Sali owners, Csilla Szilvai and Ádám Budai, both came from a multinational background, working at one of the giant offices nearby. As health-food fanatics, they went to a lot of salad bars and, like many of their peers, they decided to change professions.
At first, they set up a food truck for their salad outlet, but opened at
the worst time for businesses a year ago, just when Covid arrived. Later, they
went to office buildings and events, but with the arrival of autumn, they
thought it better to create a fixed venue, for residents of District IX, catering
to the young professionals living here and the office buildings in the area.
Personal attachment also played a role in the choice of venue: “We really like the proximity of the Danube embankment
and surroundings of the National Theatre,” they say.
Sali - Salad Library opened on Lechner Ödön fasor in October, and customers are currently served by takeaway and home delivery. True, people didn’t flock back to their offices, but “despite the situation, luckily we have a lot of customers right now, and more people are discovering us every week. We get a lot of positive feedback. We also opened our Budapest back office in District XIII, and our team expanded by two people in four months,” say the young entrepreneurs.
Nutritional and sugar-free
The range reflects a consciously dietary approach. Each portion is labelled with its nutritional value, and the toppings are made without any added sugar.
If a sweet taste is required, agave syrup with the lowest glycemic index
is used – as in the case of the popular Thai Sali. We also
liked it the best: the excellent texture of the meat slices, the filling
quinoa, the crunchy hazelnuts and the other ingredients (lettuce, carrot, red cabbage,
pineapple, leek) create a harmony as if measured on a pharmacist’s scales.
The
Vitamin Sali (with lettuce, corn, carrot, celery, pineapple, feta cheese,
chicken and Caesar salad dressing) was a simpler but equally hearty and
full-bodied lunch.
Salmon, tuna and Greek salads are also on the menu, as well as various wraps, including the Gourmet Wrap (salad, tomato, leek, red onion jam, cheddar, chicken, Caesar salad dressing) that we enjoyed on the nearby Nehru embankment. The wraps are all made from wholemeal pasta, another plus, while the feta is imported from Greece, the Spanish olives supplied by Igazioliva (‘Real Olives’) in Pomáz, and the desserts homemade and sugar-free.
Salads are priced from 1,890 to 2,290 forints, wraps 1,790-2,090. Instead of meat, grilled cheese is available for vegetarians and dieters. If you’re buying in person, you can also make your own salad or wrap from six ingredients behind the counter (the cheese selection is impressive). These can't be home-delivered due to lack of capacity.
Sali - Salad Library
District IX. Lechner Ödön fasor 3
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Current opening hours: Mon-Fri 10.30am-8pm, Sat 11am-4pm
