NAUTI THOUGHTS: HEALTHY RESTAURANTS

H A P P Y    W E L L N E S S   W E D N E S D A Y

Trying to decide where to go out to eat these days is so difficult. I feel like I am constantly deciding between food that tastes like dirt but is healthy or food that is deep-fried and dripping in fat, there never seems to be an in-between... until now! Below is a list of restaurants that are not only healthy for you but delicious as well. 

1. CAFE GRATITUDE

Located in Little Italy, this trendy cafe is overflowing with health food. Cafe Gratitude prides themselves on being a plant-based restaurant that is not only healthy for your body but good for the environment too. They are extremely sustainable and strive to serve you with the best organic foods there is to offer. From a cast-iron chickpea quiche for breakfast to a blackened tempeh caesar wrap for dinner, you cannot go wrong on what you order. 

2. TRUE FOOD KITCHEN

Okay, fair warning on this one--get ready to shed a tear when your bill comes because it is not cheap. That being said, your body will thank you 10x over for picking this restaurant over the In-N-Out burger and animal style fries that you were going to choose instead. With two locations in San Diego, one in La Jolla and the other in Fashion Valley, you have to find time to venture out here ASAP. True Food Kitchen strives to serve food that is, well, true. They have an open kitchen design in their restaurants because they don't want to hide anything from their customers. They are not afraid of their clients seeing what they are making "behind closed doors" so they cut out the assumptions and opened it up for everyone to see. Something else that is special about this restaurant is it caters to almost all food preferences. Whether you are gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan you will be able to find multiple delicious items on the menu. 

3. MENDOCINO FARMS

If you are constantly looking for a sandwich that doesn't consist of peanut butter and jelly than Mendocino Farms should be your next stop. Mendocino Farms isn't just your local sandwich deli though. Their core values revolve around the customer and making the customer happy, not only with food but with service. You will walk out of this restaurant not only with a full and happy tummy but a  full and happy heart as well. This is a family run business that took off and is now dedicated to serving you the best and freshest sandwiches out there. Make sure to visit one of their two locations in La Jolla or Del Mar.

4. NAKED CAFE

This cafe that serves soups, sandwiches, and much much more is designed to have you eat clean and simple foods, aka naked foods. They grow their own foods to be environmentally conscious and to offer you the freshest and healthiest options out there, because what is healthier than something that is picked fresh from a garden!? My favorite section of their menu is the "Look Good Naked" heading. Under this section, you will find the protein, fiber, carb, fat, and calorie information all underneath the food description. At a normal restaurant, seeing how many calories that I am about to intake usually ruins the meal for me, but not at Naked Cafe. You don't have to feel bad about what you are eating because you can clearly see that it is stacked with nutrients and not calorie filled (yum!). 

5. FARMER'S BOTTEGA

If you couldn't already guess by the name, Farmer's Bottega is a farm-to-table style restaurant. Although this trendy restaurant is more on the expensive side, it is so worth it for the food. You are getting locally grown and sustainable food without compromising on taste. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and for those over 21, there is a social hour and a decadent wine list. Their extensive menu will have your mouth watering in no time and make you wish you weren't a broke college student and could order more than just one dish. Located in Hillcrest, it is not too far from campus so go treat yourself and enjoy the food and the scene. 

Although all these restaurants are all healthy (and yummy) not all the items on the menu are as good for you as others. Watch out for foods that don't quite seem like they are "health foods", because as much as I would love a tall stack of pancakes to be healthy, it isn't, so you just have to be careful and be mindful of what you are ordering. That being said, grab your favorite group or girls or maybe that special someone and get out and enjoy some tasty healthy food. 

L I V E   N A U T I

☆

Ashlyn