This Brand New Buffet Has People Waiting Hours For Unlimited Soup, Salad, And Pasta — Here's Why I Drove An Hour-And-A-Half To Try It
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Back in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic shifted pretty much everything for basically everyone. Notably, many restaurants struggled to stay afloat, resulting in temporary-turned-permanent closures all over the country — and for me, as a Californian, one of the most heartbreaking was the beloved all-you-can-eat chain Souplantation. Considering its communal soup, salad, baked goods, and baked potato bars, it's not surprising that the business couldn't weather the challenges it faced in 2020, but that didn't make the closure sting any less for those who really loved it.
The cult-favorite buffet first launched in 1978 in San Diego, California, and since then, it has become a beloved family-friendly restaurant across America. (In non-California states, though, the restaurant operated as "Sweet Tomatoes.")
Thanks to its affordable prices, tasty food, and cozy environment, Souplantation was a definite go-to in my family. And considering the restaurant had its humble beginnings in SoCal, I can confidently say — as a Southern Californian myself — that it was a go-to for a lot of other families around the area as well.
Like, when I say Souplantation was iconic to many, I'm not even exaggerating. Here's a post from X (formerly Twitter) that was made in 2020:
SOUPLANTATION CLOSED?!? NO ONE SPEAK TO ME I WILL BE IN MOURNING FOREVER. IF I HAD KNOWN I WOULD HAVE PUT EXTRA CORNBREAD AND BLUEBERRY MUFFINS IN MY PURSE FOR THE CULTURE pic.twitter.com/UdAwHxSkyY
— Parv (@RealPattyWap) May 7, 2020
X: @RealPattyWap / NBC / Via Twitter: @RealPattyWap
Fast-forward to 2024, and people are STILL mourning the loss of Souplantation, with one TikTok user saying, "[T]here's a deep hole in my soul that can only be filled by [S]ouplantation."
Again, Souplantation closing was THAT serious.
All that said, ever since all Souplantation locations closed in 2020 after filing for bankruptcy, I've been going through the stages of grief, thinking I would never be able to grab the handle of a warm, colorful bowl and fill it with chicken noodle soup ever again. So when a restaurant called Soup 'n Fresh started going viral on social media after being hailed as a Souplantation "dupe" — in their old building, no less — I dropped everything and drove to Rancho Cucamonga in Southern California to try it.
Soup n' Fresh opened its doors this past April. Though the restaurant is not affiliated with Souplantation in any way, it definitely hopped on Souplantation's swag, considering the concept and foods are almost exactly the same. (However, Soup 'n Fresh's business manager told me the company plans to expand the menu.) And as someone who used to go to Souplantation A LOT, my expectations were pretty high! That said, here's everything I ate at Soup 'n Fresh and how it compared to Souplantion.
Note: BuzzFeed was provided this meal and experience free of charge; however, we were under no obligation to give a positive review.
First of all, I got there a minute or two before the restaurant opened at 10:30 a.m., and already there was a big line of people waiting to get in — on a Tuesday! Now, it's easy to credit this to people's need to re-experience Souplantation, but the price for the lunch buffet (which goes until 4 p.m.) quite probably plays a huge role as well. Soup 'n Fresh charges $16.99 per adult, $14.99 for older adults, and up to $10.99 for kids under 12.
You have to pay extra for a fountain drink, but you can get unlimited drinks after that fee. Prices for dinner clock in at $18.99 per adult and $16.99 for seniors.
OK, even though Soup 'n Fresh technically has no connection to the original Souplantation, the similarities are...uncanny. I mean, the restaurant building was literally an old Souplantation, so the salad bar's setup was the same: double-sided and filled with bowls and bowls of greens, dressings, veggies, and more.
I honestly would pay the $16.99 just for the salad bar alone.
When you're done filling your plate with salad, you pay at the end of the bar and then find a table to start chowing down. Here's what my salad looked like:
I got the Asian salad mix (which I assumed was a dupe for Souplantation's "Wonton Happiness") and topped it off with wonton strips, mushrooms, carrots, red onions, and hard-boiled eggs.
If I'm being honest, a salad bar salad is going to hit EVERY TIME. I do wish the salad itself was dressed a little more — the salad mix I got was already dressed — but I guess it's my fault for not adding extra dressing on top of what came with it. Other than that, I truly couldn't complain about a salad I made myself. If it tasted bad, then that would've been on me. Everything tasted fresh and crisp, and you could see staff members prepping, slicing, and chopping up the veggies as you went down the line!
My friend tried two types of pasta salad, and she said they were both super good, flavorful, light, and refreshing!
After we ate our salad, we gravitated toward the soup and pasta next. Soup 'n Fresh offered three pasta selections and seven (!) soups, so I was so excited to dive in.
The restaurant was quite packed, so getting a pic like this without anybody in it was a miracle.
For the record, even the Soup 'n Fresh soup bowls were quite literally the same as what Souplantation had. It's giving "You can copy my homework, but don't make it obvious" vibes. (Except it was very, very obvious.)
I almost wonder if when Souplantation was selling its items after announcing bankruptcy, Soup 'n Fresh bought them? IDK, but in the words of Cardi B: "That's weird...that's suspicious."
Some of the more popular soups at Souplantation were the clam chowder, chili, and, of course, the famous chicken noodle — so we undoubtedly reached for those first to see Soup 'n Fresh's spin on them. As for the pasta, there was mac 'n' cheese, chicken alfredo, and a marinara penne option (not pictured).
Other soups that were offered were:
• Mushroom soup
• Corn chowder
• Minestrone
Here's what I thought about the soups:
Clam chowder — OK, so I didn't try the clam chowder myself because I'm allergic to shellfish, but my friend Gabby, who was a Souplantation clam chowder fan, got a bowl for herself. She said the chowder was rich, creamy, and perfectly salted and that taking her first bite was like taking a stroll down memory lane. Paired with oyster crackers, which added a nice little crunch, Gabby said the clam chowder was just as good as she remembers Souplantation's was.
House chili — I never really eat chili, so I never got the chili whenever I went to Souplantation. However, considering how many people were waiting to scoop Soup 'n Fresh's house chili into their bowls, I was curious and decided to try it out.
The first bite was...interesting. I didn't know how to feel because I wasn't exactly sure what *good* chili was supposed to taste like. However, I'm sure it wasn't supposed to taste kinda sour? And a little watery? Yeah, that's what the house chili tasted like, so I was not a fan. There wasn't enough salt, and it was just a bit disappointing. I wasn't a chili fan then, and I definitely still am not.
Chicken noodle soup — Last but certainly not least, I tried the highly anticipated chicken noodle soup. For those who don't know, the chicken noodle soup at Souplantation was equivalent to a ribeye at a steakhouse: It was popular, loved, and gave main course energy. That said, I had high hopes for Soup 'n Fresh's chicken noodle soup recipe and was super eager to try it. After I took my first bite, it was like I was transported back in time — kinda like that scene in Ratatouille when Anton Ego gets reminded of his childhood after eating Remy's dish.
The soup tasted identical to Souplantation's — down to the chunky noodles and even chunkier chicken pieces. The broth had the perfect amount of salt, and even though the broth was light and airy, it left a rich mouthfeel. All in all, the soup was SO. DANG. GOOD.
Here's what I thought about the pastas:
Marinara penne — OK, so there is no photo evidence that I tried this pasta, so please just believe that I did. There was a marinara pasta at Souplantation, but I rarely got it because it was just so bland and flavorless. I don't know how on the nose Soup 'n Fresh is trying to be, but their marinara penne pasta was also bland and flavorless! The noodles were a little too soft for my taste, and the marinara lacked seasoning. The dish pretty much came and went without a second thought.
Chicken alfredo — This pasta dish was a lovely surprise because Souplantation never had chicken alfredo! I was honestly glad to see a menu item that wasn't expected because, for a restaurant that supposedly isn't technically affiliated with Souplantation, it didn't really have its own identity aside from being like Souplantation. I'm not saying having one different menu item will suddenly change the comparisons, but at least Soup 'n Fresh and Souplantation can now be considered fraternal twins instead of identical.
Anyway, the chicken alfredo was just fine! It wasn't anything too special, but it was tasty and hit all the right spots. I wish it were creamier and cheesier, and the chicken had more taste, but I wouldn't say to pass it altogether. I put a couple of shakes of black pepper onto my pasta, which made such a difference flavor-wise!
Macaroni and cheese — Fine, I'll say it: Where is the cheese?! When I went to get the mac and cheese from the buffet station, the cheese was soupy and watery at the bottom of the warming bowl, so I suppose that should've been the first indicator of what was to come.
It was almost like the cheese evaporated as I walked back to the booth because it tasted like I was only eating macaroni. The cheese slipped right off the pasta, so the dish definitely would have benefitted more from a thicker and creamier sauce. And probably some pasta water mixed in there, too.
I know I said the chicken noodle soup was the star of the show, but for me personally, the real star will always be the baked potato (and the blueberry muffins, but we'll get into that later).
I think I had three baked potatoes one time during a Souplantation outing.
Much like Souplantation, Soup 'n Fresh had a potato bar paired with a pretty awesome topping station that supplied everything you need to make a loaded baked potato: shredded cheese, green onions, sour cream, bacon bits, butter, and diced onions (if you're into that). There were sweet and russet potatoes available, so I grabbed a russet potato to try.
Here's what I thought about the baked potato:
All I can say is wow. I feel like you can't go wrong with a hot baked potato paired with gooey cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkling of green onion. I'm one of those people who eats the entire potato — skin and all — rather than just the inside, so best believe I ate the whole thing up!
The potato itself was kind of small, but obviously, if one potato didn't satisfy your craving, you could always go back for seconds — or thirds, or even fourths.
I was trying to preserve my stomach space, so, unfortunately, I stopped myself at one potato. Just know that I definitely would've gotten another one!
Next up, I visited the bread station — which might arguably be the best station. Don't get me wrong, the soup and salad options were great, but the bread station as a whole was where it was really at (for me, at least).
The bread station consists of cornbread, chocolate brownies, cheesy pizza-like focaccia, garlic bread, and blueberry muffins. To nobody's surprise at this point, that's exactly the selection Souplantation had, too.
Here's what I thought about the garlic bread, cheese focaccia, brownie, and cornbread:
Garlic bread — No notes, just garlic and vibes. The garlic bread had a nice crisp crust and a fair amount of cheese, and it was soft and fluffy on the inside. I would absolutely recommend it! In fact, I think I went to get thirds. Totally worth it.
Cheese focaccia — Like the garlic bread, this cheesy-saucy thing was delicious! Again, I don't know what the official name is because there wasn't a placard at its station, but it was basically like a cheese pizza. I liked it because there was the perfect sauce-to-cheese ratio, and I could taste hints of the basil and oregano. I was truly a fan! And, you know what? Now that I think about it, I might like the garlic bread and pizza from Soup 'n Fresh even more than I remember liking them from Souplantation!
Brownie — Unfortunately, the yummy streak stops here. Souplantation's brownies were in the shape of muffins, but these were kind of just, like, blobs? Additionally, the brownie wasn't very sweet and was a bit dry as well. The density of the brownie was also a bit too much, so I honestly wouldn't get it again.
Cornbread — OK, the cornbread was a bit better than the brownie, but it still wasn't a standout to me. It was definitely on the drier side, but I preferred the slightly sweet corn flavor over whatever was going on with the brownie.
Souplantation's cornbread took the form of muffins as well, and there were also little bits of corn throughout it, too. I will admit that I was missing the corn from Soup 'n Fresh's version, but again, it's just something that helps slightly distinguish the restaurant from its older sister. Unlike the brownie, I would definitely eat the cornbread again.
Here's what I thought about the blueberry muffins:
The blueberry muffins are such a big deal to me that they deserve their own section. First of all, WHERE IS THE MUFFIN TOP?! I was actually so shocked when I came across the blueberry muffins — the things I was most excited about — and saw that they did not have tops with imperfectly crispy edges! What a sin of nature!
I will admit that I'm a little salty, solely because everything else Soup 'n Fresh had was nearly similar to Souplantation, but the line was drawn at the muffins. Like, huh?! These muffins were tiny, flat-topped, and made me feel like I was eating muffins you get at grocery stores that come in a snack pack.
Even so, I did eat, like, four of them. Even though Soup 'n Fresh's muffins were different than I expected, they still tasted pretty amazing. They were filled with blueberries, weren't overly sweet, and were warm, fluffy, and fairly moist. Souplantation's muffins will always reign supreme, but Soup 'n Fresh's muffins were exceptional in taste.
As you can see, Gabby and I love Soup 'n Fresh's muffins — even without the yummy and crispy edges:
Other than the sweeter baked goods, other dessert options at Soup 'n Fresh included a selection of fruit and yogurt from a cute little fruit bar and an ice cream machine that offered vanilla, chocolate, and swirl soft serve. Here's what I thought about the desserts:
You can never go wrong with fresh fruit and yogurt; plus, the soft-serve was a staple at Souplantation restaurants. The only minor complaint we had — aside from the obvious lack of swirl the machine produced — was that there weren't any cones or sprinkles to have with the ice cream. Of course, it's a very small detail, but it's always nice to have options like that, especially for the kiddos (and me).
All in all, Soup 'n Fresh did NOT disappoint! It was an overall great experience and was totally worth the one-and-a-half-hour drive there. For me, the price for the lunch buffet was unbeatable, and I left feeling like I had eaten my fill.
Additionally, the staff was SO NICE and super helpful, and despite the fairly big crowd in the restaurant, everything was managed really well. Also, the booth where we sat had a view of the restaurant's line outside, and when I say the queue to get inside the restaurant was nonstop, I mean it. According to a Soup 'n Fresh staff member, if you don't come to the restaurant right at opening, wait times are usually up to an hour and a half.
Not gonna lie, I am counting the days until I can go back to Soup 'n Fresh. Even though Soup 'n Fresh uses recipes different from Souplantation, it tasted similar enough that the experience itself was so nostalgic and made me think of all the Souplantation outings I had with my family. I would certainly make the drive to return, and if you're in Southern California or are passing through, you might wanna check out Soup 'n Fresh and load up on salads, baked goods, and, of course, soup!
Did you use to go to Souplantation or Sweet Tomatoes all the time? If so, what was your favorite thing to eat?! And would you try Soup 'n Fresh if you had the chance? Let me know in the comments!
