Here is a list of places to have fresh and delicious Salads in Houston.

Houston has tons of sliders and BBQ, but when it’s scorching outdoors, there’s nothing more pleasant than a salad.

Although they don’t get as much attention as Houston’s heartier cuisine, the city hosts a magnificent assortment of refreshing salads. So, when you’re tired of the heat, try some of these veggie-packed platters that are as tasty as they are nutritious.

Let us tour some of the best salad bars in town.

Top Places To Try a Salad In Houston

The Houston food scene is extremely diverse, and there is a lot of variety when it comes to the best healthy salads.

In Houston, you’ll find some of the most exciting and satisfying salads at restaurants that are serving up fresh ingredients from around the world.

Original Ninfa’s

One of my favorite salad spots in Houston is The Original Ninfa’s , where I get my best fix with a side of healthy ingredients. You can never go wrong with a salad or bowl from this restaurant that was originally started by Ninfa Laurenzo in 1973.

Today, people are more conscious than ever about their health and what they put into their bodies. With that in mind, Ninfa’s created a signature vegan fajita salad that is healthy and delicious. 

The salad features wonderful mixed greens, corn kernels, black beans, guacamole, and cheese, along with your choice of grilled chicken or steak fajita. You can also substitute shrimp for chicken or steak for a change.

Address: 2704 Navigation Blvd, Houston, TX 77003
Hours: 11am to 10pm, most days.
Website: https://ninfas.com/

Bohemeo’s

If you like something tropical and refreshing, you should hit this hideaway tropical salad bar for sure to tone the heat down a notch.

Magenta-themed Bohemeo’s salad bar in Eastwood has the perfect delectable salad palates with cooling beverages that make you feel like you are relaxing on a beach.

A fresh salad packed with good nutritious veggie stuffs like avocado, lush mixed greens, cabbage, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, cucumber, tomato, bell pepper assortments, and carrot to cool your health in the heat.

You get all that goodness for just $4. What more can you ask for! 

And you can opt for other salads and different salad dressings like hummus plate veggie, pita salad, ranch salad, and more.

Address: 708 Telephone Rd, Houston, TX 77023
Hours: 7am to 9pm, Most days
Website: http://bohemeos.com/

Brasil

This adorable Montrose savory restaurant innovates new things every now and then. Besides the signature coffee, the cafe offers savory cuisine like burgers and great pizza.

However, the salad menu is simple, and they don’t have much stretch in a variety. Their simple Caeser salad is flavorful and packed with fresh, healthy leafy ingredients like pecorino, capers, kale, pepitas, a few Mexican ingredients, and dressed with mole Verde.

If you appreciate a simple salad, friendly service, and pleasing ambiance, this is the spot to hit. 

Address: 2604 Dunlavy St, Houston, TX 77006
Hours: 8am to 11pm, Most days
Website: https://www.brasilcafehouston.com/

Common Bond Bistro & Bakery

In the past few years, this place has outgrown the fast and casual food category and spread across the entirety of Houston.

Thanks to its simple healthy salad meal. Creating the best assortments like orange, goat cheese, beetroot, meat with blue cheese are great options who love a little hearty meal to fill them up with green goodness.

They also offer lighter salad choices for people, which include pomegranate, arugula, lettuce, some fetta cheese, spinach, and some pecans to top it with. You can get seasonable salads too. Check the menus when you visit.

Address: Multiple locations
Hours: 7 am to 9 pm, most days
Website: https://www.commonbondcafe.com/

Local Foods 

This place gets fresh, locally sourced ingredients to its menu. If anyone has a heart for local ingredients, it is worth trying.

The menus are versatile and change every time, so you might not get the same thing tomorrow that you had today. 

However, few recipes still stay on the menu due to people’s choices, such as herb-crusted salmon with a mix of kale, spinach, potatoes, asparagus, sweetcorn, cabbages, cured cucumber, broccoli, snow peas, Asian chicken, bean sprouts, garlic, and cashews.

Please note that their serving size is large so you can take the rest home if you can’t finish it all in one sitting.

Address: Multiple locations
Hours: 10 am to 8 pm, most days
Website: https://www.localfoodstexas.com/

Mendocino Farms

This California-based salad and sandwich chain has three locations across Houston. They offer a variety of custom salad bowls perfect for lunch meals.

They included new options like 400-calorie avocado and quinoa Ensalada with jicama, corn, black beans, and succotash in salad menus. You can try the new modern Caeser salad with avocado, kale, tomatoes, and grape.

Searching for a non-veggie salad? Don’t worry, they have got you covered!

Best crafted chicken and prosciutto salad has almond, roasted carrots, salted ham, and lastly topped with fresh mozzarella cheese. Isn’t it tempting?

Address: Multiple locations
Hours: 11 am to 9 pm, most days
Website: https://www.mendocinofarms.com/

Okome Don

This locally-based most people’s favorite salad spot offer romaine or spring mix, adding protein-like yellowtail, albacore tuna, and red snapper. You can pick veggies as sides like edamame, sweetcorn, avocado, plus sauces and sides in whatever custom-made salad you want. 

You get soup options also like miso soup, which is a light and healthy soup.

Address: 9938 Bellaire Blvd b1, Houston, TX 77036
Hours: 11 am to 9 pm
Website: https://www.facebook.com/OkomeDonHouston/

Sweetgreen

This New York-based salad place makes an assorting warm bowl and great healthy salads. 

I love the amazing green goddess and sweet potato bowl. It’s packed with protein and carbs while offering the perfect balance of sweetness, tartness, and flavor. Options you get are garlic chili shrimp or shroomami, fusing portobellos with sesame tofu, and wild rice.

Sweetgreen has traditional salads on its menu, such as kale Caesar with buffalo chicken and za’atar breadcrumbs bowl salad. Find out your favorite salad from the menu.

Address: Multiple Locations
Hours: 10:30 am to 9 pm
Website: https://www.sweetgreen.com/

Verdine

In this place, you get fresh strawberry fields salads combined with natural fresh berries, sugar snap peas, almond ricotta, fennel, spinach, and frisée from their own garden. 

Whenever I need a food refreshment, this is a go-to place for me in the summers and helps me relax with a mixed fruits bowl that amps my body.

A modern-day Caesar salad with quinoa and almond, a version of Verdine, is popular among salad lovers. You get garden fruit assortments to refresh your day from the scorching heat.

Address: 449 W 19th St Suite C-200, Houston, TX 77008
Hours: 11 am to 9 pm, Most days
Website: https://eatverdine.com/

Vibrant

Vibrant has gone through a few changes since it opened. However, its green and grain bowl has never changed since I have started eating in this place.

Ingredients such as field greens, quinoa, fennel, broccolini, and macadamia-cashew cheese are handpicked fresh and used in the salad. I especially love the kale salad with Fuji apple that’s served with delicata squash.

Address: 1931 Fairview St, Houston, TX 77006
Hours: Closed Temporarily
Website: https://www.wearevibrant.com/

Barnaby’s Cafe

Barnaby’s is famous for its large-and-powerful salads. Although the Chinese Chicken salad and the Lebanese Chicken Fattoush salad are customer favorites, my personal favorite is the Cobb salad.

The combination of the meats (crumbled hard-boiled eggs, bacon, chicken) complement the veggies (chopped greens, scallions, red onions) plus there’s enough cheese to bring it all together in Barnaby’s traditional Cobb gives this salad taste like a feast.

Address: Multiple locations
Hours: 7 am to 10 pm at most locations, most days.
Website: https://barnabyscafe.com/

What is Salad?

In layman terms, a salad is a cold dish of various assortments of cooked or raw ingredients seasoned with dressing like olive oil, vinegar, lemon, yogurt, and more. You can accompany it with meat or non-meat items like chicken, steak, tofu, cottage cheese, or any other cheese, exotic veggies, and fruits.

What Kind of Salads Do You Get in Houston?

Houston has varied salad assortments for every kind of person. You name it, and you get it. I have visited many parts of the world except for Mediterranean cities and have never seen such variety to dig into in other places. If you are vegan, there are just as many vegan choices as there are for non-vegetarians.

I feel lucky to see a diverse salad and food culture that matches people’s tastes in Houston. It makes you wonder what kind of salads are offered across the city. Let’s see then!

• My favorite Cobb Salad with desired dressing
• Second Favorite Caesar Salad you get unique dressing in different restaurants
• Mouth-Watering Tomato Panzanella
• Heat Relieving Cucumber Watermelon Salad
• Fancy Burrata Salad
• Texas Famous Peach and Duck Salad
• Asparagus Proscuitto- Vegan French Salad for a change
• Protein-Packed Grains and Green Salad
• Traditional Ancient Grains with Chickpea Croquettes Salad
• Healthy and Filling Mixed Mushroom & Spinach Avocado Chopped Salad
• Try the New Roasted Vegetable & Quinoa Sweet Potato Avocado Chopped salad
• Hearty Brunch Spicy Crab California Avocado Chopped salad
• Not to Forget Greek Salad

There are endless salads, and I can keep the list going, but doing that will make me hungry. These are the best salads in Houston. I mentioned some of the most preferred salads in general.

What I love the most is everything is handpicked fresh from the market, no preservatives that keep the taste and nutrition intact of the salad. And it is a filling for the stomach and healthy, not that I need to mention.

What To Know About Salad Dressings

One of the most common questions I get is, “What’s your favorite salad dressing?” So, I thought it would be fun to share what I like to put on my salads with you.

• Blue Cheese: It is a very mild cheese and has a salty taste that pairs well with the fruit in most salads.
• French: You can never go wrong with this classic, very popular dressing.
• Ranch: It is a great option for those who like garlic and onion, but not too much flavor because it’s not too strong or spicy.
• Italian: This dressing is creamy and tangy but lighter than ranch–perfect for when you want something more than just oil and vinegar.
• Thousand Island: This is one of my personal favorites because it was created by the chef at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. The dressing is a mixture of mayonnaise, ketchup, and either pickle relish or diced cucumbers.

The Benefits of Eating an Awesome Salad Every Day

Eating an awesome salad every day can provide many benefits. For one, it is a delicious, healthy meal option. It is also great for your diet if you are trying to lose weight.

One of the only drawbacks of eating only salad every day is that it can get boring, especially if you don’t include some variety in the ingredients. To avoid this problem, I recommend throwing in some sweet potatoes, nuts, and cheese to give your salads some flavor and texture variation.

Salads are an excellent way to start any meal because they provide nutrients that will last throughout the day. Salads are also very filling compared to heavier meals which means you will be more likely to skip dessert or cut back on calories at dinner time!

Conclusion

Salad has always been my favorite and go-to meal for skipping heaving eating. As a vegetarian, I love the versatility of salads when it comes to what I can add or not add. I also love how there are so many different options for dressings, toppings, and veggies. But most importantly for me, salads are perfect for traveling, digestion, and health.

Salads wouldn’t be the most appealing menu option in a land of steak and BBQ’s-loving carnivores. However, some of the tastiest fruits and vegetables are in season throughout the summertime. Furthermore, there is a movement for veggie-centric cuisine that is reintroducing exquisite salads and expertly cooked vegetarian cuisine into the limelight.

I hope this guide and my experience help you taste the best salads in Houston. 

Let me know which salad wooed you in the city of meat?