If you’re trying to eat healthy, dining away from home can derail even the best of intentions. Luckily for visitors to the Heart of the Country, Wichita has plenty of options for those wanting to find light, flavorful food.

Fresh green lettuce is topped with chicken, corn, tomatoes, black beans and wonton strips to create the BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad at The Kitchen

BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad at The Kitchen

The Kitchen serves fresh, clean food made from scratch and all of their salads (as many as eight on the menu) fit the bill. From cobb to chopped to berry summer salads, the flavors change seasonally, and you can customize any of their salads by adding chicken, salmon, shrimp, beef filet, bacon, avocado or hardboiled egg. A favorite of ours is the BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad made with greens, grilled chicken, corn-black bean salsa, tomatoes, cheddar, barbecue ranch dressing and crispy tortilla strips.

The Vermont at AVI Seabar & Chophouse

If you are staying at the Drury Plaza Hotel Broadview, make sure to enjoy a meal at AVI Seabar & Chophouse – the full service restaurant attached to the hotel. They have several mouthwatering salads, like the California Cobb and Mayan, but the Vermont is especially tasty. It consists of fresh field greens, Vermont cheddar, dried cranberries, Granny Smith apples, candy-spiced walnuts and a maple-cranberry vinaigrette.

A fattouch salad is served on a white dish at Meddys

Fattoush or Mediterranean Salad at Meddys (Downtown, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast and Southwest) 

Meddys offers fresh, fast and authentic Mediterranean flavors, including their fattoush and Mediterranean salads that can be topped with salmon, chicken, beef or lamb. The fattoush includes romaine, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and radishes flavored with sumac spice, parsley and mint. Their Mediterranean has mixed greens with garbanzo beans, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, onions, za’atar and feta cheese dressed with balsamic vinegar.

Crispy Chicken Salad at The Monarch

Exploring the Delano District, along with nearby Museums on the River, can work up quite an appetite. The Monarch’s Crispy Chicken Salad not only has all the fresh ingredients you crave but will satisfy your hunger. It comes with fried chicken, cheddar cheese, tomato, bacon and croutons on romaine lettuce with your choice of dressing. Smoked chicken is available upon request. Other salads to try at The Monarch include their Greek and Smoked Chef.

Sandwich wraps, soup, and the Asian Sesame salad at Mokas are photographed on a table

Asian Sesame Chicken Salad at Mokas Cafe

The flavorful menu at Mokas Cafe includes several salads including this favorite. The Asian Sesame Chicken Salad consists of a red cabbage and romaine mix tossed with diced chicken, shredded carrots, sliced almonds, chow mein noodles and sesame hoisin dressing.

Italian Salad at Ziggy’s Pizza (Northeast, Clifton Square, West and Auburn Hills)

Known for their homemade pizza, Ziggy’s Pizza is also a popular eatery to enjoy a salad made with flavorful ingredients. They have four salads on the menu, but their Italian Salad is a favorite among locals. It consists of romaine lettuce, banana peppers, black olives, pepperoni, diced tomatoes, onion, feta cheese and Italian dressing.

Crisp lettuce sits under avocadoes, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and corn strips to create the Avocado Chicken Salad at Homegrown

Seasonal salads at HomeGrown Wichita (West, Downtown, Bradley Fair)

You can’t go wrong trusting the chefs at HomeGrown Wichita to deliver the perfect seasonal salad. Most recently, their summer salad is the Avocado Fresco Salad made with avocado, black beans, roasted corn mix, jack cheese and pico de gallo on a bed of leafy greens, tossed in a housemade creamy avocado and jalapeno dressing then topped with queso fresco crumbles.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad at Nortons Brewing Co.

Don’t let the indulgent menu at Nortons Brewing Co. fool you. While they do have over-the-top items like Bacon Crack and funnel cakes to choose from, they also make a light and tasty salad, the Cilantro Lime Chicken. In addition to mixed greens, it is served with marinated chicken, tomatoes, avocado, corn relish, tortilla strips and the brewery’s own cilantro lime dressing.

Fresh green lettuce is topped with cheese, carrots and cherry tomatoes to make the house salad at Redrock Canyon Grill

House Salad at Redrock Canyon Grill

The menu at Redrock has at least seven salad options, and for something listed as “Nice Little House Salad,” this salad has a legion of fans. Insider tip: you can order this seemingly side salad as an entrée, with or without rotisserie chicken. What makes it so delicious? The perfect combination of Campari tomatoes, goat cheese, carrots, spiced pecans, cornbread croutons and delicious housemade adobe dressing.

Cleopatra or Ella from Tanya’s Soup Kitchen

Vegans and vegetarians will find plenty of delicious options at Tanya’s Soup Kitchen. The restaurant, known for its small batch soups, also offers a variety of salads made with locally sourced ingredients. Those who like chicken salad will love the Ella. Another tasty variety is the Cleopatra, which includes sliced chicken breast, apricot chutney, feta cheese, tomatoes and cucumber on mesclun.

A fresh salad topped with onions and peppers is served at First Mile Kitchen

Peppery and Sweet Salad at First Mile Kitchen

This restaurant focuses on food from here. Try the Farmer’s Salad for a taste of the current season’s bounty or the Peppery and Sweet Salad, which features mizuna lettuce, kale, Bartlett pear, caprino fresco and spiced sunflower seeds tossed with hard cider vinaigrette.

Wedge Salad at Public

If you are craving a fresh, rich wedge salad, head to Public. Served with blue cheese dressing, they use locally sourced bib lettuce, bacon, red onions and tomatoes to make this salad stand out.

A salad topped with smoked salmon and onions is served at Monarch

Smoked Salmon Salad at Monarch

In this restaurant that specializes in smoking its proteins, you don’t have to miss out if you order a salad. Their Smoked Salmon Salad features chilled smoked salmon topped with a creamy dill sauce. The dish also has candied pecans, Granny Smith apples, red onion and romaine tossed in a sweet lime vinaigrette. Other options among their six salads: smoked chef salad, Greek salad, taco salad, crispy chicken salad and Caesar salad.

Other amazing salmon salads include the Fattoush salad with salmon at Café Bel Ami and the Grilled Salmon Niçoise at Larkspur Bistro and Bar.

The Nutty One at 1400 by Elderslie

What started as a blackberry and vegetable-growing operation, Elderslie Farm has evolved into an award-winning dining experience. Whether you are enjoying a farm-to-table dinner at Elderslie Farm, a casual lunch at their Bramble Café or a meal at one of their newly added locations in Wichita – Everyday by Elderslie and 1400 by Elderslie – you are sure to find scrumptious vegetables and salads, such as The Nutty One or Beets & Greens at 1400 by Elderslie.

Sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, chicken, radishes and corn line a plate to create the Chop Salad at Doma

Doma Chop Salad at Doma

The Doma Chop Salad is a refreshing, but filling meal made with micro mix, corn, radish, smoked chicken, cucumber and tomato served with a creamy citrus vinaigrette. Share it as a small plate or order it as your meal.

Ensalada de Casa at Sabor Latin Bar and Grille

You can’t go wrong with the Ensalada de Casa at Sabor Latin Bar and Grille. It comes with spring mixed greens, red onions, crushed plantain chips, sliced almonds and a coconut ginger vinaigrette. You can add your choice of grilled chicken, salmon or shrimp. Other options among their five salads include Quinoa Ensalada, Latin Cobb, Salmon Spinach and Classic Caesar.

If you like salad served alongside a bowl of soup, find lots of options in this guide, and explore our website to learn about more about Wichita’s 1,300+ restaurants.