L.A. Favorites: Best Los Angeles Restaurants for Healthy Eating

As summer draws near, we tend to think of vacations, dips in the pool and warm weather fashions. Healthy eating helps to keep us looking and feeling good all year ’round, but especially when it’s time to put on our swimsuits. Living a healthy lifestyle is easier when there are lots of great dining options and restaurants with menus geared toward healthy food. Today I am sharing a few of my favorite healthy restaurants in Los Angeles and Orange County.

These fabulous dining spots don’t skimp on flavor or style.

Greenleaf Gourmet Chopshop

This delicious eatery might sound like it only serves chopped salads, but there is quite a bit more on the menu. Yes, they have a variety of different chopped salads, including a seasonal salad of the week, such as this one I spied in their Instagram feed.

A salad featuring Grilled Peaches with Baby Arugula, Goat Cheese and Peach Balsamic Reduction. (I’m so sorry I missed that one!)

But in addition to their delicious made-to-order salads, they also serve wraps, sandwiches and pizzas using flame-grilled proteins and organic, locally-grown produce. You can also order healthy breakfast items or a healthy beverage from the Juice bar. Their menu features the freshest organic and local ingredients available every day. There are four locations in Southern California:

• Beverly Hills: 9671 Wilshire Blvd.90212 310-246-0756
• Century City: 1888 Century Park East 90067 424-239-8700
• The Los Angeles area locations are only open until 4:00 or 5:00, which is perfect if you want a late lunch. However, if you want a great chopped salad for dinner, plan to visit one of their locations in Costa Mesa. (Perfect after a day of shopping at nearby South Coast Plaza)
• Costa Mesa: 234 E 17th St.; 92627 949-200-3950 or 3321 Hyland Ave.; 92626 714-862-2480

Seasons 52

Nothing on the menu is more than 475 calories at Seasons 52, but you’d never know it by tasting it. A seasonal menu and talented chefs make everything delicious. A favorite? The cedar plank salmon.

They even have a nutritional chart to accompany their menu, so you can check everything from calories to sodium to cholesterol levels in the food.

There are several locations throughout California:

• Los Angeles: 10250 Santa Monica Blvd. 90067 (310) 277-5252
• Santa Monica: 1501 Ocean Ave. 90401 (310) 451-1152
• Costa Mesa: 3333 Bristol St Suite #2802 92626 (714) 437-5252

Tender Greens

The dishes in this restaurant are big on flavor and the ingredients have been selected with the utmost care. They call in Farm to Fork DNA and they care about what goes on the plate. Nearby Scarborough Farms grows much of the produce, meat is raised humanely, and they use as many organic ingredients as possible.

In addition to whipping up amazing meals made thoughtful ingredients, the folks at Tender Greens also strive for a healthy community. Their Sustainable Life Project “offers a 6-month internship to emancipated foster youth. Students work at the restaurant and attend culinary arts classes, farm tours and life skills workshops. Upon graduation, students are eligible for full-time employment with Tender Greens to continue pursuing their career goals.”

Tender Greens has several locations in Los Angeles County.

These are just 3 of the great healthy restaurants in Los Angeles, but there are many, many more to choose from. I am also a big fan of Kreation Kafe and their cold pressed juices and Pono Burger’s grassfed beef burgers.

What’s the best healthy restaurant where you live?

Photo credits: Greenleaf, Seasons 52, Tender Greens