildfire
Wildfire is part of the Lettuce Entertain You Restaurant Group, and they sure know what to do with lettuce. Even though Wildfire is a steakhouse, there’s nothing that will stop me from ordering this salad every single time I eat there.
The Wildfire Chopped Salad is one of my favorite salads of all time, and it is stuffed with roasted chicken, avocado, tomatoes, blue cheese, bacon, scallions, corn, tortilla strips, and citrus lime vinaigrette.
So, next time you’re craving some greens, check out one of these great places to find some of the best salads in Chicago.