Roots has been one of my absolute places to eat at UVA, and I was so excited when they opened up a location in NOVA! It's THE BEST place for healthy, casual bowls. My personal favorites are the El Jefe and Pesto Caesar- you can never go wrong with either of these two. read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - Salad Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

I'm always on a look out for good healthy casual bowls, but this place ain't it. Small portions, I didn't think it tasted very good either, and didn't care for the protein options. The standard healthy fast casual places like Chipotle/Cava/Sweet Green are superior IMO. read more

One of my favorite fast casual places in the DMV! Roots has such a great menu- I've liked everything I've tried there. They use high quality ingredients and the portions are very generous! I can usually get two meals out of one bowl. My all time favorite is the Yam Jam! I've also had Roots catered for my office numerous times and that has been a great experience as well, the delivery is professional and it makes for a great healthy option. Highly recommend for an easy and pretty healthy lunch or dinner! read more

Came here because of my son in law and daughter . Great food . Balboa bowl Was super yummy full If grilled vegetables grilled chicken . Super tasty . We also got Tangp Bowl . That was the best . We only ate half of our bowl . Saying it for lunch tomorrow. read more

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Great clean tasting, nutritious meal! I love how fresh all the ingredients are, I have never been disappointed. The bowls make you feel good after eating them which is a rarity in fast food. Also the value was great, I was able to save half my bowl for another meal! The inside of this restaurant was gorgeous and had plenty of seating options. Employees were really friendly and kind, I appreciated their warmth a lot! I moved through the line pretty fast, their efficiency was awesome read more

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YOU'RE GETTING A STUFFED BOWL, BUT IS IT WORTH THE PRICE? * Price: Ranges from $12-$16ish for a bowl and an additional $1-$4 for drinks. I created my own bowl, which came out to $15.85. I think this is a bit pricey, but realistically, I wouldn't have all of these ingredients at my house at once. * Food: I ordered the create-your-own bowl with half Roots Rice and half Arcadian/Spring Mix. You can pick up to five veggies/ingredients, so I chose chickpeas, roasted broccoli, charred corn, pickled onions, and red onions. For protein, I picked chicken, and for dressing, I went with Miso Ginger. They STUFFED my bowl, so I'll definitely have leftovers. Taste-wise, great! Their juices, it's ok. * Cleanliness/Setting: They have both indoor and outdoor seating if you want to chill inside or enjoy the nice weather. The ordering process is simple, and the place is very clean. * Service: The cashier/bowl maker who prepared my bowl was very friendly and explained how many of each item I could have. Pretty quick service! read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - Build Create Your Own Bowl - Salad Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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Lots of fresh healthy salad and rice bowls options. The Southern grain bowl was full to the brim and I stuck to all of the ingredients (glad I got a bit more kale than rice!). While I'm sure the food is fresh, the roasted veggies and tofu looked a soggy and sitting out for some time. The best part of the Southern bowl was the flavorful BBQ Tofu. I wasn't a big fan of the brittle rice. The cheddar cheese had a nice spicy kick to it. The flavors of all ingredients were a savory overload and didn't mix that well together: broccoli, pickled onions, corn, cheese, BBQ tofu, cheese, rice, and kale. The service was a bit stand-offish and didn't want to be there. Next time, I'll customize my own bowl so it's a bit more balanced of sweet and savory flavors and adding sweet potatoes with the savory BBQ tofu and maybe holding off on the broccoli! read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - Salad Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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I ordered a Cobb salad and it was gross. The combination of ingredients was super off. The whole dish had a bitter taste and the dressing tasted off. I would not recommend this restaurant. read more

I love roots you get lots of food in your bowl and it taste great! Service is fast and the people are nice it's kinda hard to order a "custom" bowl due to the music being so loud so I usually stick to just ordering one of the pre-made options other than that this is a great place to grab a quick bite! This time around I ordered the El jefe with extra greens! read more

I remember getting Roots for the first time in 2021 when I visited RVA and loving it. I am glad to see the first (?) Roots location here in Nova even if it's a bit far from where I live. I stopped by here for dinner with a couple friends last Monday. The ingredients here are pretty fresh and I remembered being a huge fan of their PESTO CAESAR, so I got it again. I like the extra kick of flavor this salad gives from the pesto. Overall, the salad was good and tossed well. However, the chicken was pretty dry. In general, good spot for salad if you want a cleanse (diet wise, or from Sweetgreen, haha jk). read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - Pesto Caesar Salad - Salad Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

I haven't even left the place and I had to leave my 2 cents. I have been eyeing this place for a while now and finally had some time to stop in for lunch and OMG new fav place! I decided to go with the El Jefe with a side of cilantro lime dressing *chefs kiss* ! The perfect lunch without feeling heavy and stuffed. I even have enough leftovers for later. I will definitely be coming back very, very soon! read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - El Jefe w/ cilantro lime dressing on side (10/10) - Salad Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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I love this fresh and friendly restaurant. The items are incredibly crisp and fresh. The beets that I had were charred perfectly, The spinach and Acadian greens combo were a perfect balance for the street corn and sweet cranberries that accompanied it. The lemon tahini sauce was more citrus lemon than tahini. I'll be back for the bbq tofu. read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - Build your own bowl - Salad Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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Loving coming here for a bowl! My go to is the El Jefe with the "works". The cilantro lime dressing is honestly the best !!! I usually get the grilled chicken with my meal but there are other options if desire. You are also able to customize a bowl as well or they have predefined bowls to select from. Definitely recommend Roots for a healthy option meal! read more

Roots always has consistently delicious and healthy bowl options. The Southern is my go-to bowl as a vegetarian. I love their tofu and mushrooms, but did not enjoy their jackfruit which was lacking in flavor. This roots location does have lots of hot sauce options that you can grab and use in the store which was great. It also has a nice interior with group tables and nice bathrooms with individual rooms. The service is also reasonably fast and efficient. read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - El Capitan with Jackfruit - Salad Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

5/5! Absolutely love Roots. A friend showed me this place as we were in the area and I'm glad she did! A different variation of places like Cava, Mezeh and Chipotle. But still the same, assembly line style of ordering. The Food: The food is delicious! The ingredients are fresh and full of wonderful flavors. The proteins are nice and tender, and the veggies are nicely roasted! I decided on customizing my own bowl. Custom bowls come with your choice of protein, 5 toppings and a dressing! Any more you want, is extra. I would familiarize yourself with the menu beforehand, so you can have a smooth interaction. The Service: Service was great. Staff are friendly and they get you through the line quick and easy. The Atmosphere: There's plenty of seating inside. It's spacious and clean. And there's little outdoor seating. Overall, a 5/5! Highly recommend coming and trying any of the pre-made bowl options or just customizing to your own liking! read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - Create Your Own Bowl - Salad Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

I have been coming to roots since fourth year of college when they opened it at UVA!! I have had this several times before and I have never been disappointed!! I got the Apollo bowl today which they gave a HUGE quantity lasted me two different meals!! The flavor of the rice and chciken were just right!! Also the nutrition is not bad with all the veggies and meat they give you and the macros are pretty good actually! The guys who worked there were so funny and were so prompt! They did a great job making my bowl! It is a fast casual place with plenty of seating and parking!! it is in a strip mall with a giant so it's a nice meal to have after groceries :)) read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - Apollo! - Salad Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

5/5. I was tired of and annoyed at sweetgreen but still wanted to get a healthy quick dinner in. I had seen roots before but never tried it out. Boy am I glad I did and it will be on rotation. The balboa va caught my eye and I did half brown rice half kale sub chicken for bbq tofu, and the basics (Sweet Potatoes, Corn, Avocado, Pita Chips, Feta, Pickled Onions). Delish! read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - Balboa with bbq tofu - Salad Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

I love me an overpriced salad. Ordered on the app + was ready for pick up in 20 min. Fast and convenient. Pesto Caesar: DELICIOUS! The Caesar dressing is super lemon-y. Chicken's a little dry, but that's to be expected. There's a charge for certain add-ons (parm, pickled onions- this surprised me. Cheese I understand but why onions?). I'm also surprised el-jefe is so popular. It sucks and tastes like health. I've been told el-jefe is better as a salad and not grains. Will come back again for pesto Caesar!! read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - Pesto Caesar Salad - Salad Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Starting off the new year and wanting to eat healthy...,this is the place to go! Great healthy and fresh food options. Bowls with greens or grains and lean protein choices! Dressings made in house - the lemon tahini was delicious. Staff was average...not overly friendly. I guess I'm old school and want to be greeted and also told thank you after I pay and leave a tip. That didn't happen.. but they also were not rude just there. Simple decor... clean rest rooms. Worth a visit for a quick, healthy option. read more

I love roots!! I get the El Jefe bowl usually. Similar vibes to Cava but I love how Roots mixes it with the dressing for you! (You'll see when you go) It can get expensive if you add double chicken or other additional stuff. Service is always 10/10 and never a line when I go to this location! read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - El Jefe - Salad Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

FOOD Roots Natural Kitchen offers classic bowls and wraps such as the El Jefe, Corner Cobb, and more, but you can also choose to make your own. I chose the latter and ordered a custom chicken kale/brown rice bowl with roasted broccoli, sweet potato, tomatoes, pita chips, and cheddar with cilantro lime dressing. Other toppings such as avocado come with an additional cost. Custom bowls come with 5 toppings, dressing, and a protein choice (or none). The chicken was tender, juicy, and well-seasoned. It complemented well with the toppings and dressing, and the bowl can be easily splittable into two meals as it is rather filling for one. DRINKS Roots NK offers drinks from their own line as well as others. They range from various teas to lemon seltzers to water. SERVICE I went during lunchtime, and the place was PACKED. That being said, the staff went through the line quickly, and I was out in about 15-20 minutes. They were all really friendly and didn't rush new customers when ordering. Keep in mind that when ordering online, prices are elevated compared to in-store (at least on Toast Tab, etc.), but I don't believe that they are elevated on their personal app. AMBIANCE The atmosphere in the store was very clean and modern. There are a good number of tables inside the store but can fill up quickly during mealtimes and holidays. It's a great place if you're looking to catch up with friends over a relatively healthful meal but not a great place to study as it gets loud quickly. PARKING Street parking (parallel) is available at a limited capacity in front of the store. There are also parking garages available in the immediate area as well that are shared with Giant, TeaDM, AllCare, and other neighboring vendors in addition to apartment parking for residents upstairs. read more

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We ordered and paid online at 11:57am system said to be at store at 12:16pm. We got there at 12:20pm and food was not prepared or even being prepared. Its now 12:35pm and food is still not done. VERY UNHAPPY read more

The kale Caesar is fire people are always nice to me in there too which I appreciate mid or post workday

Heard a few good things about this place so we came to pick up food for lunch. This place is another healthy(ish?) bowl place that's good for lunch. You have the option to pick one of their pre made bowls or to create your own. We decided to try the El Jefe, the Pesto Caesar, and the Strawberry Dragonfruit tea. We placed an online order for after the lunch rush. Parking is kind of tough depending on the time of day. You can usually get lucky on weekday afternoons and park on the street out front. If not, the garage around the corner always has spots. Pick up was right on time and easy since they have the shelves. First off these bowls were huge which was great because we were very hungry. The El Jefe did not skimp on any ingredients, including the chicken. Also had great flavors (especially with the chipotle Tabasco). The Pesto Caesar was also solid but only had a little of it. The tea was great, not too sweet but refreshing. I've been two more times since my first visit and they were on point every time. Great, fresh, delicious ingredients in big portions. I'll be back. read more

Ordered through doordash and still tasted delicious! Order was exactly like how I requested which made me happy. Not sure what physical store is like since I have only ordered delivery. read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - El Capitn - Salad Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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LOVEEE ROOTS!!! I was craving roots after missing it in Charlottesville and I'm so happy one opened up in the NOVA area! Tastes just like it does in cville. I had the El Jefe bowl and they filled it to the brim! They're so generous with how much they gave and it's enough to last two meals. The chicken is so tender and the amount of toppings work perfectly to create a balanced bowl. There was a decent amount of seating in and outside. It seemed like a lot of people were there on a lunch break or just catching up with a friend. read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - El Jefe Bowl - Salad Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Finally had a chance to try this place. Thought that it would only be so-so compared to CAVA and Mezeh but was wrong. The salad bowl with tofu and mushrooms were amazing. Great blending of flavors. Have left overs in the fridge that I'm looking forward to having for lunch. A little pricy but really good. read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - Salad Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

El jefe salad is amazing love the flavor the bowl is big enough for several servings. Parking is alright around but accessible. Ordering on line was easy and I picked up the salad. read more

They've reduced the size of the bowl significantly and have kept it at the same price. I don't know how I feel about this place anymore. :( read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - The Balboa - Salad Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Delicious food. A little messy when serving food but the location is new so I'm sure it'll get better with practice.

Since I left UVA, I've made a conscious effort to come back to visit every now and then, mainly for the sole purpose of going to Roots (and sometimes Bodo's). Even though I live in Texas now, I come back to visit for the sole purpose of eating Roots. Since Roots announced that they were opening a location in the Northern Virginia area, this was one of the most anticipated openings of any establishment for me since Roots is my favorite restaurant/food joint anywhere. For context, when I was at UVA, I ate a Roots-exclusive diet for an entire semester and I was happier and healthier than ever. I love Roots. For those of you who are new to Roots, think of it like Sweetgreen but make it 10x better, and it was started by UVA students in Charlottesville. Everything at this Roots is as good as I remember, and my favorites are the Corner Cobb (sub-pickled onions for red onions), the Balboa, and the Pesto Caesar. That being said, you really can't go wrong with any of their offerings, and there is a wide variety of different bases, greens, and proteins to choose from, all of which are high quality and taste good. Perhaps the only downside is that due to yung inflation the prices are a little higher than what I remember, and it's now closer to $15-$20 for a bowl and/or a drink, but still a price I'm willing to pay to put good food in my body and still enjoy it. If you haven't been to this Roots, or you didn't know it existed until now, stop playing around and get some Roots on your next lunch break. You will not be disappointed. read more

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Always great to have another healthy food option around. The vegetables are quite fresh and quantity provided sufficient for the price. The couple downsides included the lack of other protein options. The only option is white meat chicken - and it's unfortunately very dry. Second, there needs to be better consistency in the dressing quantity. The guy who completed my order had way too much dressing in my salad. The other order in our party was fulfilled by another employee and it was the perfect amount. read more

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Roots finally comes to nova! Having been to the both the Richmond and Charlottesville locations, I was super excited to have it in the DMV area. My two favorite bowls are the El Jefe with the works and the Pesto Caesar with sriracha. The staff was very welcoming and quick with preparing the food. Every bowl was zesty, sweet, and flavorful! I definitely recommend checking this place out if you're in the mood for something healthy! There is plenty of seating and it's a perfect lunch or dinner spot! read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - El jefe with the works and mushrooms - Salad Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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I'm really glad Roots opened in NoVA bc it was one of my favorite places in Charlottesville. I went here during their grand opening and ordered through their online app. The whole process was simple and efficient. The employees here were efficient and friendly. Roots is always fresh and is a healthy option that is filling. It's hard to go wrong with their menu. read more

My postgrad trips back to cville almost always include swinging by roots. I was even thrilled to drop by the Richmond location. The salads NEVER get old for me. I love a good salad, really. My go-to is the Mayweather. It is my absolute ride-or-die. I will sometimes sub the onions with the roasted broccoli or beets because I love that extra flavor and heft. I used to also get the mushrooms sometimes, which should not be slept on. The Fairfax location is really nice - spacious, nicely decorated, open and bright. The setup is intuitive and easy to move through. However the only thing I noticed was different from my previous experience is that they don't ask how much dressing you want (less, reg, more), so if you care about that, you should pipe up sooner rather than later. Love it. Can't wait to stop by more. read more

Yummy and healthy. Portions are huge too, really two meals for one. It's an American version of Cava. I love the Roots (red) rice, all the roasted veggies and simple dressing - clean, good food. Familiar yourself with the ingredients before you go, some of the grain options are covered to keep warm - glad I didn't miss out of the Roots rice. read more

I really love their food and have been to one of their other locations at University of Delaware where service and food is excellent. I also appreciate that they have 2 options for tofu. I have been anticipating the opening of this location, and have thus far been disappointed in the service. I tried ordering through their app a couple weeks ago and kept getting an error. I called and they told me they could not take an order over the phone. A friend of mine was able to download the app on her phone and place both of our orders. We placed the order 45 minutes before we got there to pick up and when she arrived it was STILL not ready. They claimed the orders weren't coming through. Additionally, we had placed the orders as wraps, which on their menu it was stated that they were offering for a limited time. We got bowls, with wraps on the side, not what was advertised. The bowls not being ready were also an issue as this was our lunch break and we had limited time. I decided to give this location another shot, and went to the store to place my orders today since I was in the area. I got 3 bowls, 2 signature bowls with substitutions, and 1 create your own bowl. All 3 bowls were meant to have tofu. One of my bowls ended up getting chicken instead of tofu, and I unfortunately did not notice until getting home. Our family is vegan and therefore that meant that the entire bowl went to waste and was money down the drain. I should also note that the person taking my order repeated twice to me that the bowl was being subbed for tofu, so they definitely heard me and was aware of the substitution. I am understanding that this is a new location, however since they have multiple other locations I was hoping the training of staff would be on par with the other location I am familiar with. Seeing as how I've had multiple issues with this location since they've opened it may be a while before I decide to eat here again, if at all. read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - chicken in the bowl instead of the tofu I asked for - Salad Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Bought takeout home for dinner. Absolutely the best dinner bowl I've ever had. I had the El Jefe. More than enough for two meals. Fresh food, good flavor, wonderful combo. Definitely order again. read more

Some of the best news I received this week was that Roots opened near me. I was a Roots regular down in Charlottesville and tried the new chain the other night. I guess now I'll be a regular at this establishment since the El Jefe is as good as I remember. The prices are a bit high ~$15-20 (s/o inflation) but the quality and portion size is well worth it. I get the El Jefe with some pesto vinaigrette and the lime and Tabasco. Sometimes I'll even add on the BBQ tofu which is a Roots staple. I can't recommend this place enough it's one of my favorite chains :) read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - Salad Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

As a UVA alumni who lived off of Roots during my four years of college, I was ecstatic to find out that Roots was expanding to NOVA. It is a fast casual style dining experience similar to CAVA, Chipotle, and Sweetgreen. In my opinion, it's way better. Me and my friend came here on opening day and despite it being super busy, we were surprised to see how efficient the line was and how clean the space was kept. Compared to the Charlottesville location, this location is more modern and spacious. Roots has its own popular bowls on the menu but you can customize your own bowl too. My personal favorites are the El Jefe, The Apollo, and the Corner Cobb with some substitutions here and there. The ingredients were always kept fresh and flavorful at the Charlottesville location so I was happy to see that it translated over to this location as well. I would totally be coming back again. read more

Roots Natural Kitchen - El Jefe - Salad Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia