Roots Natural Kitchen has arrived in Fairfax, offering healthy fare in a casual setting. Menu options revolve around nutritious bowls with bases of salad or grains. Imagine a Chipotle or Subway-style setup where diners choose from multiple options, assembled by staff.
The signature Mayweather salad is surprisingly hardy, blending kale with nutty bulgur, tender bite-sized chunks of adobo chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, roasted beets, red onion, goat cheese, and avocado. Zesty lemon tahini and pesto dressings dynamically blend the earthy ingredients, and the enormous salad is more than enough for a meal, providing lunch the next day as well.
We enjoyed Roots’ create-your-own bowl option, which unites brown rice, arcadian mix lettuce, red onions, grape tomatoes, pita chips, parmesan cheese, roasted broccoli, and grilled chicken. A freshly prepared dressing blend of pesto vinaigrette and basil balsamic combined forces for a mildly acidic zip, enlivening the natural ingredients.
Staff enlisted help from gigantic bowls to mix every fresh component, infusing grilled selections of chicken, BBQ tofu, red chili miso tofu, and chimichurri mushrooms into diners’ orders.
Bonus: Kids 12 and under eat free with purchase of an adult bowl, which makes this already-affordable spot more attractive.
Roots is a welcome addition to the Fairfax dining landscape, bringing a flavorful, guilt-free experience to health-conscious diners. 9444 Fairfax Blvd., Fairfax
See This: Colorful, user-friendly menu board offers inviting options
Eat This: pesto caesar salad, el jefe grain bowl, custom bowls
Monday-Friday, 10:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m., Saturday & Sunday, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.
Entrées: $10.25–$13.25
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