The city of Berkeley offers its community a myriad of fast-food chain restaurants, boba shops and ramen eateries. Joining Berkeley’s food scene in mid-March is MIXT, a restaurant with build-your-own and made-to-order salads, in addition to other healthy items.
CEO and co-founder Leslie Silverglide described MIXT in an email as “fresh, craveable and feel-good.” The Bay Area company has nine locations across California, offering salads and sandwiches — among other items — costing between $10 to $15. According to the MIXT website, its food is free from pesticides, chemicals and genetically modified organisms. Open for takeout and delivery, MIXT will move into its Downtown Berkeley location at 2420 Shattuck Ave.
“Berkeley has always been on the leading edge of plant-based, sustainable eating so we are thrilled to finally join the mix,” Silverglide said in the email. “Our mission is to bring better eating to everyone so it is important for us to be accessible and Downtown Berkeley is very central to many areas and neighborhoods.”
Campus senior Mercedes Hall, who began her health journey nearly a year ago, said in an email she is excited for another healthy food option in the area.
She added, however, that eating healthy can be difficult, especially when there are cheaper fast-food options.
“There are great salad options, etc. on Telegraph, but not all students can afford a $10-$15 salad option when they’re hungry and in a rush and can drink a filling boba or grab fries for $5 or less,” Hall said in an email. “Some great nutritious options are there, but not always affordable.”
With MIXT adding more competition in the healthy food culture in Berkeley, Hall said in the email she is excited to see growing interest in nutritious restaurants and increased affordability.
Opening in the middle of a pandemic has not dampened Silverglide’s excitement, however, and she acknowledged that the new location’s opening will be different than previous openings. Creativity will be key, she added.
According to Silverglide, she has wanted to open in Berkeley since the company’s founding in 2005.
“We’ve had a lot of Berkeley residents asking for us to open for years, so I am so excited to reach out to them and say, ‘yes, we are finally here! Thank you for being so patient,’ ” Silverglide said in the email. “I am also so excited to be able to offer jobs to a new team of employees in these incredibly difficult times.”
