I was uncommonly HUNGRY for hot food yesterday – not in an alarming way, I just didn’t pack enough of my own food and know what I could expect to find in the Salt Palace. Sadly, I could not find acai bowls the first day. I found some the second day in the food court but they were prepackaged and too high in sugar for me.
Here is my rundown of the food I found in the Salt Palace and nearby.
Best bet if you’re buying lunch: Buy your lunch EARLY between 10:30-11 am between classes or LATE (After 1 pm, the long lines in the food court were basically gone). You can eat in all the classrooms, and there are other places to sit and eat. Most of the food can keep an hour or two in your bag.
Top tip: Go south of Hall E (Main Stage) to the Hyatt and go in the lobby past the registration desks to the Market. They have roast beef sandwiches (my husband had one for dinner while I was at an event, and he said it was surprisingly good for a premade sandwich that was sitting in a cold case – quality meat and quality lettuce, etc.), turkey sandwich, caesar salad, artisan grains salad, garden salad. Prices are $10. They also have yogurt parfait, veggies with hummus ($7), ice cream bars, fresh fruit cups, protein bars, oatmeal cups, chips, a large bakery case and Utah souvenirs. The line is not usually long and seems to move quickly.
In the Expo Hall, there are two choices:
LA Dogs along the back wall has chili and hot dogs and a few other things. There is also a Mexican food choice along the back wall and I have heard that the food there is good. Lines were longer at lunch time for that than for LA Dogs.
If you go north to the Food Court, there are four to five options, and I have pics for you of most of their menus.
BBQ
Greek food
Asian food
Adassa has Rice bowls, giant pretzels and more. I asked for a vegetarian rice bowl with no sauce when I went back at 1:15 pm and there was no line. It was hot rice and filled me up. There’s no vegan protein option, though. Fortunately, I had my walnuts in my bag.
The second day I found a vendor on the end that I overlooked the first day. They had garbanzo beans and veggies they would have mixed for me as a vegan meal. I didn’t try it as I had already eaten. They had a small dessert case with chocolate and commercially packaged vegan acai bowls in a cold case.
In the Salt Palace hall across from Hall E (Main Stage), there are three food vendors:
Bar Coffee, which has veggies with hummus for $6 or 7 (I got it yesterday during lunch), fruit cups, garden salads at $8 and some sandwiches, I think. They sold out fast of many of the things.
Kettle corn and sugar coated cinnamon nuts that smell delicious, but I can’t eat sweetened things.
Nothing Bundt Cakes bundtlettes.
Up on the second floor of the Salt Palace, north of the triple escalator and in the “elbow” where the hall bends to the west. There is a market, but it’s weird that you have to scan your credit card to enter and they charge you a dollar to enter (which might apply to your purchase). I looked it over. I asked if they had any vegan options or any gluten-free options, but the attendant didn’t know. So I didn’t enter, It looked like there were salads, protein bars, chips and various things.
Just across the street from the south doors there by Main Stage is Toasters Cafe. It is open until 3:30 pm and has salads and sandwiches. I haven’t been there, but I met someone who said it was good.
Just down the street a block or two is Zest, which I think is a great dinner option. We went for dinner there last night. I got the Curry with Tofu with Forbidden Rice which was tasty (I almost got the Mediteranean Pizza), a delicious gluten free roll and Coconut Lavender tea. Everything at Zest is vegan and gluten-free, so it’s great for those of us with food sensitivities. I didn’t get the carrot cake this time, as I am on a sweetener free eating plan. I have had it several times in past years and it is seriously delicious! Large slice and so worth it! You will not believe it is gluten-free.
Today I packed cooked chickpeas I bought at Sprouts grocery store into my plastic container and I’ll have those for lunch and get a salad at the Hyatt market.
I hope these ideas help you!
What are you eating at RootsTech today? If you’re watching from home, what are you eating?
With love,
Mckell