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What we tried at Fresh Kitchen’s new Lakeland location

The fast casual restaurant opens Tuesday, April 18 at 4520 S. Florida Ave.

Hands holding bowls of food in front of a line of customers and pink menu signs behind the counter.

It doesn’t get fresher than this.

Photo by LALtoday

After years of patiently waiting, Fresh Kitchen has finally opened a location right here in Lakeland. We stopped by the Friends and Family Day to see the space and try its first bowls.

Fresh Kitchen specializes in food without gluten, antibiotics, or processed sugar. Order a bowl with your choice of bases, veggies, protein, and sauce made just how you like it. Head inside or place your order online to pick it up in the drive-thru.

City Editor Rilee is a Fresh Kitchen superfan and City Editor Connor is a newbie. Here’s what we ordered (and loved):

  • Rilee: Cauliflower potato mash, lemon garlic broccoli, roasted salmon, and creamy white ginger sauce
  • Connor: Coconut ginger rice, basil mushrooms, almond baked chicken, Holy Kale sauce
A grain bowl topped with steak, tomatoes, and a kale sauce next to an iced tea and cookies on a marble counter

Don’t skip the drinks and desserts — we got cookies and a homemade tea.

Photo by LALtoday

With over 30 menu options, it can be hard to pick just a few for the perfect Fresh Kitchen bowl. Lucky for you, we’ve cracked the code on the best way to decide what to order: Asking the experts who work there.

We started by talking over the menu with the manager, Alex, who recommended the crunchy kale Caesar as one of our bases. Then we moved down the line, asking each person working for their favorite ingredients.

Using their suggestions, we ended up ordering the crunchy kale Caesar, cauliflower potato mash, sesame green beans, herb grilled steak, and kale pesto tomatoes, topped with the Holy Kale sauce.

It’s safe to say we found a new favorite combination. Next time you visit Fresh Kitchen, try the team’s recommendations and let us know what you love.

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