One of the country’s most popular healthy restaurant brands is finally coming to Raleigh

One of the country’s most popular salad shops is expanding into the Triangle for the first time.

The LA-based Sweetgreen plans to open in North Hills by the end of 2024. Founded in Washington, DC in 2007, Sweetgreen helped kick off the healthy fast casual craze with creative salads and grain bowls.

Raleigh will get the second planned Sweetgreen in North Carolina, following the first one in Charlotte, currently slated to open this summer. The Raleigh location will open in The Commons section of North Hills, located at 4158 Main at North Hills St.

“We’re eager to plant roots in Raleigh, a community we feel strongly connected to for our shared love of fresh, delicious food,” co-founder and CEO Jonathan Neman said in a press release. “There was so much great feedback from our recent announcement of Sweetgreen coming to North Carolina this summer, and we’re excited for even more guests to enjoy fan-favorite menu items like our signature Harvest Bowl and Miso Glazed Salmon protein plate at our new North Hills location.”

The first Sweetgreen opened on ritzy M Street in Washington’s Georgetown neighborhood as a small cottage-like salad shop. The brand is now based in Los Angeles, is a publicly-traded company and has more than 200 locations across 21 states and Washington, D.C.

The Raleigh location will be built in a 2,800 square foot space and be open for lunch and dinner, serving menu highlights like an Italian chopped salad, hot honey chicken and a crispy rice bowl with blackened chicken.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Sweetgreen to North Hills,” said Stacey Buescher, managing director of operations for Kane Realty Corporation, the developer of North Hills. “Sweetgreen isn’t just a restaurant; it’s a movement towards eating well and living better that aligns perfectly with our values.”

Sweetgreen joins homegrown healthy restaurant brand Happy + Hale, which has a North Hills location across Six Forks Road in the development’s Midtown Park section.

Raleigh is getting a new barbecue restaurant from a popular Charlotte brand