How to Choose a Healthy Restaurant Name + 53 Healthy Restaurant Name Ideas to Inspire You
Here's how to brainstorm and come up with a list of healthy restaurant names to narrow down for your new business.
Caroline PriceAuthor
The Ultimate Guide to Restaurant Branding
Use this guide to get tips on how to create a restaurant brand that stands out, attracts customers, and drives repeat visits.
Get free downloadOver the past decade, the health food industry has blown up in popularity. The global health and wellness food market hit 733.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2020, and by 2026 is projected to hit one trillion dollars. From plant-based to gluten-free, healthy restaurant concepts are in hot demand. So, if you’re opening up a healthy restaurant, you're probably setting yourself up for success.
One of the first (and most important) steps in building a successful healthy restaurant is finding the perfect name. Your restaurant's name will be all over your branding and marketing, leading people to your business and making it stand out. That means your restaurant name should represent your business effectively in a memorable and meaningful way.
To give you a hand in the restaurant naming process, we organized the four major steps you need to find a healthy restaurant name, along with real-life ideas to inspire your concept.
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How do I choose a healthy restaurant name?
Here's a brief overview of how to start brainstorming ideas so that you choose the perfect restaurant name.
Write down your vision for your restaurant, focusing on its mission and core values
Make sure your name isn’t already taken
Play around with a name generator to spark new ideas
Reach out to your community for name ideas
Below, we'll dive into further detail about each of these steps below (and discover some cool healthy restaurant name examples too!)
What are good healthy restaurant names?
A great name is unique to your business. It should stick in the minds of your patrons and convey a sense of your brand personality. In other words, it should be distinct and remind people only of your business. This means your healthy restaurant name should inform potential patrons of what goods and services you offer.
Pro-tip: Make your name simple to spell and remember so that potential guests can easily find you on Google or social media.
Write down your vision for your restaurant’s mission, vision, purpose, and core values
Your vision for your healthy restaurant will drive your business’s success. A big part of this vision is understanding your mission and core values. Your mission statement describes who you are, why you’re here, and what you plan to accomplish as a member of your community.
There is, however, much more to a restaurant name than just your mission statement.
Let’s do a little exercise. Grab a pen and paper and write down the following:
Your core values and mission
The intended personality and vibe of your restaurant
Adjectives you use to describe your restaurant
Your name (and the name of your business partners, if any)
Any family names that are important to you
The neighborhood or town where it’ll be located
This exercise's purpose is to pull out words and phrases that describe your healthy restaurant, which can make up all or part of its name.
When you can’t think of anything else to add, read back over your list of words and phrases, circling your favorites. Each of these will be the building blocks for your healthy restaurant name.
When you’re done with this exercise, hold onto it. This exercise will come in handy when building out your restaurant business plan!
Choose a name that isn’t already taken
To avoid copyright issues or accidentally sending your customers to another business, make sure your restaurant’s name is unique. Once you've settled on a handful of contenders, run each of the possible names through the following resources:
Be thorough with your research, as copyright infringement can be very costly. To learn more about copyright infringement, visit Copyright.gov.
Use a restaurant name generator to spark new ideas
Name generators can help you with writer’s block, inspiring you to try different word combinations you didn't consider before.
Some generators ask for guidance in the form of keywords while others assemble random combinations of words. Either way, it’s good to have your keyword shortlist on hand when using a name generator. Sure, some of the suggested names and combos will be unusable. But, they’ll still help you determine what you like and what you don’t. Who knows - you may find the perfect restaurant name in your results!
Healthy Restaurant Name Generators
Ask your community for name ideas
Most people who start restaurants want to build something special for their community. So why not involve them from day one by asking for input on your name?
You can start by telling friends and family about your concept. Sharing your vision (along with your mission and core values) will make it easier for them to brainstorm names that suit your dream restaurant.
Another effective way to reach your community is through social media. Sharing your name ideas on social platforms can give your restaurant a head start on social media, especially on Facebook and Instagram. You can engage with your local community by creating incentivizing posts around your restaurant. There are many fun ways to do this.
One reliable approach is to create a giveaway post that asks people to submit their favorite names. Then, you can ask your audience to vote on names they like best. To build engagement around your social media post, you can offer future discounts or even a free meal to the person who suggests the best name! Just don’t forget to do tons of engagement on social media to ensure as many community members as possible see your post.
53 Real-Life Healthy Restaurant Name Ideas to Inspire You
Do you want your restaurant name to be bold or simple? Daring or inviting? If you have a hard time deciding, don’t worry - real-life restaurants can lend you some inspiration.
Here are 53 of the best healthy restaurant names around the country:
Cute Healthy Restaurant Names
Veggilish – San Diego, CA
Honeybrains – New York City, NY
Fancy Radish – Washington, D.C.
Natura Eatery – Miami, FL
Little Beet – Multiple locations
Queen Anne – Seattle, WA
Little Gem – San Francisco, CA
Green Elephant – Portland, ME
Gracias Madre – Newport Beach, CA
The Wild Cow – Nashville, TN
Flower Child – Austin, TX
Vital Root – Denver, CO
Plum Bistro – Seattle, WA
Simple Healthy Restaurant Names
Cafe Gratitude – Multiple locations
Senza Gluten – New York City, NY
Red Lentil – Watertown, MA
Blue Barn Gourmet – San Francisco, CA
New Morning Market – Woodbury, CT
Zest Kitchen and Bar – Port St Lucie, FL
Nourish Cafe – San Francisco, CA
Bellagreen – Houston, TX
True Food Kitchen – Atlanta, GA
Plant – Asheville, NC
Pura Vida – Miami, FL
Healthy Substance – Chicago, IL
Organic Oasis – Anchorage, AK
Modern Market – Austin, TX
Beyond Sushi – New York City, NY
Clever Healthy Restaurant Names
Tender Greens – Multiple locations
Plant City – Providence, RI
Wheat’s End Cafe – Chicago, IL
Peacefood – New York City, NY
Green New American – Phoenix, AZ
Vedge – Philadelphia, PA
Elizabeth’s Gone Raw – Washington, D.C.
Heart and Soy – Louisville, KY
The Protein Source – Las Vegas, NV
Fresh House – Portsmouth, NH
Good Karma Cafe – Gulfport, MS
Conscious Cravings – Austin, TX
Picnik – Austin, TX
Bold Healthy Restaurant Names
Planta – Multiple locations
Manna Life Food – Miami, FL
Honey Hi – Los Angeles, CA
Skewer – Memphis, TN
Slutty Vegan – Atlanta, GA
Lilikoi Organic Living – Miami, FL
Heirloom Salad Co – Iowa City, IA
Fuel – Philadelphia, PA
moonbowls – Austin, TX
Tumerico – Tucson, AZ
Chicago Raw – Chicago, IL
Beatrix – Multiple locations
Healthy Restaurant Name? Check.
Once you find the perfect name, it’s time for the next step to opening your healthy restaurant doors. That means building out your business plan to plot the way forward. Soon enough, you’ll be serving up the greenest, most nourishing dishes in town!
The Ultimate Guide to Restaurant Branding
Use this guide to get tips on how to create a restaurant brand that stands out, attracts customers, and drives repeat visits.
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DISCLAIMER: This information is provided for general informational purposes only, and publication does not constitute an endorsement. Toast does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of any information, text, graphics, links, or other items contained within this content. Toast does not guarantee you will achieve any specific results if you follow any advice herein. It may be advisable for you to consult with a professional such as a lawyer, accountant, or business advisor for advice specific to your situation.
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