Uptown News

Cult-favorite salad chain opens first Dallas outpost in West Village

They do great salads in a fast-food setting.

Sweetgreen

A healthy California-based restaurant concept is finally coming to town: Called Sweetgreen, it's a chain that does healthy food on a large scale, and it will open its first Dallas restaurant on November 23 in what is becoming the healthiest new destination: West Village.

According to a release, the restaurant will be located at 3636 McKinney Ave., #100, in the former Brooks Brothers space right on the corner, and continues a winning streak for West Village, which will also be home to a new location of Mendocino Farms, opening in early summer 2022.

Sweetgreen's philosophy is that "real food" should be convenient and accessible to everyone in a fast-food setting, making sustainable decisions and never sacrificing quality for convenience.

The company was founded in 2007 by three students at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, before relocating to Los Angeles in 2016. They currently have more than 140 locations across the U.S.

They source high-quality ingredients, with fresh produce delivered each morning for their rotating seasonal menus.

The Dallas store will use locally sourced products including bread from Empire Baking Co., Romaine from Fredericksburg Peach Co. in Fredericksburg, and tomatoes from Village Harvest in Marfa, which is sort of local.

Favorites from the menu include:

Kale Caesar with roasted chicken, tomatoes, parmesan crisps, shaved parmesan, shredded kale, chopped romaine, lime squeeze and caesar dressing
Harvest Bowl with roasted chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, apples, goat cheese, roasted almonds, warm wild rice, shredded kale and balsamic vinaigrette
Guacamole Greens with roasted chicken, avocado, tomatoes, red onion, shredded cabbage, tortilla chips, spring mix, chopped romaine, lime squeeze and lime cilantro jalapeno vinaigrette.

The Dallas restaurant will also feature a dish that's exclusive to Texas: Garlic Chili Shrimp Bowl, featuring Cajun shrimp, wild rice, shredded kale, shredded cabbage, red onions, raw carrots, apples, raw pecans, fresh herbs, a lime squeeze, and nuoc cham dressing.

The space accommodates 32 indoor diners with additional seating for 26 on its outdoor patio.

"With each new market we enter, we become students to make sure that it’s a fit for both the locals who live there and our restaurants,'' says Sweetgreen co-founder and Chief Concept Officer Nicolas Jammet in a statement. "Dallas felt like a natural next step for us -- the community is active, its home to great music and arts, and of course, has a thriving culinary scene. We couldn’t be more excited to finally open our doors in this amazing city."

To celebrate the opening, Sweetgreen will offer free delivery for the first two weeks when guests order through their mobile app. For every meal sold on Monday, November 29, Sweetgreen will donate a meal to Brighter Bites, a food nonprofit.

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Coffee buzz

Suburban fave Lemma Coffee brews first Dallas cafe in high-profile spot

Photo courtesy of Lemma Coffee Co.

Lemma Coffee Co. is opening in Mockingbird Station.

After building a following in the Dallas 'burbs, Lemma Coffee Co. is finally opening inside the city limits: The specialty coffee chain will debut its first Dallas location at Mockingbird Station in mid-September.

Lemma will take over the former Starbucks space at 5331 Mockingbird Ln., Ste. 150, bringing its high-quality coffee to the area's busy mix of residents, office workers, shoppers, and nearby university students. Owner Daniel Blum revealed the new shop's location in an Instagram reel on Saturday, August 1.

Blum, a former photographer, founded Lemma Coffee Co. in 2017, initially serving coffee at the Denton County Farmers Market. After opening its first brick-and-mortar shop in Carrollton, the company added locations in Frisco in 2020 and downtown Plano in 2022.

“For us, it is exciting to have a shop within Dallas and show the work we have put in over the past nine years,” says Blum, who grew up in Dallas.

The Denim Danger is one of Lemma's popular specialty drinks.Photo courtesy of Lemma Coffee Co.

Lemma focuses on premium coffee, with a menu featuring classic espresso drinks alongside specialty beverages made with house-made syrups. Highlights include:

Citrusgoth Latte: Charcoal, chocolate, and citrus.
Denim Danger: Blueberry syrup, maple, and brown sugar.
The Great Bambino: Cold brew s’mores (inspired by the movie The Sandlot).
The Bees’ Knees: Latte with vanilla, honey, and lavender.
Seasonal Coffee Tonic: Espresso, lychee puree, fresh orange and lime, and citrus bitters.

The company has also expanded its matcha offerings to include drinks such as the Matcha Tropic with coconut cream and banana syrup, Strawberry Matcha, and Ube Matcha.

For food, Lemma partners with local Montecito Bakery. The menu typically includes butter and chocolate croissants, almond loaves, dulce de leche cruffins, avocado toast, sandwiches, and hoagies.

While the beverage menu remains consistent across its locations, Lemma designs each shop to fit its neighborhood. The 1,300-square-foot Mockingbird Station location will feature several single-person tables, plenty of natural light, and limited bar seating for guests who want to watch the baristas while working or studying.

“People will be able to grab what they need and get back to the hustle, and if they want to stay, we will accommodate them in our space,” Blum says.

In addition to its cafés, Lemma operates a roasting facility in Coppell that supplies its own shops and wholesale customers across North Texas, including DFW Common Good, Oak Cliff Bread, Brewed, Seventh Day, and Local Good.

The company prides itself on responsible sourcing, direct-impact relationships with farmers, and a meticulous roasting process. To highlight traceability, every bag of retail coffee sold in-store features the name of the farm, allowing customers to pinpoint the origin of their beans.

“We have a quiet but loyal customer base — our core customers come in, buy our coffee, and take bags home to brew,” Blum says. “It is a dream for us to bring our shop into the city and continue to grow.”

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