Parsley & Mint, the first in a new line of locally-owned fast-casual Mediterranean eateries, opened its doors Tuesday, April 20 in downtown Greenville, occupying the former Happy + Hale spot at 600 S. Main St., next door to Lululemon.
“Inspired by Mediterranean culture, Parsley & Mint is designed to provide fresh and delicious food,” said Paul Ryll, Parsley & Mint’s owner. “We look forward to serving the Upstate through this first location as well as our second location to come.”
Ryll plans to open a second location near Furman University sometime this summer.
The design of the new fast-casual restaurant concept will be familiar to fans of Chipotle or Happy + Hale, with diners having numerous options for build-your-own bowls, salads and wraps, with dine-in, takeout, delivery and catering available.
But Parsley & Mint offers a unique focus on fresh, sustainable and locally-sourced ingredients, all incorporating Mediterranean items.
The restaurant’s sea-blue color scheme and living plant wall is faintly reminiscent of the Greek island of Santorini in the Aegean Sea while the menu aims to replicate the kinds of ingredients one would sample in classic Greek markets.
Diners start by picking a base, which include either a superfood blend of greens, chopped romaine, brown rice, white rice or lavash (flatbread).
That’s followed by a protein: Mediterranean citrus chicken, marinated grilled chicken, lamb kofta, Mediterranean curry meatless crumble or falafel.
Next come the toppings, which include chickpea salad, roasted red peppers, feta cheese, diced cucumbers, pickled red onion, Mediterranean slaw, cauliflower tabouli and nearly a dozen more options.
Lastly, diners choose between eight different dressings to top it off.
Those not wishing to make so many choices can simply pick one of the five “chef-curated” bowls.
Ryll said the menu and the design had been fine tuned after months of researching other fast casual eateries across the country, with countless tastings and adjustments for each individual item.
“The amount of effort we spent tweaking and getting the lamb just right, for example — I’ll just say we put countless hours into that,” he said.
In addition to the bowls, salads and wraps, retail items will also be available: spice blends, hummus spread and salad dressings.
Parsley & Mint is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.
Dining and Cooking