RESTAURANT REVIEW: MELLOW MUSHROOM

Ya’ll, we can all agree that pizza is delicious, right?

My boyfriend and I have completely different food tastes; he mostly eats fried chicken and pepperoni pizza, while my diet consists of quinoa, lentils, chickpeas, kale… you get the idea.  We oftentimes have trouble deciding on a place to eat, since he’s not interested in trying the newest Indian spot and my vegetarian lifestyle doesn’t allow me to eat at Chick-fil-a or Bojangles (seriously… he eats at these places like, 5 times a week).  Luckily, Mellow Mushroom is a place we can both agree on.

Yes, Mellow Mushroom is a chain restaurant (which I tend to avoid), but as far as chain restaurants go, it’s pretty sustainable.  Each restaurant sources it’s own local, fresh ingredients (including local breweries when possible!).  They also try to be sustainable in areas other restaurants could, but choose not to.  For example, their napkins, paper towels, and cups are made with 100% recycled paper, bleach-free, and printed with soy ink.  Each of these things can be recycled.  Even their take-home boxes are sustainable!  They boast having “the greenest pizza box in the country” which is not only made from 100% recycled materials, but also has a negative carbon footprint.

Now, let’s talk about the food.  As a (damn) Yankee, one of the few things I missed about the North was the amazing pizza at every corner.  A couple of years ago, someone suggested Mellow Mushroom, and I scoffed at the idea of a chain pizza place living up to my high standards (I’m a food snob, what can I say?).  I eventually caved in, and boy was I wrong.

Mellow mushroom has some of the best pizza I’ve ever had.  You can order a standard pizza (you know, with cheese and pepperoni), but they’re really known for their specialty pies.  My favorite, the Holy Shiitake Pie, includes an “Olive oil and garlic base, Shiitake, button and Portobello mushrooms, caramelized onions, mozzarella and MontAmoré cheeses”. It’s drizzled with garlic aioli and black truffle oil and garnished with fresh chives and shaved Parmesan.

Beyond pizzas, they have some of best and vegetarian-friendly sandwiches on the Grand Strand.  I don’t know anywhere else locally where you can get a Tempeh Hoagie, and their Tofu Hoagie is one of the best I’ve ever had.  I’ve also tried the Avocado Hoagie and Veggie Burger for you, and am happy to report they’re all delicious.  The only problem I have with Mellow Mushroom is I’m not used to so many amazing vegetarian options on one menu (I counted at least 20, many of which can be made vegan).  Oh, my God, I almost forgot about the Portobello Reuben.

Anyway, if you’re looking for fresh, local, delicious food that’s sure to please everyone (whether they care about the environment or not), you can’t go wrong with Mellow Mushroom.