Skinny Rita’s Grille
Skinny Rita’s Grille is not just another Tex-Mex joint. Here, they serve up Mexican food in a healthier way. For starters, everything is cooked in coconut oil, the meat is naturally raised, antibiotic, and hormone-free, and cactus tortillas and all-natural stone ground wheat tortillas are made fresh daily. Cactus tortillas are made with cactus flour instead of the regular white, which results in a corn tortilla texture. For vegans, there’s a quinoa chile relleno or the roasted pepper and corn pesto enchiladas.
Skinny Rita’s Grille, 4002 N Main St, Houston, TX, USA, +1 832 831 6895
Green Seed Vegan
Green Seed Vegan, which bloomed out of a food truck into a fully functioning vegan empire, is the brainchild of two Houston natives, Matti Merrell and Rodney Perry. At Green Seed, tacos are made with walnuts instead of ground beef, and fries are made of cauliflower. These crispy, pillowy, perfectly seasoned cauliflower nuggets are so good you will forget that potatoes and meat even existed. Their menu may be entirely vegan but with a wide array of raw items, juices, and elixirs, there’s something for just about everyone.
Green Seed Vegan, 4320 Almeda Rd, Houston, TX, USA, +1 844 365 8346
Freshii
Freshii is a health-conscious restaurant with one goal in mind: ‘Eliminate the excuse that people don’t eat well.’ Their menu features wraps and bowls like the ‘Mediterranean,’ a lively mix of cucumbers, cilantro, feta, and almonds on a bed of quinoa and greens in a red pepper sauce. Clocking in at 510 calories and only $8, this is just one of many healthy and affordable options at Freshii. Add a juice like the ‘Mighty Detox’ and enjoy them both for under $15.
Freshii, 309 Gray St #109, Houston, TX, USA, +1 713 527-8525
Salad Extravaganza
This is not your mama’s salad bar. Salad Extravaganza features over 70 nutritious toppings along with a plethora of meat and produce based proteins to create the salad of your dreams. When they say extravaganza, they aren’t kidding, an average salad weighs over three pounds. But unlike other chains, they don’t charge by weight. Meaning each salad is a set cost and you can load up with as many veggies as you like.
Salad Extravaganza, 3917 Richmond Ave, Houston, TX, USA, +1 713 993 0091
Fit Fuel
Fit Fuel is an innovative restaurant combining two things that don’t usually go together: convenience and fresh, healthy food. Inspired by their own struggle to find a fun restaurant that would also compliment their active lifestyle, Fit Fuel was born, bringing forward wholesome alternatives to fast food that are free of both GMOs and unhealthy oils. Start your day with ‘muscle gains,’ a grass-fed top sirloin, with egg whites, sweet potato, mushrooms and an ezekiel muffin. As a bonus, the nutritional information is listed on all of their menu items.
Fit Fuel, 7620 Katy Fwy #225, Houston, TX, USA, +1 713 688 1288
Pat Greer’s Kitchen
Years ago, Pat Greer, the co-founder of Houston’s Central City Co-op was tasked with figuring out what to do with an overabundance of leftover organic produce. She got cooking and it wasn’t long before raw treats like her spinach curry ‘krackers’ got people talking and inspired her to open up a restaurant. Since its opening in 2000, Pat Greer’s Kitchen has been using locally sourced ingredients to deliver plant-based, raw cuisine to the city of Houston. Revolving around the local produce, the menu changes weekly and the best part is everything is to-go, making it a smart and delicious alternative to regular takeout.
Pat Greer’s Kitchen, 412 W Clay St, Houston, TX, USA, +1 713 807 0101
Ruggles Green – City Centre
Ruggles Green has branded itself ‘the greenest restaurant in Texas’ and for good reason. While they have several locations, their Houston City Centre location is the first in the state and second in the nation to be awarded four-star certification by the Green Restaurant Association. This means that along with their promise to serve locally grown produce, free of trans-fats and GMOs, they are also committed to the reduction of water waste, disposables, and pollution. Enjoy a buffalo burger or one of 35+ gluten-free options, and know you’re treating your body well as well as your community.
Ruggles Green, City Centre, 801 Town and Country Blvd, Houston, TX, USA, +1 713 464 5557
Snap Kitchen
Since 2010, Snap Kitchen has been providing health-conscious, take-away meals and cold-pressed juices with the highest quality ingredients. Catering to a multitude of lifestyles, they offer paleo-friendly and non-dairy options, the best part being that all of the hard work is done for you. Expertly crafted by chefs and portion controlled, all you have to do is grab and go. If you’re going to be working late, get a chicken and broccoli hash for later. Life may be crazy, but they make healthy eating a snap.
Snap Kitchen, 5710 Memorial Dr, Houston, TX, USA, +1 713 426 4700
Juiceland
The Austin institution that is Juiceland has finally made its way to Houston with a new location in The Heights. Choose from a wide array of fresh juices, smoothies, shots, and hot beverages. If you’re in the mood for a juice (and possibly had too much to drink the night before) try the ‘recovery punch’, a refreshing blend of lime, watermelon, pineapple, beet, and coconut water topped off with a pinch of Himalayan sea salt. Getting hydrated never tasted so good.
Juiceland, 3206 White Oak Dr, Houston, TX, USA, +1 832 433-7831
Tout Suite
Tout Suite may be a bakery, but don’t let that deter you. The menu includes healthy options like the ‘avocado toast’ with fresh radishes. Their eclectic menu also features açaí bowls, pitaya bowls, and chia pudding. In the açaí bowl, açaí, a berry reminiscent of blueberry, is blended until creamy and topped with banana, berries, and granola, making it a perfect post-workout or afternoon snack. Start or end your day with Tout and it’s sure to be sweet.
Tout Suite, 2001 Commerce St, Houston, TX, USA, +1 713 227-8688
By Sara Graym