Looking for fresh Mediterranean food that’s locally sourced? Atlas might be your new lunch spot. Nestled between The Duck Store and The Webfoot, Atlas is a build-your-own bowl Mediterranean restaurant. The restaurant opened a month ago, and the team at Atlas aims to provide the campus community with fresh, healthy bowls and wraps, with endless routes for customization.
With modern decor and a fresh feel, Atlas is a bright and welcome addition to the short list of dining options available near campus. Dave’s Hot Chicken and Jersey Mike’s are student staples, but some may be looking for a healthier option after a stressful midterm or before a night out.
One of the most appealing things about Atlas is its commitment to fresh and local ingredients. Their pita breads are made in-house — pressed and baked right behind the counter, coming out fresh for customers. They also make all of their dressings and hummuses in-house, with interesting options like red-pepper walnut hummus and yam vinaigrette.
The owner of Atlas, Gabe Garboden, has committed to sourcing ingredients locally and making them as fresh as possible for customers. Without a freezer on-site, Atlas serves fresh ingredients only, making their menu stand out amongst other local restaurants.
“We wanted to make a really fresh, locally-focused menu,” Garboden said. “We work with as many local vendors as we can. It’s tough with seasonality and our menu, but when things are in season, we try to keep our ingredients local as possible. Our tomatoes, for example, are one of our highest local items.”
The menu features a variety of choices. Start with a pita or bowl, choosing between greens, grains or both as a base. Then, pick between four protein options: grilled chicken, harissa steak, sweet and spicy chicken or falafel.
Next, hit the veggies. At Atlas, you can add as many veggies as you want, free of extra charge. They offer a large variety of Mediterranean vegetable options, including corn, fresh cucumber, colorful tomatoes and even artichoke. Finally, choose from a variety of dressings to finish off the bowl or pita wrap.
Atlas also features a few bowl and pita recipes on their menu, pairing specific ingredients together for a certain taste. Garboden recommended Atlas’s new Falafel Harvest Bowl. With falafel, mixed greens, brown rice, red-pepper walnut hummus, red onion, corn, pepperoncini, goat cheese, yam vinaigrette and cilantro, the bowl and pita recipes are full of flavor and variety.
When asked why he chose Mediterranean cuisine for his restaurant, Garboden said, “I think it’s a cuisine that a lot of people don’t have a lot of experience with. It’s also an area that hasn’t seen this kind of restaurant. We’re hoping to change that.”
Prices are reasonable for a student demographic, running between $12-15 a meal. For the liberal portions and fresh ingredients, stopping by Atlas is well worth it. Students who are looking for fresh, healthy food need look no further than right at the top of campus on East 13th Avenue at Atlas.
