273
0
I went to Clean Eatz in Peachtree City on Election Day to talk business with owner Spencer Gray. I wasn’t expecting to discover one of the tastiest lunches I’ve had in a while.
But that’s exactly what happened.
Gray and I were meeting to discuss local marketing, and as it turned out, November 3 was the first day of a major new menu rollout at Clean Eatz locations nationwide.
I’d eaten at Clean Eatz once before, and my experience had been less than memorable. I’d ordered a wrap, and the chicken was so dry that I wasn’t particularly eager to return.
But Gray explained that Clean Eatz had just introduced its biggest menu overhaul yet. The company was moving toward more flavorful, restaurant-style food while keeping its focus on healthier eating.
I decided to give it another try.
And I’m glad I did.
A Hot Honey Chicken Flatbread Worth Coming Back For
The Hot Honey Chicken Flatbread caught my eye immediately. I’d never tried one before, but the combination sounded delicious.
For $11.19, the flatbread comes with roasted, seasoned chicken thighs, arugula, mozzarella cheese, and hot honey sauce.
The chicken was juicy and flavorful, a dramatic improvement over what I’d eaten on my previous visit. The hot honey sauce added sweetness and a little heat, and the arugula and mozzarella rounded out the combination beautifully.
It was messy, too. The kind of meal that leaves you reaching for extra napkins and eventually heading to the restroom to wash your hands. But I didn’t mind.
As I ate, I told Gray, “I would come back for this sandwich.”
A few minutes later, I made my opinion even clearer.
“It’s not just good. It’s that good,” I told him.
Gray hadn’t yet tried that particular flatbread himself. He’d been busy preparing the kitchen and staff for the menu change, working late the previous evening and returning early that morning to make sure everything was ready.
He explained that the updated chicken preparation is part of a much larger effort to improve flavor. The restaurant now grills and seasons its diced chicken differently, offers chicken thighs, and makes all its sauces in-house.
The changes extend to new ingredients, including arugula, cilantro lime rice, sweet potatoes, and a new pepper-and-onion blend.
“We gotta make sure flavor is there,” Gray said.
From what I tasted, they’re succeeding.
Fresh Apples and a Peanut Butter Dip I Couldn’t Resist
I paired my flatbread with fresh apple slices and Clean Eatz’s peanut butter dip.
That dip deserves its own paragraph.
Gray explained that it’s made with peanut butter, yogurt, and honey. He wouldn’t share the proportions, but the result reminded me of peanut butter frosting, creamy and lightly sweet.
It was so good that I eventually dipped my finger into the container to get the last bit. Not exactly my finest dining manners, especially while interviewing a restaurant owner, but there you have it.
The apples were a refreshing complement to the warm, sweet-and-spicy flatbread, and the combination made a substantial lunch.
I also tried a lemonade-and-tea refresher sweetened with stevia. I generally prefer drinks without a lot of added sugar, so that was another welcome discovery.
For $11.19, the flatbread itself was a good-sized lunch. Add the apples, peanut butter dip, and drink, and I was ready for a nap. Unfortunately, I still had to go vote.
A Whole New Cafe Menu
The new Clean Eatz menu offers quite a bit more than flatbreads.
Gray had eaten the Bison Cheeseburger Wrap for his own lunch that day and was enthusiastic about it. The $15.39 wrap features six bison meatballs, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, house-made pub sauce, and crispy pickles.
“It’s literally like you’re eating a burger, but in a different form,” Gray said.
At $16.19, the Ahi Tuna Wrap is the most expensive item listed on the regular cafe menu. Customers can also build their own bowls, which could cost more depending on the size and ingredients selected, particularly if they choose a premium protein instead of chicken or a portobello mushroom cap.
Other new offerings include hot honey Brussels sprouts, protein pasta mac and cheese, protein pasta salad, smoothies made with real fruit, and refreshing new beverages.
Customers can choose from four new signature bowls or customize their own, selecting from different bases, proteins, vegetables, and sauces.
The revamped menu is part of a companywide effort to make the cafes more competitive with traditional restaurants. Clean Eatz co-founder Evonne Varady, who oversees menu and product development for the company, helped lead that effort.
For anyone who visited Clean Eatz before and found the cafe food a little too plain, the new menu may be reason enough to give it another chance.
More Than a Cafe: Meals Ready When You Are
While the new cafe menu was my happy discovery, I also learned that Clean Eatz has another side to its business that could be especially useful for busy Fayette and Coweta families.
The Peachtree City restaurant prepares approximately 2,000 meals each week, according to Gray. Most are cooked in its own kitchen by local employees.
Customers can purchase individual frozen meals from the grab-and-go freezers or order fresh, refrigerated meals through the weekly meal plan.
The freezers are stocked with 15 of the company’s most popular meals, including buffalo chicken mac and cheese, baked ziti with ricotta, and an Arnold bowl made with shredded beef, brown rice, mozzarella, onions, and peppers. Breakfast selections and other rotating items are also available.
The meal plans offer a different selection of chef-created dishes, with prices that decrease as customers order more.
“There’s no subscriptions whatsoever,” Gray said.
Customers can sign up for weekly emails announcing the menu each Tuesday. Orders are accepted through Sunday, with pickup available Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday.
Meals are fresh when picked up, and customers can refrigerate or freeze them according to the instructions on the packaging.
The meal plans generally cost between $7.49 and $8.99 per meal, depending on the quantity ordered. Individual frozen meals have fixed prices, with premium selections running approximately $9.99.
Everything is already prepared. Most meals can be heated in the microwave in just a few minutes.
For families juggling work, school, sports, and everything else, that convenience could be a real advantage.
Options for Different Eating Plans
Clean Eatz also offers choices for customers who want to pay closer attention to carbohydrates, protein, calories, or other nutritional needs.
Its website lists ingredients, nutritional information, and allergens for prepared meals. Customers can select low-carb or extra-protein options, along with bundles designed around different nutritional goals.
For customers avoiding gluten, Gray recommended building a bowl with appropriate ingredients rather than ordering a wrap. The restaurant does not currently offer gluten-free or low-carb wraps.
Customers with food allergies should check the ingredient information and speak with restaurant staff before ordering.
The ability to select meals individually, rather than committing to a fixed assortment or a recurring subscription, may appeal to people who have specific dietary preferences or simply want to make weekday meals easier.
And with the holidays approaching, having several ready-to-heat meals in the freezer could be a welcome alternative to another night of takeout.
A Familiar Face Takes Ownership
Although Gray became a co-owner of the Peachtree City Clean Eatz in August, he’s hardly new to the business.
His in-laws opened the restaurant on August 12, 2021, after converting a former Mexican restaurant into the Clean Eatz location. Gray helped with the original buildout and managed the business before purchasing it with a partner.
Gray lives in Peachtree City with his wife and their three children, with another daughter on the way.
“It’s fun. It’s hectic, but it’s fun,” he said of family life.
He’s also an entrepreneur outside the restaurant. Gray operates The Honey Bean, a mobile coffee business that brings a full espresso setup to weddings, corporate events, school functions, and other gatherings.
But Clean Eatz remains a major part of his daily life. He’s been involved with the restaurant since its opening and was personally overseeing the new menu rollout when I visited.
He hopes the changes will bring back customers who tried the cafe in the past and encourage new visitors to discover what it offers.
A Good Time to Give Clean Eatz Another Try
As we head toward the holidays and the new year, I can see the appeal of having several ready-to-heat meals waiting in the refrigerator or freezer.
I can also see myself returning for another Hot Honey Chicken Flatbread.
That may be the most important change Clean Eatz has made. Its healthier food doesn’t have to feel like a compromise on flavor.
My first experience at the restaurant didn’t make me want to rush back. This one absolutely did.
And next time, I might have to try those hot honey Brussels sprouts, too.
Clean Eatz is located at 282 Highway 74 in Peachtree City. For more information about the cafe, prepared meals, and weekly meal plans, visit Clean Eatz and select the Peachtree City location.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.