Six light summer salad plates that will make it difficult for you to choose

There you have the salad 

Everything is easy in summer. Suddenly you can jump out of bed light-footed in the morning, swimming is no longer a sport but a leisure activity, and healthy, light food is no longer a sacrifice but a pleasure. After all, who wants to think about roast onions and Jägerschnitzel when it's 28 degrees in the shade? The only question that remains is where you can get them served in Düsseldorf, the grandiose salad plates that give you the ultimate freshness kick. You can rely on us in this matter: We have put together six places below where the crunchy greens are already waiting for you, deliciously prepared. And as 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 out of necessity: Caesar's Place restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico, near the Californian border, ran out of ingredients on July 4, 1924, the American national holiday, due to the influx of tourists, so they resorted to what was still in stock in the kitchen: romaine lettuce, hard-boiled eggs and dry bread roasted in garlic oil. In her deli, Laura Koerver breaks with this original version. Only the finest ingredients go into her contemporary interpretation, the "New Healthy Caesar Salad Bowl". These include: 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 of riches. Incidentally, this also applies to the numerous other salads that Laura has on offer in her fresh food counter, which you can put together in small and large bowls as you wish. Many of them are vegan or vegetarian. In general, a lot of space is given to animal-free and gluten-free dishes in this pretty restaurant on Carlsplatz. Industrial sugar, white flour and cow's milk, on the other hand, have to take a back seat. They are largely replaced by healthier and more nutritious alternatives. Two more plus points: Laura's Deli has a terrace and also offers food to take away. 

Malinas 

Although the Polish pierogi, the traditional stuffed dumplings, are very popular in the Malinas restaurant, many guests also come here for the salads in summer. The chicken and pesto salad, a mixed leaf salad with a spicy-sweet orange and mustard dressing and topped with almonds, fruit, melon and red peppers, is a real crowd favorite. It comes with a marinated and fried 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 peppers, fresh fruit and walnuts, is served with four fried pierogi, red onions and beetroot horseradish. Why choose when you can have it all!  

The curve 

In some Düsseldorf restaurants with Mediterranean, Middle Eastern or North African cuisine, you could easily skip the main courses. The starter plates are so richly filled. This is also the case in the restaurant Die Kurve. The popular Israeli restaurant in Pempelfort is sometimes like a dovecote. "Mezze & more" is the motto, so the restaurant expressly sees itself as a starter specialist - and doesn't promise too much. The carrot salad with coriander and chili is very refreshing, as is the raw beet with lemon. In contrast, the fennel salad with black sesame, dill and sumac is beautifully tart, while the lentil salad with onions and herbs is well seasoned. Labaneh, the homemade yoghurt cream with zatar, or humus, the traditional chickpea puree, are also served. As the Kurve is always busy, here are two alternatives for lovers of summer starters: The Greek taverna Eleon at Kaiserswerther Straße 17, about a seven-minute walk from the Kurve, is also a great place for mezes, although here they are spelled with just one "z". Also great: the starter 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 Düsseldorf's culinary hotspots - specialty stores, bakeries, ice cream parlors, cafés and restaurants are lined up here and no one has to leave this culinary mile hungry. Of course, the street also has an address for the perfect salad plate: the Funkybowl. You can choose from 60 ingredients here, all of which are vegan. These are then added to the bowl or salad. Our favourite 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: You can reach the Rhine in no time via the nearby Inselstraße and enjoy the sunset with a chill-out dinner. By the way: 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, cucumber, peanuts, sweet Thai peanut dip and creamy peanut dressing? Or would you prefer something 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 refined with apricot-cranberry dressing. Another piece of good news: there are four Greenkarma branches in Düsseldorf - so the distances to happiness are short: the nearest Frischekick awaits you on Friedrichstraße and Immermannstraße as well as on Hammer Straße in the Medienhafen or on Breite Straße. You can also take your food away with you 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 being recruited from this social group. "Treat your body like a temple" is the motto at Greentrees, and the numerous yoga mats rolled up and dangling over guests' shoulders are proof that this motto is being put into practice. And of course, the trendy restaurant also serves a trendy dish - or rather several: The "Aussie Bowl" with beetroot, baby spinach, pear and fig balsamic dressing is very popular, as is the "All Green Salad" with broccoli, peas, zucchini, quinoa, spinach, rocket, falafel and a homemade cashew pesto dressing. Topped with smoked salmon, goat's cheese, sheep's cheese or halloumi, they are rich in protein.  

Title: Düsseldorf Tourismus, Photo: Sabrina Weniger