Kale has become as hot as Beyonce over the last few years. You can’t go anywhere without seeing a kale salad or kale smoothies at the hot juice bars and lets face it, probably some kale in your coworkers teeth after lunchtime- because this leafy green can be rough. Below is a list of the best kale salads you can find in New York City:
- Corkbuzz (Union Square): This outstanding wine studio helmed by Master Som, Laura Maniec, also has fantastic food. Visit during Sunday brunch where you can get half price bottles of the best champagne and pair it with the Kale & Apple Salad that also comes with a tasty piece of ricotta toast.
- Peacefood Cafe (UWS +Greenwich Village): It’s not news that a vegan/vegetarian restaurant would have a great salad. The Protein Packed Kale Salad is a sky high pile of greenery with season tofu, tempeh bacon that makes it smoky, pumpkin seeds and raisins.
- Northern Spy Food Co. (East Village): Try one with a fried egg on top and you’ll never go back. The parmesan cheese, butternut squash and almonds don’t hurt either.
- Barbuto (West Village): Plain and simple salad all the way.
- Ngam (East Village): The Spicy Kale and Mushroom Salad is a better version of a seaweed salad. It’s fresh and the mushrooms add a kick of flavor.
- Back Forty West (SoHo): Another egg and apple garnish steal the show over the veggie here.
- Hu Kitchen (Union Square): For when you need to pick up some greens fast and on the go, Hu is the answer. Go for the Primal Kale Salad over the Caesar. It’s packed with goji berries and is paleo.
- Butcher’s Daughter (Lower East Side): Their salad here is called “The Best Kale Salad.” With the common pairing here of apples, sunflower seeds and an added sunflower seed tahini + avocado, I think you’re pretty set.
- Lexington Brass (Midtown East): Made with pinenuts, pecorino cheese + roasted red pepper vinaigrette- it’s the kind of kale salad that’s easy enough to make at home, but the heaping plate here puts yours to shame.
