Quickly-Expanding ‘Fast, Casual, Healthy Restaurant’ Now Open in Iowa

Less than four years after a chain based here in the Midwest announced they were going national, they've finally opened their first Iowa store.

I know many of us are looking for meals that are good for us, but we need to be able to get them quickly. That's why this opening caught my eye and made my mouth water at the same time.

Steele Smiley founded Crisp & Green in Minnesota in 2016. The first location opened that fall in Wayzata, Minnesota, and in 2020 Smiley announced the restaurant chain was going national. Plans were announced for it to add locations in Florida, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Texas. Since that time, it's absolutely taken off. Crisp & Green now has over 250 locations open or in development, across 25 states.

According to Steele Brands, Crisp & Green is "an innovative fast-casual restaurant that is changing the game in the wellness industry. We combine a sustainable chef-crafted and scratch-made menu with genuine hospitality to give each and every guest an exceptionally crisp and refreshing experience. Since eating healthy is just one part of Living Crisp, we are committed to providing wellness resources and events to create healthier, happier and stronger communities."

Crisp & Green serves "healthy, whole meals including grain bowls, salads and smoothies." The menu includes Signature Salads like the Thai & Stop Me and No Prob Cobb. There are also Grain Bowls such as Ahh...Greek Out and The Bold & The Buffalo. The Acai Bowls also have creative names like as Acai Ya Later, Give Me S'More, Two to Mango, and Imagine Dragon Fruit.

Visitors to Crisp & Green can also build their own salads that begin with two bases. Choices include three different types of grains (brown rice, quinoa, and wild rice), along with greens like arugula, kale, mixed greens, romaine, and spinach. In addition to food choices, there are six different smoothies on the menu, along with frescas and teas.

The first Crisp & Green in Iowa opened at 141 S. Jordan Creek Parkway in West Des Moines on Saturday, September 30. It's open seven days a week from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

At least two more Crisp & Green locations will be opening in Iowa. Where they will be has not yet been announced. Join us in campaigning for the eastern part of the state.