A unique find in the heart of Campustown, Forage Kitchen is nourishing University of Illinois students and Champaign-Urbana residents alike
Forage Kitchen on Green Street is full of grain bowls, greens and other nutritious options
Forage Kitchen made its way to Green Street and this was enough reason to add it to our “next time we’re on campus” list. We knew the menu of offerings at Forage Kitchen would involve lots of nourishing and fresh ingredients. Our expectations were fulfilled with what was placed in front of us once we ordered!
Forage Kitchen has a number of set menu items (that you can download here), along with seasonal specials and customize-your-own options. If you have any food allergies, sensitivities or preferences, you can find detailed information on dressings and more at the same link.
If you are looking to make your own bowl, you get to pick two bases, three standard ingredients, your choice of dressing and any extras you wish to add (for an additional cost). Bases include mixed greens, romaine, spinach, arugula, black/red rice, quinoa and cauliflower rice. There are too many ingredients to list, but there are things like roasted red peppers, citrus roasted fennel, toasted cashews, Thai basil pesto, and many others. Animal protein options are available, though due to the setup of this establishment, vegans will find this to be a great stop in town since the foundation of these dishes are vegan or vegetarian, depending on the order.
We were most impressed that you can add salmon to these dishes. And while we didn’t try it, it looked quite good.
One of the things we tried was the Fiesta Bowl, ordered as is from the menu. It was a greens-based dish and SO filling. These meals offer a lot of food when you order. If you think you’re going to still be hungry when you leave, you are mistaken.
Another of our orders was a curry-based dish. Big shoutout here to the black/red rice combo that really pops in this curry. It, too, was quite tasty.
Aside from the food, this location — 503 E. Green Street in Champaign — is a pleasant place to stop for a meal. You can park nearby at a meter — we chose one on Fifth Street. Remember that some garages are free after 5 p.m.
Forage Kitchen brings something unique to the Champaign-Urbana quick-service food scene, and we think that people who are searching for wholesome, flavor-rich food will especially enjoy their stop in here.
For more ideas related to the University of Illinois campus:
13 Great Campustown Places to Eat | 13 Things to Do on the University of Illinois Campus this Summer