Now is the time to get to know Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes and Discover Fresh!
Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes have a story to tell you. It’s a tantalizing story about succulent fresh fruits and sun-ripened vegetables, made-from-scratch menu choices, local farms run by farmers you’d want to share a meal with, and how — since they first opened in San Diego in 1978 – Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes have been cooking just like you would if you had the time.
They want you to “Discover Fresh,” and it’s all part of their new refresh strategy starting now in San Diego, Los Angeles and Orange County.
I was recently lucky enough to join the Souplantation team at a restaurant location here in San Diego to hear about some of changes at the restaurants and get the inside scoop on what “fresh” means to Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes.
Our small group was personally walked through the extensive buffet, trays in hand, to hear the stories behind all of those fresh fruits and veggies, soothing soups, steamy pastas, soft and tasty breads and more! We sampled the vibrant, ready-made salad choices that introduce guests to a variety of flavor and texture pairings, heard about the local farmer who grows the mushrooms and were also tempted by the sweet peanut butter cup cookies by the register. Souplantation knows how to do a salad bar! Did you know that Souplantation pickles its beets in house? Even the salad dressings are made fresh daily from jaw-dropping ingredients like oil, vinegar, herbs and spices. No preservatives here!
With piled-high plates in hand, we then sat down with the Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes team to hear more about Discover Fresh and how the restaurant is making eating out at the popular buffet even more personal.
The Farm Team
Veronica, a member of the newly-created Farm Team, joined us to talk more about this recently added group out and about in the restaurants talking to guests just like you and me. Not only do they share stories about the local farmers like Farmer Bob and his fresh broccoli used to make Joan’s Broccoli Salad, but they also offer activities for kids, coupons to use in the future and customer service to make every visit a memorable one. It doesn’t end there, though. Farm Team members like Veronica want to hear your stories, too. How long have you been pulling up a chair at your local Souplantation or Sweet Tomatoes? Is your favorite menu choice Won Ton Happiness, the Santa Fe Black Bean Chili, or is it impossible to decide? These brand ambassadors are quick to say it’s not just business, it’s a family thing, too.
Gluten-Friendly
Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes have been ahead of the local, farm-fresh and transparent food supply trends all along, and now they are setting their sights on more gluten-friendly dining. Recognizing the difficulty with cross contamination in a buffet setting, the restaurant is working on “gluten-friendly” choices, made without gluten, which guests can enjoy as part of their made-from-scratch meal, customized meal. Both gluten-friendly muffin options and focaccia are now in testing.
The Farmers
The long-standing relationships between Souplantation and local farmers are the key to Discover Fresh. Both Gary Crouch of Mountain Meadow Mushrooms and Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes CEO John Morberg were on hand at the event, emphasizing the positive difference a close and consistent relationship makes when it comes to getting the freshest produce selections. A big thanks to Mountain Meadow Mushrooms for bringing sample bags for all of us to really prove how good fresh can taste!
Things to Come
There are some tasty new menu choices coming to your local Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes in the months to come. We were able to sample Tangy Lemon Muffins, Tomatillo Focaccia and more mouthwatering menu choices scheduled to hit menus in April and May.
Whether you’ve yet to discover these restaurants, it’s been a while since you’ve joined them for a meal or you’re one of the regulars taking advantage of their phenomenal buffet, now is the time to get to know Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes and Discover Fresh! Find dietitian-recommendations at these restaurants here, and look out for new choices being added as the menu refreshes each month.