One of the latest food trends is the bowl--a combination of veggies, grains, and proteins, typically artfully-arranged in, what else, a bowl. Now, you may be thinking "Isn't that just a salad?", but bowls are often heartier and can be served either warm (featuring items like roasted vegetables) or cold (in the case of poke bowls). "Bowls" can even translate to smoothie bowls--as in the case of the acai bowl that blends fresh fruits and superfoods together. We rounded up Birmingham's best bowls and found a number of variations to help you eat clean.
Bottega Bowl
Bottega Cafe
The Bottega Bowl was a standard on the Southside cafe's menu long before bowls became uber-popular. The vegetables rotate with the seasons, but the bowl always includes a colorful variety of produce, marinated chickpeas, carrots, red quinoa, feta, kale, and a perfectly-boiled farm egg. The greens are tossed in a bright and fresh shallot vinaigrette, making it easy--and enjoyable--to eat your veggies.
2240 Highland Ave. | bottegarestaurant.com/cafe
Woodlawn Cycle Cafe
Bowls are perfect for breakfast or lunch, and Woodlawn Cycle Cafe has options for both. The Cycle Breakfast Bowl provides fuel for cyclists stopping by before a morning bike ride. With grits, bacon or sausage, cheddar cheese, eggs, and wilted local greens, it's got all the necessary power nutrients. Gear up at lunch with the Farro Bowl that features sweet potato, walnuts, maple mustard vinaigrette, kale, dried cranberries, and basil.
5530 1st Ave. S. | 205.224.4011 | woodlawncyclecafe.com
Cauliflower Bowl
Zoes Kitchen
Zoes Kitchen recently redid their menu, and the new items are a welcome update. The menu embraces the "Live Mediterranean" philosophy of wholesome foods that makes you feel good, and it includes bowls of all shapes and sizes. For the carb conscious, the Cauliflower Rice Bowl, takes the popular food trend and tops it with house-made tzatziki, Israeli skhug, feta, cucumbers, and fresh dill. Opt to add on with grilled chicken, salmon, or lamb kafta meatballs. The Power Grain Bowl combines lentils, quinoa, farro, and rice with tzatziki, harissa, and Mediterranean relish. The Mediterranean Salad Trio bowl includes a trio of pesto farro, zesty quinoa, and orzo "tabouli" salads with house-made tzatziki and Italian salsa verde.
Multiple locations | zoeskitchen.com
Ono Poke Bowl
Ono Poke
Poke, a standard Hawaiian street food consisting of marinated raw fish, is available in bowl form from Ono Poke inside the Pizitz Food Hall. To build your bowl, you first pick a size (Big or Kahuna) and then determine if you want white rice, brown rice, or greens as the base. The next step is the protein, which includes ahi tuna, tofu, shrimp, or spicy tuna. You then have the option to choose a pre-crafted "Creation" of toppings, or you can choose your own toppings. The Crunch Bowl, with jalapeno, cucumber, scallions, edamame, crunch, tobiko, spicy aioli, and samurai sauce, is always a popular choice.
1821 2nd Ave. North (Pizitz Food Hall)
Bitty's Living Kitchen
Also in the Pizitz Food Hall is Bitty's Living Kitchen, dishing up "flavorful, fresh, local, real food." The build-your-own Bitty's Bliss Bowl includes one green, one grain, one meat, three "goodies," and one dressing. Goodies include items such as seasonal veggies, Cajun sweet potatoes, sweet pickled japalenos, Bitty's choice nuts, and cheeses. Dressing options include Caesar, roasted shallot, or light herb dressing. Bitty's has also hopped on a couple other food trends such as fresh-pressed juices, avocado toast, and matcha lattes.
1821 2nd Ave. North (Pizitz Food Hall)
Maki Fresh
This fast-casual Asian concept has bowls galore--11 of them to be exact. Three of those are curry bowls, but the others lean a little more health conscious, with options like Grilled Salmon with katsu glaze, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, and crispy Brussels sprouts; or the Kokoyashi with ahi tuna, organic coconut, cucumbers, scallions, and a light coconut dressing. If you like things spicy, opt for the Bang Bang bowl with spicy shrimp. All bowls include a base of white or brown rice (or opt for no rice if you're watching your carbs--the bowls are just as filling without).
Multiple locations | makifresh.com
Acai Bowl
City Bowls
One of the most popular renditions of the bowl is the acai bowl--basically a smoothie in a bowl. The City Bowls truck rolled onto the scene just last year, but it already has a dedicated following of health-conscious patrons. Their colorful bowls start with a base of acai or pitaya (dragon fruit) and are topped with a variety of fruits and toppings such as granola, Nutella, peanut butter, or bee pollen. Try the AH-SIGH-EE bowl with an acai base, bananas, blueberries, granola and peanut butter, or the Island Bowl with a pitaya base, strawberries, pineapple, kiwi, coconut, granola, and bee pollen.
Check Facebook "City Bowls" for location
This story appears in Birmingham magazine's January 2017 issue. Subscribe today!