Six of the best places to grab a summery salad

There you have the salad 

In summer, everything is easy. Suddenly you jump out of bed light-footed in the morning, suddenly swimming is no longer a sport but a leisure activity, and then healthy, light food no longer means renunciation but enjoyment. After all, who would think of onion roast and Jägerschnitzel when it's 28 degrees in the shade! The only question that remains is where you can get them in Düsseldorf, the terrific salad plates that give you the ultimate kick of freshness. In this matter you can rely on us: We've put together six places below where the crunchy greens are already waiting for you, deliciously prepared. And since the long days tempt you to picnic and fresh food tastes best in the fresh air, we have selected addresses with take-away options and/or terraces.   

Laura's Deli 

The Ceasar Salad recipe was born of necessity: At Caesar's Place restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico, near the California border, a rush of tourists on July 4, 1924, the U.S. national holiday, left them short of ingredients, so they resorted to what was left in the kitchen: romaine lettuce, hard-boiled eggs and dry bread toasted in garlic oil. In her deli, Laura Koerver breaks with this primal version. Indeed, only the finest ingredients go into her contemporary interpretation, the "New Healthy Caesar Salad Bowl." As there are: Spinach and latuga salad, roasted salmon fillet, avocado, roasted capers and Parmesan. Enriched with the homemade Caesar dressing, this dish is anything but an embarrassment. By the way, the same goes for the numerous other salads Laura has on hand in her fresh produce counter, which you can assemble any way you like in small and large bowls. Many of them are vegan or vegetarian. In general, animal product-free and gluten-free dishes are given a lot of space in the pretty restaurant on Carlsplatz. Industrial sugar, white flour and cow's milk, on the other hand, have to take a back seat. For the most part, they are replaced by healthier and more nutritious alternatives. Two more pluses: Laura's Deli has a terrace and also offers its dishes to go. 

Malina's 

Although Polish pierogi, traditional stuffed dumplings, are high on the menu at Malinas Restaurant, many diners also come here for the salads in the summer. For example, the chicken pesto salad, a mixed leaf salad with a spicy-sweet orange-mustard dressing that features almonds, fruit, melon and red peppers, is a real crowd pleaser. It comes with a marinated and roasted chicken breast fillet, homemade nut pesto and fresh basil. For those who want the best of both worlds, the "Vega" salad, a large mixed salad with mango dressing, radishes, red bell peppers, fresh fruit and walnuts, comes with four fried pierogi, red onion and beetroot horseradish. Why even choose when you can have it all!!!  

The curve 

In some Düsseldorf restaurants serving Mediterranean, Middle Eastern or North African cuisine, you could easily omit the main courses. The appetizer plates are so richly filled. This is also the case at the restaurant Die Kurve. At times, the popular Israeli restaurant in Pempelfort is like a pigeon coop. "Mezze & more" is the motto, so they expressly see themselves as an appetizer specialist - and don't promise too much with that. The carrot salad with coriander and chili is very refreshing, as is the raw beet with lemon. The fennel salad with black sesame seeds, dill and sumac is tangy, and the lentil salad with onions and herbs is well seasoned. Labaneh, the homemade yogurt cream with zatar, or humus, the traditional chickpea puree, is served with it. Since the Curve is always busy, here are two alternatives for lovers of summer appetizers: The Greek Taverna Eleon on Kaiserswerther Straße 17, about a seven-minute walk from the Kurve, is also a great place for mezes, although here they are spelled with only one "z." Also great: the appetizer plate at the Georgian restaurant So Re on Lindenplätzchen, which is available in vegan and vegetarian versions. All three restaurants have a beautiful outdoor area and also offer take-away.     

Funkybowl 

Nordstraße is one of the culinary hotspots in Düsseldorf - specialty stores, bakeries, ice cream parlors, cafés and restaurants line up here, and really no one has to leave this pleasure mile hungry. Of course, the street also has an address for the perfect salad plate: the Funkybowl. You can choose from 60 ingredients, all of them vegan. These then go into the bowl or the salad. Our favorite for a relaxed evening is the "Chill out" salad: wild herb salad meets cucumber, edamame, curried cauliflower and hummus, deliciously complemented by caramelized onions, roasted chickpeas, coriander and sesame seeds. Our tip: Via the nearby Inselstraße, you'll be at the Rhine in no time and can enjoy the sunset there for a chill-out dinner. By the way: The Funkybowl also has a branch in Berlin and a second Düsseldorf branch is opening soon in the Medienhafen.  

Greenkarma 

A similar principle, a different address: At Greenkarma, you can already secure plus points in this world. The restaurant's healthy, green cuisine is largely plant-based - and yet extremely varied. How about a "pura bowl," for example, a salad mix with wild rice, broccoli, red cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, peanuts, sweet Thai peanut dip and creamy peanut dressing? Or do you prefer it fruity? Then we recommend a "Baba Bowl" in which the mixed salad is accompanied by Brussels sprouts, beetroot, apples, grapes, shepherd's cheese and walnuts and finished with apricot-cranberry dressing. Another piece of good news: There are four Greenkarma branches in Düsseldorf - so the distances to happiness are short: The next fresh kick awaits you on Friedrichstraße and Immermannstraße as well as on Hammer Straße in Medienhafen or on Breite Straße. By the way, you can also take your food to go at Greenkarma. 

Greentrees 

It is certainly no coincidence that Greentrees' clientele is predominantly young and female. The health food restaurant with branches on Lorettostraße in Unterbilk and Münsterstraße in Derendorf is a magnet for a health-conscious clientele that is increasingly recruited from this social group. "Treat your body like a temple" is the motto at Greentrees, and the numerous yoga mats that dangle rolled up over the shoulders of the guests are proof that this motto is also lived. And it goes without saying that the trendy restaurant also serves a trendy dish - or rather several dishes: High on the list is the "Aussie Bowl" with beetroot, baby spinach, pear and fig balsamic dressing, but the "All Green Salad" with broccoli, peas, zucchini, quinoa, spinach, rocket, falafel and a homemade cashew pesto dressing is also extremely popular. Protein-rich, they are topped with smoked salmon, goat cheese, feta cheese or halloumi.  

Title: Düsseldorf Tourism, Photo: Sabrina Weniger