A new healthy dining option is coming to South Austin with the opening of salad-focused Vinaigrette on Wednesday, February 17.

The New Mexico-based restaurant, which boasts popular locations in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, serves light, fresh dishes with locally sourced produce and guilt-free proteins. Its foray into Austin is located at 2201 College Ave. off South Congress Avenue.

The salads are customizable with a variety of meats, seafoods, and other tasty extras, but it’s not just about the greens. You’ll find savory sandwiches, soups, sides, and desserts on the menu. Vinaigrette also offers beer, wine, and unique cocktails to complement your meal (raspberry-beet margaritas, anyone?).

“When you get the combinations right, salads have this unique potential to stimulate all the different tastes and every single texture, in a rainbow of colors,” says chef-owner Erin Wade in a release. “It’s really fun to make something so healthy so completely satisfying on so many fronts.”

Sustainability is a huge part of the Wade’s mission. The Austin outpost will follow in the footsteps of the New Mexico locations, which supplies most of the organic produce served at the restaurant in peak season. Wade has purchased a farm in nearby Bastrop, which will provide most of Vinaigrette’s produce. “Food waste from the restaurant will return to the farm [for feeding] the animals and for composting to feed the healthy soil,” reads the release, completing the cycle of sustainability.

Look for Vinaigrette in the former Tree House Italian Grill space. The restaurant will open daily from 11 am until 10 pm for lunch and dinner service.

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