If you are in the vast majority of people who has decided to kick-off the year with feel-good food, then Greenstreat is your new local. The newest residient on Swan Street in Richmond, Greenstreat brightens the area with simple, clean and great-tasting food.
I’d be lying if I said my usual haunts on Swan Street were of the same, fresh and healthy caliber as Greenstreat. I am partial to a feed at Lamb’s on Swan Street, and even visit Cheeky Monkey on occasion. Greenstreat is located in middle of these two spots at 126 Swan Street and has far more range than any of the Swan Street cafes and restaurants. In fact, it has far exceeded any of the to-go lunch spots I have tried for some time in Melbourne.
Greenstreat on Swan Street is a reimagined salad bar, so forget everything you have experienced with Subway, Chipotle, and other salad and bowl bars you have tried. Greenstreat challenges any old-school notion that eating clean is a consolation of any kind, as the menu is rich with delicious nutrient-dense ingredients, plant-based options, quality protein cuts and dressings.
On the subject of dressings, you may recognise the names of Greenstreat founding brothers, Jackson and Jesse McGrath as the creators of award-winning and chef-created dressings. Through their research, ingredient experimentation and weekly attendance at farmers’ markets, the brothers noticed a significant gap in the market. So many Australians struggle to find fresh, convening, and healthy meals that taste great – with many of us falling victim to poor decisions and then feeling pretty average afterward. Greenstreat is the result of this exploration, and the Melbourne restaurant is the fourth location to open up, joining the Greenstreat Brisbane, Greenstreat Wadonga and the original Greenstreat Albury which opened in 2018.
The Greenstreat menu
The Greenstreat menu is a lot more than your garden variety salad bar if you can excuse the pun. Diners can choose from warm bowls, salads, the seasonal menu, or the custom option. When I stopped in for lunch, I was pretty sure I wanted a warm bowl, but the friendly staff asked some questions guiding me to my choice – the Cuban Pulled Pork. The warm bowl has pulled pork, pineapple, salsa (corn, tomato, and onion), corn chips, chili, and a salad base. The salad also comes with cheese, which they kindly removed to cater to my dairy-free diet, and suggested a range of replacements. I opted for avocado as the replacement and the bowl was made complete with a Jalapeno and lime dressing. Absolutely delicious!
The team at Greenstreat Melbourne didn’t let us leave without letting us try the DA-SH infused water. The raspberry and peach flavours were divine, and it was nice to see that there were healthy options at the counter. How many times have you had the best intentions with a healthy order, only to throw away your efforts with a sugary drink? We plan on making our way through the drinks selection as well as the Greenstreat menu.
Take-away food, even for lunch, is rarely packed with the fuel you need, or if it is, getting it is inconvenient or the taste just isn’t there. Give Greenstreat a try next time you are in Richmond!
Have you tried Greenstreat Melbourne? We want to hear about your experience, and more importantly – what you ordered! Be sure to check out our Melbourne food reviews, or follow us on our Instagram to see where we are headed next?
