Sweetgreen finally makes its way to Tampa

Located on Palm Ave, right across from Armature Works, Sweetgreen’s goal is to reimagine fast food by creating a convenient way to get fresh, healthy food, and they do exactly that. Since opening their first location in Tampa over a month ago, they have been bustling with service, serving a variety of warm bowls and salads.

I had been to a Sweetgreen in Texas a few months ago and was so excited to see that it was finally making its way to the Tampa area. My first visit to the Tampa location was shortly after they opened, and I have been there many times since. It’s safe to say each time, I have been very pleased with the service and food. Many restaurants say they serve their food farm to table, but Sweetgreen means it. You can truly taste the freshness of the ingredients in each bite. When it comes to ordering, you can either choose from a variety of their different menu items, or you can build your own. If you build your own, you first choose your base, then protein, toppings, dressing, and you can add premium toppings (which cost extra). I always build my own, but that’s because I was so in love with my first order that I have only wanted to reorder it ever since! When it comes to ordering, I don’t think you can ever go wrong with any of their options however there are a couple things I must note. First, always get the grilled chicken over the roasted chicken-although they sound so similar, the grilled chicken has much more flavor. Second, the broccoli is a must have topping- it’s way better than your average broccoli. They char it just ever so slightly so you still get the crunch without it being boring, raw, broccoli. The spicy sauce that they toss it in however, is what makes it so special. Lastly, I must note that even though they ask if you would like light, medium, or heavy dressing, the servers are never consistent. In the past I have always asked for light dressing, afraid that if I asked for anything else they would drench my salad in dressing, and sometimes they put just the right amount. But other times, I find myself disappointed in the lack of flavor, wishing there would be more dressing. My point is, if you’re picky like me in the amount of dressing you want, ask for it on the side. After your bowl is assembled, they will ask if you want a slice of bread with it (for no additional charge). Always go for the bread. It looks plain and simple, but tastes far from that. Lastly, they have dessert options which I have never tried but look delicious so if you’re feeling up for something sweet, I say go for it!

Now onto the other important parts, the ambiance, service, and cost. I must be honest, there is nothing terribly special about the atmosphere of Sweetgreen. What I recommend doing is ordering your food to go, and walking down the block to sit outside at Armature Works. It makes for a much more enjoyable experience. I really do love everything about this restaurant, except for the price. I feel like it is a little overpriced, although this just might be what fresh food costs. On average their bowls are about $15. Part of me is willing to pay this price because the bowls are so delicious, however the other part of me wonders if I am paying for more than I am getting. Lastly, the service. The workers are never anything but extremely friendly, but some of them seem inexperienced. Granted, they did just open and it takes time to get the rhythm down.

Overall, I would highly recommend stopping by Sweetgreen if you are ever downtown. It’s the perfect spot to get a quick, healthy bite to eat. Hopefully in the near future, they open up more locations within the Tampa area, mostly so I can get Sweetgreen more often!

My go-to order: Build your own bowl with spinach, grilled chicken, carrots, cucumber, spicy
broccoli, and light caesar dressing