New to Washington Street (so new that I broke my “no reviewing places on Washington Street” rule), Honeygrow Local is the perfect addition for both wealthy yuppies and poor college students.
In accordance with the zero-human-interaction philosophy of our generation, ordering is as simple as pressing a few buttons on a touch screen. The only people with whom you have to speak are the helpful man that asks if you’ve been there before, and the woman who calls out order numbers and hands you the food (and if you’re really set on being asocial then you don’t have to speak with them anyway).
The ambiance is quite bright with a semi-natural/semi-industrial feel suggested by the juxtaposition of the reclaimed wood tables and stools, and the stainless steel of the kitchen. The indie music playing in the background is sure to make any hipster feel at home.
Already located in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Cherry Hill, NJ, Honeygrow takes pride in never frozen and locally sourced ingredients in an attempt to serve the freshest and most socially-conscious food possible.
Focused on salads and stir-fry, Honeygrow allows you to choose one of their predetermined creations or create your own—made easy by their kiosk ordering system.
Attempting to sample as much as possible, my partner and I ordered the sour cherry barbeque and lemon miso tahini stir-fry dishes, the signature kale’atta smoothie, and signature dessert—the honeybar.
The sour cherry barbeque had a very well-rounded flavor: a little bit bitter, a little bit sweet (think a fresh and bright sweet and sour sauce) and just strong enough to make each bite pleasantly flavorful. The pork was perhaps a bit dry and the onions a little less caramelized than I prefer, but overall a very pleasant experience.
The tahini sauce on the lemon miso stir-fry was very reminiscent of Mamoun’s flavor profile and again created a very pleasant flavor. Both dishes contained more noodles than anything else but not so much so that the dish seemed cheap in any way. Speaking of cheap, every meal on the menu is around $10, with most stir-fry options priced below that mark.
The smoothie tasted fresh, and the combination of mint, kale, banana, and pineapple was not as bad as I thought it would be. I’m sure the ingredients make the smoothie super healthy and my body would thank me, but in my opinion, the smoothie had a particularly “green” taste and wasn’t worth drinking. All of their soft drinks are made with “real sugar” (aka not corn syrup) and come in a variety of interesting flavors—my partner recommends trying the blueberry.
Honeygrow’s dessert, the honeybar, is a choice of three fruits, one of three local honeys, and two toppings (candied cashews, coconut shavings, dark chocolate chips, granola, or maple yogurt). We chose strawberries, bananas, blueberries with buckwheat honey and dark chocolate chips and candied cashews. A healthfully sweet finish to the meal, the honeybar is still just a bowl of sliced fruit with some toppings.
Reminiscent of a non-Mexican Chipotle, Honeygrow has something to offer everyone—everyone except those who don’t want to eat stir-fry or salad—low prices for a decent amount of good quality food, fast service, and a socially-conscious philosophy. The convenient location makes Honeygrow a must-try.
