Shredded, the healthy concept restaurant that specializes in fresh salad and noodle bowls, first opened its doors this past March. It’s been generating community buzz ever since as the first dedicated healthy food destination for those living or working in #Southie, and another resource for those who have food limitations (like yours truly—their Cowboy Up steak salad is scrumptious, you should try it).
Each of the four founders is a longtime resident. Founder Gary Murad says, “We all are very into working out and eating healthy. We’ve all been here for over ten years—and we didn’t really have that option in our neighborhood: a fresh, quick, healthy option.”
Their chef, Joe Dunn, and sous chef Ryan Murphy are veterans of Boston-area restaurants. They bring flair and surprise to the menu, from the tangy carrot-tomato vinaigrette to the panko crusted tofu. The core menu will stay the same year-round, with a few seasonal offerings to keep things interesting. Their watermelon lemonade, for example, is one of their summer drinks. Keep an eye out for upcoming offerings like blueberry lemonade and lettuce wraps.
Right now, Shredded is putting on some promotions. Customers who show their gym fobs or keys on First Fitness Fridays (the first Friday of the month) will get 15% off their order. Members of local public safety efforts in Boston get 10% off their order. Shredded also offers gift cards and delivery to expand their reach beyond West Broadway, and plan to partner with Caviar soon.
Other nutritious eating chains like Sweetgreen usually set up shop in more commercial areas for the business lunch crowd, but Shredded is different, deliberately. “Our idea was we could locate in the neighborhood, where it’s predominantly housing with some commercial,” says Murad, whose founder and president of the local professional services firm Commonwealth Strategies Group.
Founder Sean Quirk is also a local presence. He runs Quirk Real Estate Group with his wife and dog walking service Mutts and the City. He says that part of the impetus to open Shredded was to contribute to the area.
Getting Shredded off the ground was a two-year process. Their mission is to be environmentally conscious, support local businesses, and promote a healthy lifestyle. Shredded’s tagline is “Local. Fresh. Healthy. 02127,” which means sourcing both local food and local talent. Each of their employees currently resides in Boston, and Shredded hopes to continue that trend.
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Shredded also has started partnering with local wellness partners. Their first, at Peter Welch’s Gym, provided samples for participants during their St Patrick’s Day Boxing show. They’ve since done events at Handlebar with instructor Sarah Maguire and plan to work with other studios like East Side Yoga, South Boston Yoga, and Simply Barre. These local partners also provide insight to help Shredded be as health-conscious as possible.
Murad and Quirk say they’d love Shredded to expand. Right now, their focus is on their core audiences, including new transplants to the area and health and fitness advocates; really, though, they hope to appeal to anyone in the neighborhood who’s looking for something a bit different. Right now, they get about equal numbers for both lunch and dinner—and more foot traffic, now that the weather’s warmer. They plan to offer catering to local businesses as well.
Next up, Shredded will have its grand opening, with Mayor Walsh in attendance. They also have something brewing with Underground at Ink Block, which they’ll announce on social media.
It’s all done with Southie in mind. “The more successful we are, the more we’ll be able to give back,” says Quirk.
Have you visited Shredded? What do you think? Comment below with your thoughts!
The post Southie Spotlight: Shredded Brings Healthy Eats to the neighborhood appeared first on Caught In Southie.
