Walk in, wait to be seated, choose between a booth or a table, take a few minutes to order off of a menu and receive your food 15 to 20 minutes later.

The typical routine would be expected when you walk into Crushed Red for your first time, but you’ll be taken by surprise when you walk up to their cafeteria-style salad bar and receive your food right away—freshly chopped, no less.

Restaurateur Chris LaRocca and father-son duo Ralph Kalish, Jr. and Powell Kalish came up with the idea of food that was as quick as it was healthy. In 2017, Crushed Red landed in downtown Edwardsville.

Specializing in “artfully chopped craft salads,” Crushed Red has a variety of different combinations for all types of cravings. If you enjoy a bit of spice to your meal, the Cowpoke Smoke includes jalapeño straws that put a slight singe to each bite. If you’re feeling seafood, try the Emerald Coast, Wild Spring Salmon or Tunapalooza. If you want to cut back on the calories, Health Nut is perfect for you.

Crunching down on that first Crushed Red salad is like tasting the most delicious diet ever, one that keeps you wanting more and wanting to experience every combination of salad they have to offer.

Not a fan of salads? Crushed Red has a whole “hot foods” menu full of savory and satisfying options. They seldom sway from their healthy focus, offering single-serving sized pizzas with whole-grain pizza dough, topped with organic tomato sauce and fresh toppings. After rotating in an oven until they have a perfect and even bake that looks as good as it tastes, the pizzas are brought to you in 10 minutes tops.

It doesn’t stop at their pizzas. Order an appetizing warm dip served with pita chips and hot, bite-size pita bread sprinkled with garlic and seasonings that perfectly complement their mouthwatering goat cheese, hummus or artichoke dip.

After more than enough good experiences I have had and hearing twice as many positive comments from others, it’s easy to say that they pretty much crushed it.