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Eating healthier and losing weight is consistently one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions. Though brown bagging and meal prep are common ways to ensure top nutrition, healthier restaurants on Long Island allow diners to enjoy a guilt-free meal without the hassle of cooking. These spots don’t limit your choices to standard greens and grilled chicken with dressing on the side, either. Expect creative twists on good-for-you dishes that will make healthy eating convenient and delicious.
Plant Wise
This small, 100-percent plant-based eatery has won over staunch vegans and omnivores alike since opening in 2015. The smoothies aren’t part of any juicing diets and are filling enough to stave off hunger for several hours. The Green Garden blends kale, apple and banana for a beverage that tastes like harvest in a glass. Other menu top choices include the Mash Up wrap with bean chili and avocado or the Zucchini Alfredo Bowl for when you can’t shake a craving for Italian. The joint is small, but seats are usually available after ordering at the counter.
15 E Deer Park Rd, Dix Hills; eatplantwise.com
The Little Beet
This eatery allows folks to save the guilt for shopping — it’s housed in Roosevelt Field Mall. But a trip to The Little Beet still feels like a treat. Customers can create bowls with their choice of greens, grains, protein and dressing. There is a lot to choose from, making the possibilities seemingly endless. The menu is focused on farm fresh, seasonal ingredients, so no matter what you choose you’re in for a wholesome meal.
630 Old Country Rd, Garden City; thelittlebeet.com
Wild Flours Bake Shop
This North Shore bakery accommodates most dietary needs — customers have reported being able to find vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and even soy-free offerings. The muffins, baked with fresh organic juice and light crumbs, are a hit. The apple pie crumb muffins are sweet, tangy and give mom’s Thanksgiving staple a run for its money, and the raspberry chico chip is quite simply a small piece of heaven. Though the menu is modern, the look is quintessential bakery. Think chalkboard menus and display cases full of goodies begging to be eaten.
11 New St, Huntington; wildfloursbakeshop.com
Simply Sublime
North Fork residents may have stopped into Simply Sublime’s Cutchogue location, which opened in spring 2018 after serving everything from organic smoothies to vegan ice cream in East Hampton for six years. Those heading to the South Fork can check out the original. Fresh fruits and veggies are a hallmark of the menu there. Guests can spice things up with a SGT Pepper Smoothie, a blend of pear, apple, parsley, lime, jalapeño and honey, or decide for themselves whether avocado toast lives up to the hype. It’s open even in the winter.
85 Springs Fireplace Rd, East Hampton;simplysublimehamptons.com
Wild Side Organic Bistro Bar
Wild Side is where foodie culture meets holistic health. The Indian-fusion menu is rich in healthy and delicious items such as coconut lentil soup, chickpea battered spicy potato sliders and plenty of vegan/gluten free pizzas with extra veggies.
1551 Montauk Hwy, Oakdale, wildsidebistro.com
The Shed
Bring your friend who doesn’t share your dietary concerns to The Shed. They can indulge in the Huntington hot spot’s buttermilk pancakes or hot open roast beef while you stay on track with the menu’s bountiful array of heart healthier options. The from-scratch restaurant offers breakfast items such as the Green Scramble made with broccoli, spinach, zucchini, kale pesto and gouda, and for lunch the pan seared salmon or The Shed Bowl made with roasted chicken, wild rice, arugula, radish, sweet potatoes, sunflower seeds, mushrooms, goat cheese and spice honey vinaigrette.
54 New Street, Huntington; intheshed.com
