Roots Natural Kitchen has taken root in the South Hills.
“We have been doing well,” said Dana Corso, manager of Roots on Cochran Road in Scott Township, about 100 yards from the Mt. Lebanon line. “We’re still getting people who have not been here before, and there are people we see twice a week.”
The fast-casual restaurant chain, which “has grown popular in college areas,” Corso said, has been operating at 1644 Cochran Road since July 26. Roots serves customizable salads and grain bowls that emphasize fresh, natural ingredients.
The restaurant occupies a building formerly home to Bruegger’s Bagels. The structure has been renovated and is brightly lit.
“We have been very steady both in-house and with our catering, and we have a drive-thru for people to stop on a day like today,” Corso said recently. “They don’t have to get out of their car.”
Menu offerings include six signature grain bowls and four signature salads. The most popular grain bowl is El Jefe, followed by Balboa, while the Pesto Caesar is the top-selling salad.
“You can create your own salad,” Corso said. “That’s a popular option.”
Roots does not offer breakfast items, but children ages 12 and under eat free with the purchase of an adult bowl.
The restaurant sits along a heavily traveled stretch of Cochran Road, near its intersection with Greentree Road. Several popular dining destinations are nearby, creating competition for a newer business.
“We feel we’re unique enough to be competitive,” Corso said. “We want to be the first choice when it comes to service.”
Roots Natural Kitchen was founded in Charlottesville, Virginia, where the first restaurant opened in June 2015 and where the company remains headquartered. Charlottesville is also home to the University of Virginia.
Over the past 10 years, the chain has opened 11 restaurants and now operates in seven states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and North Carolina. Menus are consistent across all locations.
The Mt. Lebanon/Scott Township site is the fourth Roots location in the Pittsburgh region. The chain made its local debut on Forbes Avenue in Oakland in 2019, followed by locations in Bloomfield and Ross Township. A fifth regional restaurant is scheduled to open in Bridgeville in January.
Corso said the Cochran Road location employs about 60 people, including many high school students working part time. Community engagement is a priority, she added.
“We’ve done fundraisers here,” Corso said. “We had a band fundraiser for Mt. Lebanon High School on Dec. 1. We’re looking for other ways to stay involved.”
Roots Natural Kitchen is open from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Through its grain bowls and salads, Roots Natural Kitchen continues to establish itself in the South Hills.
