Tag Archives: mediterranean food

Nutritious Restaurants Around Town

As college students, we all have those nights when you’re just not in the mood to cook, the meal at your sorority/fraternity house might not be what you’re craving, or maybe you’re just sick and tired of the dining hall food. Whatever the reason is, we all end up going out to eat sometime or another.

For most of us, we focus on choosing the cheapest yet tastiest places to eat which usually leads to deep fried foods dripping in grease and covered in salt. It all seems great until our fate lies between the 4 for 4 deal at Cookout or the buy one get one free pizza at Dominos.

Although these foods may be satisfying to our taste buds, they aren’t very kind to our health. It’s time to start including the nutritional quality as a factor when deciding where to eat. Below are a few of my favorite restaurants around Tuscaloosa that have a variety of healthy options on their menu.

 

Newk’s Eatery is located on University Blvd. so it’s at a very convenient location if you don’t have time for Tuscaloosa traffic. They are known for the fresh ingredients used in their famous soups, salads and sandwiches. There are plenty of pairing options you can choose from which will ensure you leave with a full stomach. I typically choose half of the Newk’s Q sandwich and a cup of loaded potato soup, but you can pair any items you may desire. Newk’s gives you access to a Nutrition Calculator on their website so you are able to select your meal and all of its nutrition facts will appear. This is an easy and accessible way to monitor what you are feeding your body. 

 

Zoë’s Kitchen offers Mediterranean food made from scratch and it’s located right inside Bryant Denny Stadium. That’s how you know it’s good! Its menu provides options for everyone: calorie counters, gluten-free, vegetarians, vegans, and those focusing on their carb or sodium intake. My go-to meal is the Greek Chicken Pita with a side of fresh fruit. It really captures the Mediterranean taste, but at the same time it’s nothing too exotic. Not very familiar with Mediterranean food? Don’t worry, Zoë’s has a Mediterranean food pyramid available so you can be sure you are consuming the recommended amounts of food to maintain a healthy balance. 

 

Tropical Smoothie Café is a personal favorite of mine. It’s filling and refreshing so it’s a perfect choice when you’re looking for that pre/post workout meal. You can find it in Midtown Village, so if you get hungry while you’re shopping you can always stop by for one of their signature smoothies or maybe even a flatbread, wrap, or sandwich if you’ve really worked up an appetite. For those of you enjoy foods with a little kick behind it, my personal favorite is the Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wrap. I also order a Kiwi Quencher for a nice balance of sweet and spicy. If you’re struggling to decide what to order, don’t panic, they have a detailed nutrition guide at your service to help you decide what food is best for you. Their motto is “eat better, feel better” so it pretty much speaks for itself.

 

 

Juice Bar is the definition of nutritious. Just stop by Legacy Park and see for yourself. I’m always up for a good smoothie so as soon as I found out about this place I couldn’t wait to try it. The first time I went I had no idea what to order because most of the ingredients were things I would never imagine you would put in a smoothie. However, don’t be alarmed, the workers are very helpful and they will make sure you get exactly what you came for. A worker introduced me to the Coco Banana Smoothie with added blueberries and I haven’t been able to order anything else ever since (this one is for all you peanut-butter lovers out there). Juice Bar uses 100% whole fruits and vegetables and also strives to purchase directly from local farms whenever possible. It’s very evident that they go the extra mile to provide their customers with the freshest and most nutritious foods, so stop by and give it a try.

Interior of a restaurant

Best of Tuscaloosa

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Living in Tuscaloosa as college students, we often overlook the plethora of tasty restaurants we have around us. While it always seems easiest to just head back to your usual fast food place, T-town is home to much more than just Chick-Fil-A and Buffalo Phil’s.  From Mexican to Mediterranean, Tuscaloosa has a little something to offer for everyone, no matter what your taste.

Coming to Alabama, one food I highly expected to indulge my taste buds in was barbecue. The south is known for its meaty ribs, slow-cooked pulled pork, and smoked beef brisket all smothered in decadent barbecue sauce. Although Tuscaloosa definitely has its fair share of top-of-the-line barbecue spots, Archibald’s BBQ would have to take the cake. From the outside, Archibald’s looks like nothing special, but once you start to devour their baked beans and baby back ribs, you know this place can’t be matched. Their barbecue sauce is a homemade blend of spicy and sweet flavors that put your barbecue experience over the top.

Although I love me some great ribs, my personal favorite is Mexican food. A great place to satisfy your taco cravings is none other than Taco Mama. Similar to Chipotle, you get to pick a dish, a meat, and an overwhelming amount of toppings. My personal favorite is Jorge’s nachos. The nachos are a bed of tortilla chips, smothered in queso then topped with your choice of chicken, beef, pork or fish and any/all of their seemingly infinite toppings list: rice, beans, corn, tomatoes, avocado, pico, sour cream, grilled onions…. the list goes on and on. According to some of my friends, the best part for them is that the guac is not, and will never be, extra.

If you’re looking for something a little different, maybe Mediterranean food is the way to go. Glory Bound Gyro Co. offers a vast menu that is sure to expand your horizons. Their falafel plate seems to be a crowd favorite with its unique flavor wrapped up in warm pita bread. The meat is marinated in blend of spices that allows the beef to burst with greek flavors. As a person who is always pretty skeptical about trying new things, I can confidently say that taking a risk on Glory Bound is not something you’ll regret.

Finally, if you’re in the mood for some amazing American cuisine, look no further than FIVE. As the name insinuates, this trendy restaurant only offers five main dishes including hand-battered fried shrimp and perfectly cooked rib-eyes; although a petite list, all of these dishes are worth raving about. FIVE offers both a brunch menu as well as a dinner menu. If you get the chance, I would highly suggest trying both their brunch and dinner before your time as a student is over. Off their selective menu I would have to say their cheeseburger is the best. Definitely my favorite burger in Tuscaloosa, this seared beef patty is topped generously with bacon relish and melted cheddar cheese with the option of a fried egg on top (always something I splurge for). As an honorable mention in this category, Mugshots Grill and Bar is a great place to grab a burger as well as a side of their fried pickles. Many rave about their peanut butter burger, a dish that seems intimidating and strange but definitely worth a try.

As you can see, Tuscaloosa has a little bit of everything. From a great place to take your friends on game day to a cute spot you can grab a bite at on a random Tuesday night, T-town has it all.  Of course we all have our own individual favorite spots so let me know what tasty places I’ll have to try next in the comments below!