One of the many new additions to the Stanford Mall is Tender Greens, a farm-to-table chain that serves many healthy lunch and dinner options. If you’re looking for a fun new place to try with friends or family, check out the review below for some insight. Staff photo: Eliza Crowder 

By Eliza Crowder

Ever since I was a young girl, I have loved shopping at Stanford Mall. While the clothing stores are definitely top-notch, I always thought that the mall was lacking in the food department. Recently, however, with the extensive renovation and construction that took place over the summer, the mall really stepped up its game with multiple new, delicious, and unique spots to dine.      

Among my favorites of these new restaurants is Tender Greens. Tender Greens has locations all throughout Northern and Southern California, but the Tender Greens at the mall is located right across from the new Anthropologie store and has both indoor and outdoor seating areas. The restaurant has an order-at-the-counter-style setup, so once you reach the front of line, you order your food, sit down, and will be served shortly.

The Tender Greens menu consists of two main categories: “Big Plates” ($12) and “Big Salads” ($12). The Big Plates consist of a protein – including as chicken, steak, albacore tuna, or falafel – that are served alongside two side dishes of your choice. For the Big Plates, you have three options for how your dish is served. You can choose between “on a sandwich,” “as a hot plate,” or “on a simple salad.”  Some of the side options include seasonal veggies ($6), mashed potatoes ($4), or some other grain options ($4). Some of my favorites of the Big Plates include the Chipotle Barbecue Chicken (pictured above) and the Backyard Marinated Steak (add $0.50). The house favorite and most popular dish by far is the Fried Chicken, which I have yet to taste myself. 

As for the “Big Salads,” the options range from a Chinese Chicken salad to the Grilled Chicken Cobb to a Vegan salad, as well as many others. If you’re not big on salads though, don’t back away just yet because the menu has some other delicious options such as their Roasted Tomato Soup or their Rustic Chicken Soup. 

Tender Greens serves relatively large portions, and although it is slightly costly, I think the money is well worth the satisfying dishes and unique flavors.

There are only a few downsides to Tender Greens that I can think of. First things first, finding somewhere to sit after ordering your food can be a challenge. With limited indoor seating options, customers often are forced to settle for the outside tables and benches, which is great when it’s a nice day but not-so-great when it’s cold outside, as it has been recently. The other downside is how crowded the restaurant can get, especially at dinner time. Because of the restaurant’s newfound popularity, the tables are typically overflowing with all sorts of people in both big and small groups. I have yet to dine at Tender Greens and not have to wait in a long line before ordering my food. Even though it can be crowded, however, I continue returning for more because the food is fresh, delicious, and definitely worth the wait.

So if you decide to try Tender Greens for yourself, set aside slightly more time than you normally would when grabbing some grub because you are surely in for a treat.