Segment: Fast casual
HQ: Missoula, Mont.
Units: Four
Hook: Mexican and Asian-style bowls have been around for a while, but Five on Black provides a new twist on the popular meal format with Brazilian flavors and ingredients. Bowls filled with beef, chicken, chorizo or Brazilian feijoada are dressed with mango barbecue, spicy coconut and chimichurri sauces.
Segment: Fast casual
HQ: Austin, Texas
Units: Three
Hook: JuiceLand pairs a colorful, high-energy concept with a service format focused on speed and grab-and-go programs. Healthful, vegan offerings are the hallmark of the menu, along with unique blends of signature smoothies, such as the Xtra Holla Pain Yo, featuring a fruity and fiery mix of carrot, orange, lime, cilantro, turmeric, sea salt, jalapeno and habanero.
Segment: Fast casual
HQ: New Orleans
Units: Three
Hook: This quirky eatery’s menu branches out from its Louisiana culinary roots into Mexican flavor influences. Mexican-Creole inspirations are applied to standard favorites such as nachos topped with jerk chicken, pulled pork, bacon, mango salsa or chipotle sour cream.
Segment: Casual dining
HQ: Washington, D.C.
Units: Six
Hook: An eclectic coffeehouse concept, Busboys and Poets showcases a globally inspired menu that takes its cues from Latin America, the Mediterranean and the Middle East, including specialties such as mekhleme, a traditional Iraqi hash entree made with ground beef, tomato, onion, potatoes and poached eggs.
Segment: Retail/c-store
HQ: Miami
Units: One
Hook: Routinely lauded as one of the best c-store restaurants in Miami, Milk Gone Nuts boasts an entire menu built around nut milks. It specializes in smoothies such as the Peanut Butter & Jelly Shake and the Green Apple & Fig Shake, and beverage options flavored with acai, pitaya and shots of turmeric, ginger and pineapple.
Segment: Food truck
HQ: University of Pennsylvania
Units: One
Hook: A top-rated campus food truck that’s a fixture on UPenn’s campus, Philadelphia-based Magic Carpet Foods specializes in “whole world vegetarian cuisine” that highlights big flavor profiles. Signature items include tofu meatballs, seitan pepper steak, falafel, tempeh salads and veggie chili, along with sweet vegan breads and sauces.
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