If you’re headed to the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood and want to grab a bite before the show, your choices are fairly limited – even more so if you try to go somewhere within walking distance. Located in the block next to the theater, Greenleaf Gourmet Chopshop may very well be your solution, with parking for the Pantages conveniently located in the same complex. Part of a restaurant chain, Greenleaf serves healthy food using local and organic ingredients.

Greenleaf is a fast casual restaurant – order at the counter and then take your number to a table of your choosing. The Hollywood location has a nice patio should you wish to dine al fresco.

As it’s a restaurant with a healthy bent, there are several cold-pressed juices on the menu but no sodas like Coke nor Pepsi. Lemonade, which is about as unhealthy a beverage as you could get (other than alcohol) came as an “active charcoal lemonade” – presumably the water had been filtrated using charcoal. They also have a  “Fat-Blasting Lemonade” said to increase your metabolism and energy, with agave and I-carnitine (I didn’t know what it was either).

If kids are in tow, there’s a kid’s menu with a healthier take on your typical kid’s fare, like turkey sliders, cheese pizza flatbread, almond-crusted chicken bites and grilled cheese. The grilled cheese was served on wholegrain bread, a bit of a shock to my white-bread-loving daughter, and came with a baked sweet potato fries.

Noticing that the pizzas came served on a whole wheat tortilla (what?), I chose al pastor tacos, which seemed to be pretty safe. The tacos came three to an order, topped with queso fresco, pico de gallo and guacamole. The pork was pretty tasty, making me happy with my choice. The only drawback was that it was a little small – leaving me hungry afterwards (and giving me a good excuse to eat those sweet potato fries).

My husband selected the huevos rancheros from the brunch menu, which came with the previously mentioned whole wheat tortilla, refried black beans, over easy eggs, chipotle sauce, pico de gallo, guacamole and crispy tortilla strips. The dish was spicy and full of flavor, conquering any fears of a bland healthy rendition.

If you are planning on seeing a show at the Pantages, get to Greenleaf a couple of hours early. Even though it’s fast casual, the place gets packed an hour before a show, making it tough to order, get your food and eat. With Hamilton arriving at the Pantages soon, Greenleaf will be even busier, filled with the sounds of theatergoers rapping, in between bites of salad.

Location – 6201 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles  90028. Additional locations in Glendale, Venice, Beverly Hills, Century City, and Costa Mesa.
Website – http://www.greenleafchopshop.com
Kid-Friendly – Yes
Kid’s Menu – Yes
Vegetarian/Vegan Friendly – Yes
Gluten-Free Options – Yes