Healthy and Delicious
Farm-fresh Flower Child comes to The Bowl at Ballantyne™
By Allie Papajohn | Photos by Jessica Gaddy, Shrimp & Grisettes
Several factors often come into play when deciding where to eat: What are we in the mood for? Do we need a reservation? Are we eating light or looking for a feast? One thing everyone can agree on is, “Let’s eat something good.”
That’s where Flower Child comes in. The Phoenix, Arizona-based concept touts “Healthy Food for a Happy World.” For your group of friends and family, that means delicious, nutritious food that will make everyone happy is only a visit away.
Fox Restaurant Concepts is bringing its fast casual eatery to The Bowl at Ballantyne development this spring alongside another member of the restaurant group — North Italia.
The first Flower Child opened in 2014 in Phoenix, as founder Sam Fox, who opened a full-service health-focused restaurant called True Foods Kitchen, was looking to scale the idea down to a more approachable, grab-and-go spot.
Flower Child now has 32 locations, spanning Arizona to Oklahoma to North Carolina, with at least six more in the pipeline for 2024. Kenny Barsalou, regional manager of restaurant operations who oversees eight Flower Childs (Ballantyne will be his ninth), explains how the brand takes healthy eating and “farm-fresh” seriously.
“We don’t have any freezers, fryers or microwaves in any of our buildings,” says Barsalou. “All the food is brought in fresh from reputable vendors. Things like produce and fresh fish are brought in on a daily basis, and we just take a lot of pride in what we do. We don’t really want to cut corners when it comes to food.”
In addition, all sauces, dressings and marinades are made in-house. While the menu remains the same across all Flower Child locations, the local teams take pride in sourcing local kombucha and beer to show extra love to the cities they call home.
Feel-Good Food for All
The Flower Child menu may not have french fries, yet they do offer items to satisfy indulgent cravings.
“You can make our menu as healthy as you want it to be, or you can go for it,” says Barsalou. “If you want to do a steak plate with mashed potatoes and mac and cheese, you can go that route. We’ve got options for everybody’s lifestyle.”