Been meaning to come here for quite awhile. My wife follows them on Instagram and always raves about how good the food looks. We called to order takeout but turns out you can't place an order over the phone, you have to download the roots app. I'll be honest, I find that a little annoying because everything has an app and you gotta go through a big ordeal just to use the app one time (not saying we won't be back, just annoying that you can't order from a website or over the phone). We ordered the southern and el jefe around 6:45 and they were ready at 7:00 on the dot. Very quick! The meals were both delicious and full of flavor. We aren't even huge tofu fans but decided to just go for it and it was good. Our only complaints were that the chicken as well as the tofu seemed to be a little bit dried out--maybe they had been sitting awhile before assembling our bowls? Otherwise, it was all good! read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - El jefe - Salad Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Imma fan of grains and salad bowls. What can I say, it was nutritious and delicious!!

Like a prayer (almost) instantly answered (less than a 24-hour wait), I discovered another Roots Natural Kitchen location just a few minutes from the Carnegie Mellon University's III (Integrated Innovation Institute) and CS department. I was in disbelief when I happened to see it. I was just thinking yesterday on the Ohio State University campus that I wish that I could eat at Roots Natural Kitchen again. I had no idea that they had some other locations in the Midwest. This time I got the El Capitan bowl. It put a huge smile on my face because Yosemite NP. There's even a California near Pittsburgh, although not quite as cool as the real California. read more

So roots seems to be one of the new style of dining that is here in the burgh I call it bowl dining basically you either pick one of their combos or you can design your own you order at the counter and your bowl moves past the offerings till you pay then off you go with your bowl Roots has rices bulgar greens veggies and bbq tofu assorted dressings I have had their balsamic my bowl was the roots rice deep hearty rice I paired with sweet potato beets and cheese they offer 4 types of cheese these bowls will fill your belly if you walk in there appears to be no open tables as there is only seating for 8-10 right in front there is also downstairs seating read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - Bowl with rice & bbq tofu - Salad Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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i do not like roots, their tofu is always dry and the bowl in general (while they give you a hefty amount) is just too much with zero flavor that marries any of the toppings together. read more

I think the food at Roots can be best described as "hearty" and of course, delicious. They offer several signature grain and salad bowls with a variety of fresh vegetables including kale, spring greens, corn, beans, etc. They also offer the option to build your own bowl with grain or salad base with several tempting dressing options including cilantro lime, lemon tahini, pesto vinaigrette. I've gone twice now and ordered El Jefe both times which is a grain bowl with brown rice, chicken, and vegetables. I'm not a huge fan of kale but they do it so well that it somehow tastes amazing and there is enough dressing and taste to the bowl without being overwhelming. I've tried the Mayweather which is a salad bowl and it tasted excellent. I looking forward to trying more of their signature dishes and maybe one day venturing out to a build my own. Portion size is substantial and if you get full as quickly as I do, you may have leftovers that are worth keeping for a snack later in the day. read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - El Jefe - Salad Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

If you're hungry for a lot of flavor, healthy, and delicious food this is your spot. Super easy to pop in on your lunch break. Got the Jefe bowl and substituted red onions for pickled onions. First impression was how am I gonna eat all this food!!! Definitely get a portion that matches the price. I will definitely be returning to try more concoctions. Highly recommend. read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - Salad Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Loved this place. Excellent and friendly service. I tried the El Jefe bowl. It was delicious. Everything was tasty and fresh. Serving size was huge. Probably too expensive for most students, but for a visiting parent it was a great find. Convenient location as well. read more

So good. So healthy. Nice workers. I wish they allowed unlimited toppings but their suggested bowl options are good. read more

First off I loveee a good salad and this was amazing salad. I did online order and customized my salad, I loved the fresh ingredients I had to choose from. yes it is a basic salad place but there nothing wrong with the basics. My only thing is the extras charge for certain indigents are kind of steep. anyways if your looking for a salad place in Pittsburgh, this should definitely be on the list read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - custom salad - Salad Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I just realized I haven't done a review here before but I love this place. Any time I feel like having a healthy meal but don't feel like cooking for myself this is such a great option. Their online ordering system is really great to customize the bowls and you can also order on different food delivery platforms. There need to be more places in Pittsburgh like this! There are so many healthy options and it is easy to make a number of the items vegan. You can also create your own bowl if you're feeling adventurous. I really love their BBQ tofu. Definitely recommend checking this place out! read more

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Go-to spot for healthy food at the end of my day! Roots is an excellent spot for salads/rice bowls with a large variety of bases, and toppings. My personal favorite is the Pesto Caesar which is an effective remix of the classic Caesar with pita chips instead of croutons and added pesto vinaigrette. I like to add some roasted weet potatoes for some added heft. This spot is bang in the middle of Oakland so can be super busy during weekday lunchtimes w lost of Pitt students milling about. Consider ordering ahead through their app. read more

I'm going to be honest with you, I was a bit skeptical about Roots. When I heard it was a healthier alternative to fast food fare my mind went straight to thinking that this was going to be a bland experience. Was I ever wrong. Eating healthy should not taste this good. I did a quick once over of the menu, I know you can build your own bowl, but when in a hurry opt for the already thought up salads from the menu. That's what I did. I went with the 'Lil Bob Cobb and honestly, probably will do this in the future as well, it was that good. 'Lil Bob Cobb consists of their Arcadian mix, Roots rice and kale. When I saw kale I was about to freak out. Not a huge fan, I think it is tasteless but why not give it a chance. This also has roasted sweet potatoes, charred corn, red onions, cucumbers, and hard-boiled eggs. To add to that protein, chicken from the grill. The dressing was Greek Feta. I also opted to add two things, I wanted some spinach and avocado, don't judge me, it added to the experience. Now, when I saw this I don't say it lightly, that salad was the most amazing salad I have ever had. The fact that I did not have to prepare the salad myself either made it taste that much better. I was a bit worried about how the sweet potatoes would mesh with the other ingredients, but it somehow worked. Everything worked. The chicken had a bit of heat to it that was taken back down by the Greek Feta dressing. Speaking of that dressing, do yourself a favor and have it already mixed in. They somehow got it to coat everything, I find it harder to do yourself and I always feel like I never have enough dressing that way. The saltiness of the Feta complimented the sweetness of the sweet potatoes. I have to stop, I am making myself want another one of these. When it came to the price, I expected to pay more. But when you think about "salads" that you get from other joints in Pittsburgh, you know the ones with fries on them, you are paying more for ingredients that truly are bland. Again, eating healthy...tasting good...who knew? read more

So so so good, if you haven't been here yet, what are you doing?! Roots is a healthy alternative to take out and is completely customizable. The staff at this particular location are phenomenal and kind. My go to is the May weather or the el jefe, depends on how carby I'm feeling. Would 12/10 recommend, good bang for your buck! read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - El jefe, friend for balboa - Salad Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

A great place to get healthy, nutritious food. I go here about once or twice a month. Occasionally I am left disappointed with the protein. Sometimes the chicken is pretty dry. Today when I went, my tofu was charred and tough and many pieces were virtually inedible. read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - The tofu is black and charred and I didn't eat about half of it. - Salad Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I really like this place. It's good healthy food at a nice price point. There are various ways to customize the bowls and The portions are big. I recommend this place if you want something that doesn't weigh you down and is healthy read more

Best restaurant ever, could not recommend enough. My fav is the southern bowl with no onions and add sweet potato. Also kids eat free! read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - Southern bowl, no chickpeas no onions, added sweet potato - Salad Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Great service. I usually go to chipotle, but it was nice to find another option that I think is equally good if not better.

This is the place for healthy food at an affordable price. Delicious bowls, generous serving sizes, and consistent quality have kept me ordering again and again. This Roots location is also well-maintained. Try one of several signature bowls, like the El Jefe or Balboa, or get creative with your own bowl! read more

I was very impressed with Roots. We went without having any expectation beforehand and loved it. I wasn't sure what we were getting into. In my head, I was thinking Chipotle meets Hello Bistro. This was partially true! You could choose a pre made bowl or make your own. I decided to do an already made one called the El Jefe. The primary base was brown rice with kale. They stack these bowls. The El Jefe includes black beans, charred corn, red onions, avocado, pita chips, and feta with grilled chicken. The dressing was delicious. They use a cilantro lime dressing to top it off. When I got my bowl, I was surprised how big they are for only $9. My boyfriend created his own. You get to choose as many bases as you want (grain, salad, etc.) along with up to 5 ingredients. Then, you pick the grilled protein option - choices are chicken, red chili miso or bbq tofu, mushrooms, or veggie. I'm excited to go back and try the tofu! We both loved our bowls. What is really great is if you don't like something, you can swap out that ingredient for another. They are very flexible and helpful with what goes well together. The space in Oakland is somewhat small, but they make it work with an upstairs and downstairs. It is not a very intimate space since you are so close together. But it's great for a quick lunch or dinner spot for students, couples, or take out. We are looking forward to going back. read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - El jefe - Salad Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Roots is my personal pick for greatest lunch spot on Forbes Ave (a truly fierce competition)! My go-to order is El Jefe with the "works", AKA hot sauce and lime juice. For the spice-averse out there (myself included), do not fear this addition as it adds extra complexity to the flavor profile without dominating the rice bowl with heat. Regardless, the bowls at Roots are incredibly tasty and offer really great portions for those with bigger appetites! Prices are modest, especially considering how much food you get. It is made-to-order style, so you get a very casual dining experience. Feel free to take it to-go and sit outside on Atwood if it is closed for pedestrians! Would definitely recommend to any students in the area, those working/visiting at the nearby hospitals, and honestly anyone else in Oakland for the day! read more

As someone who STRONGLY dislikes the very existence of salad, Roots surprised me. It's cheap, it's healthy, and it's delicious too. You can choose just the things you like and there's so many good things to choose from! Grilled chicken and bbq tofu are both excellent, and they give a good amount of the protein. I love the sweet potatoes a lot. I think the amount of protein and the various roasted vegetables make for a far more satisfying and filling meal than your standard salad while still keeping things healthy. I appreciate that they don't sauce too much; the overly saucy wet bits at the bottom of some salads is the worst. There can be a bit of a line around lunch time but it moves fast (you can also order online ahead of time to speed things up I think). There's additional seating downstairs. I still think salad and salad-like things can't beat a good hot meal, but Roots is a strong contender. read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - Lil bob cobb with some substitutions - Salad Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I love the different combinations you can make at roots. The bbq tofu is my favorite. It's just been getting too expensive lately, and I don't want to spend 15 dollars on something I can attempt to make at home. read more

The food was super delicious and filling. There are so many different options for the bowls as well. Would love to go back!

Quickly prepared, very tasty, and good amount of food for the price. Nice spot to grab lunch.

Roots is a very popular lunch spot in Oakland. It is one of just a few restaurants with a lot of extremely healthy options with many options for vegans & vegetarians. A lot of their dishes have kale which is not my favorite green veggie by any means. I went with a Cesar salad with chicken when we stopped by for lunch. The portions are hefty, prices what you can expect and they do have inside dining in their basement. I was extremely surprised when I asked for a plastic knife and they said they do not have knives-only forks and spoons. So I guess no cutting my salad which seemed very odd. Anyway if you are in the need of leafy greens this is the place for you. read more

Ordered online and my food was ready in the short time it took me to walk there. Dinner was DELICIOUS and service was fast and efficient. Would absolutely go again. So glad to be on a work trip and be able to grab healthy food that tastes fantastic. read more

INCREDIBLE options for vegans, vegetarians, gluten free, EVERYONE! Roots is like chipotle with more delicious veggies to play around with. The staff are efficient and helpful. I'll be coming here for lunch weekly, at the very least. read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - Mushroom bowl - Salad Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I've come here multiple times now, and each time has been better than the last. I don't experiment very much, but I've found my perfect bowl: El Jefe (with two substitutions). You can make your own bowl from scratch, choose one of the pre-made bowls, or make the pre-made bowls your own. There are two bases and you can switch them to change the whole structure of your bowl. You can make your primary base one of the greens selections that they have for more of a salad or you can use rice to make it more of well, a rice bowl! I used to get chicken all the time, but I recently tried the Chili Tofu and oh my! I'm sold! It's amazing how all the flavors still work perfectly within the bowls. It may not look like there's much seating, but there is additional seating downstairs. read more

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This place is sort of like Hello Bistro, but in my opinion, they focus on bowls that have more "substance." They have an option of signature grain bowls and green bowls that you can order from exactly (or customize!) or you can create your own bowl. I've been here twice and I've created my own bowl both times and I have not been disappointed! The ingredients used were fresh and there aren't as many options as Hello Bistro, which I actually like because making choices isn't as difficult. The portions are large and filling! The staff keeps you moving quickly so you can get in and out pretty quickly. If you choose to dine there, they have seating upstairs and downstairs! I really love this place and I'm so glad they opened in Oakland! I will definitely keep coming back and telling my friends and family about this place! read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - Customized bowl with kale, bulgar, chicken, Parmesan cheese, pita chips, onions,and the pesto and Cesar dressings mixed together! So good!! - Salad Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

O M G! Absolutely love this place! So you basically build your own custom bowl (or you can pick from one of their options). You start with fresh greens, then a grain, then add ins- I got sweet potatoes, curried garbanzo beans, avocado, bbq tofu, and red wine vinegar for the dressing. It was sooooooo good. Like all the flavors went so well together. Everything was so fresh. Delicious! It's all I've been thinking about since getting back home. Like I need them to bring one to AZ pronto and I'll be there everyday. Cool vibe as well. They were blasting gangsta rap and I was feeling like a total bad ass vegan in my zone. Can't say enough good things about this place. If you are plant based looking for a bomb healthy place to eat, this is your spot. Oh and kids eat free! All the time! Whaaaaat. Roots kitchen is simply amazing. read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - Salad Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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First and last time ordering here. My food was an enormous bowl of rice with a few pieces of chicken on top. Not worth the money. It tastes just OK. If you want a huge bowl of rice with a tiny bit of protein, this is a safe bet. Chipotle is both cheaper and much better. read more

Definitely 5 star worthy. Great food, great prices, great service! We stopped in on a work day and got salads front people, they were ready in 5 minutes. I can see they might get busy at peak hours, but they were fast at 11am when we got there. They basically have 10 salads, and make your own options. I went with the house salad, called what else, the Roots Salad. Very good! Really not a lot of details to go into, just a great place close to the pitt campus. read more

Healthy eating is actually fun here! The bowls are MASSIVE and I'm always surprised how full I feel after eating one. These guys are quick and super efficient so that everyone gets through the line quickly while still making the food savory and well-mixed. There are never clumps anywhere in the bowl - everything is tossed together perfectly! I come here all too often. It's that good! read more

I absolutely love Roots! In fact, it's one of my favorite places in Oakland. Unlike a lot of the quick casual dining places near Pitt, this is one of the few healthy food options at a fair price. It's also extremely tasty too - who knew eating healthy could be so satisfying? They've got a large number of salad and bowl selections and are extremely customizable. If you want to order one of their standard menu items, they are flexible and let you swap ingredients, make additions or take out items as you please. The workers are also really friendly and good about letting you know if anything costs extra. For example, I like to order the El Jefe with BBQ tofu (ask for the works!) and I replace the feta cheese with sweet potato. Each bowl is about $10 but lasts me for two meals! Highly recommend this place for anyone in the area looking for a food option other than the typical types of foods found near college campuses (pizza, burgers, etc...) read more

Roots is essentially a healthier Chipotle, but the ingredients are so fresh and my food was so good that I'll definitely be back!! Here's why: 1. I love that this place gives you the option to choose your own adventure but also gives you fool-proof combination ideas. It makes it a whole lot easier for an indecisive person to make it through the assembly line. 2. The bowls are HUGE and filled to the brim with fresh ingredients. They are slightly more pricey than chipotle, but it's worth it for the quality of food and large portion sizes. I essentially got 2 meals for $10. 3. There are so many ways to flavor your bowl (variety of sauces, multiple flavored protein options) that I know I won't ever get bored with my bowls here! read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - The Southern: rice, spinach, chickpeas, roasted broccoli, charred corn, lime pickled onions, white cheddar, lemon tahini sauce, and bbq tofu - Salad Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Love this place for wonderfully fresh, natural and delicious food! I created my own bowl for my order, where they give you the freedom to control everything that goes into your meal. Within each category of base, beans, grilled, raw, cheese, prepared, dressing, they provide a variety of options for everyone's preferred taste. They allow you to have a primary and secondary base, so you can have a more substantial meal of greens and rice. For my other ingredients I got chickpeas, grilled broccoli, grilled chicken, cucumbers, craisins, and pita chips. This created a delicious balance of flavors and crunch! They lightly put on the dressing, I chose basil balsamic, as to not overtake all the other flavors but still can taste it with each bite. Highly recommend coming here for a healthy option that doesn't lack in deliciousness! Plus, it's reasonably priced and the portions are enough to make two meals out of your order. read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - Custom Bowl - Salad Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

My absolute favorite salad place to go in Pittsburgh. Think of a chipotle except a salad version of it. All of their ingredients are super fresh. I usually get the bob cobb one with some ingredients switched out. I love their roasted broccoli, sweet potatoes and roots rice!! I tend to get bbq tofu and I think there are good and bad days for them. Sometimes the bbq tofu is cooked a bit too long so after it's cooled down in the containers, by the time you get them they're pretty tough and hard. I tend to just discard or not eat those pieces. Their chicken is slightly dry but none of these stop me from coming back lol. I love their pesto Caesar dressing, it's basically a mix of the pesto and the Caesar dressing mixed!! read more

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This was hands down delicious and exactly what I was wanting and expecting. The bowl is definitely huge and can be split up into two portions! Will come again and definitely recommend it to people who eat more clean! read more

I need to get into the habit of taking a picture before I stuff my face. Any way, Roots is an awesome addition to the Oakland restaurant scene. It is busy majority of the time, and today the line was out the door due to the volume of people that go there. It was nice out so I couldn't complain. Once you actually order your food, it's very fast pace. I chose the Mayweather (which I am addicted to) and it was whipped up in a matter of seconds and then I was on my way. This place is almost like healthy fast food, and it's also reasonably priced. I paid 12 dollars for my bowl and a Spindrift and the bowl usually last two meals depending on how hungry I am. read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - Half eaten Mayweather ^.^ - Salad Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania