Best Spring Salads In Minnesota

Celebrate National Salad Month in May at one of these five best restaurants serving spring salads. See also WCCO's popular pick for best salads at the end of this article.

Best Locally Grown Spring Salads

Heartland Restaurant and Farm Direct
289 E. 5th St.
Saint Paul, MN 55101
(651) 699-3536
www.heartlandrestaurant.com

Heartland Chef/Proprietor Lenny Russo says he never prepares his herb garden salad recipe the same way twice. Russo features this great salad among others when late spring and early summer bounty is available at the St. Paul Farmers Market located directly across the street from the restaurant. He originally created this salad to promote healthful eating in a series of food demonstrations at the market in 2005. He will be featuring it in his book, which will be published spring, 2015. Russo's herb garden salad is made of equal amounts of basil, chives, chervil, sweet greens, bitter greens, spicy greens and chive blossoms. The salad is made uniquely delicious with a dressing of walnuts, walnut oil, grape seed oil and apple cider vinegar. Russo says this recipe is meant to be adapted by the home cook to accommodate his or her own particular taste and preference.

Best Organic Spring Salads

French Meadow Bakery & Cafe
2610 Lyndale Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 870-7855
www.frenchmeadowcafe.com

French Meadow Bakery & Cafe keeps things organic and delicious. Take a bite of tender white organic bread with a flaky crust to complement your vegan and gluten-free spa salad made of organic mixed greens, grilled organic marinated tofu, edamame, red bell peppers, carrots, toasted sunflower seeds, beets, scallions, cilantro and sesame vinaigrette. French Meadow, a pioneer in promoting gluten-free, vegan, biodynamic, organic and sustainable foods, provides information on every item on the menu as to its status.

Most Creative Salads

Cafe Latté
850 Grand Ave.
Saint Paul, MN 55105
(651) 224-5687
www.cafelatte.com

It is unusual that an upscale bakery would transform into the premiere St. Paul gourmet cafeteria selling the most creative salads like quinoa and asparagus, lemon basil and shrimp or Caesar pasta. The most popular option at Cafe Latté is the salad sampler, with three pre-made salads on one plate. If you grow tired of the salad bar, take a stroll over to the pizza wine bar and try a bruschetta with wine. Fortunately, this entity has not forgotten its legacy of freshly baked breads, scones, muffins and desserts to die for. Try the turtle cake, tres leche cake or the three layer German chocolate.

Widest Salad Selection

Q Cumbers
7465 France Ave. S.
Edina, MN 55435
(952) 831-0235
www.qcumbers.com

Offering a healthy choice of greens since 1990, this bright and clean Centennial Lakes Plaza eatery continues to offer endless options in the greens department. Customers have a choice of entrées with salad bar or a wide assortment of original-recipe salads. Kids eat for 99 cents after 4 p.m. on Mondays and seniors get a dollar off after 4 p.m. on Tuesdays.

Best Salad With Pizza

Black Sheep Coal Fired Pizza
512 Robert St. N.
Saint Paul, MN 55102
(651) 227-4337
www.blacksheeppizza.com

Black Sheep serves up a selection of salads including the customer favorite chopped salad, but for the freshest in-season collection of delicious greens, order the farmers market salad made up of seasonal ingredients available on that particular day. The ingredients should be fresh. as the St Paul Farmers' Market is only 10 blocks away. Pizza lovers often split the salad because an unsuspecting diner might find a single order is ample quantity for a generous meal.

Related: Best Summer Salad Recipes

Bonus: WCCO Viewers' Choice For Best Salad

Crossroads Deli
2795 Hedberg Drive
Hopkins, MN 55305
(952) 546-6595
www.crossroadsdelicatessen.com

Scott's famous strawberry chicken salad probably put this deli on the map for salads, but you can't beat the cous cous, albacore, Greek or Asian chicken either. See more at WCCO Viewers' Choice For Best Salad: Crossroads Deli.

Robin Johnson was born in Annandale, Minn. and graduated from Richfield High School and then the University of Minnesota where he studied Political Science, Business and Industrial Relations. A writer for Examiner.com, he also consults with a variety of organizations and individuals helping them develop and grow. His work can be found at Examiner.com.