These amazing locations make healthy dining a cinch! Check them out when you don't want to cook but want to eat something delicious and good for you too.
1. Fresh Frenchy’s
Fresh Frenchy’s started in Mount Penn but recently moved to Exeter Township. Owners Andrea and Francesco Amato explain: “We’ve increased our seating by three times, with outdoor dining opportunities,” and they now offer bistro-style lunch and dinner with all-day brunch on Sundays. They also serve Pennsylvania-made spirits and craft cocktails created with homemade syrups and mixes (no preservatives).
“We noticed a demand for food that fits people’s dietary preferences,” says Andrea, “whether gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, or — in general — clean food and as much organic food as possible. For instance, we use no seed oils — just extra-virgin olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil and ghee.” Customers really like their burgers. “What makes the burgers special is we get our beef from a local source, grass-fed and grass-finished,” says Andrea. “Many people say that they can’t eat any other burgers anymore after trying ours!” Francesco adds, “The burgers seem to retain a better moisture level — never dried out.” Choices include AllAmerican and a Barbecue Bacon Burger with homemade barbecue sauce, which Francesco describes as having “a little bit of heat and a little bit of sweet — pulling all the flavors out of the burger.” Then there’s the Pepper Jam Burger with pepperjack cheese and jalapenos, plus a crowd-favorite Black Bean Quinoa Burger.
Baked goods are all gluten-free, made by Andrea, who says, “I do a Chocolate Java Cake with peanut butter icing; it’s very popular.” It’s extra moist. “In 2025, we want to introduce Berks Countians to affogatos — Italian gelato in an espresso cup,” says Francesco.
3650 Perkiomen Avenue, Reading | 484.219.8053 | Facebook: freshfrenchys13
2. Firefly Café and Outpost
Boyertown delivers the total plant experience at Firefly, where Loriann Wade, co-owner with husband Michael Martinez, says, “We’re 100 percent plant-based and try our best to offer up mostly whole foods.” All baked goods are made in-house, from breads (including sourdough), scones and bagels to organic multigrain rolls and ever popular croissants. “We use 100 percent organic flour and 100 percent organic cane sugar,” says Loriann. “We try to include sweeteners other than refined sugars — like, for example, maple syrup.” Loriann does all the baking; Michael focuses more on savory foods.
“Our Tofu Scramble is amazing,” Loriann raves. “I’m a longtime vegan vegetarian — I haven’t eaten meat in 30 years — and what makes this dish so special is the spices Michael adds. Years of tweaking have made it the perfect recipe.” Firefly makes their own meat substitute in-house called seitan. “We use seitan for our Chicken Sandwich and all sorts of different things — burgers made with seitan, and Fried Chicken and a Barbecue Chicken Sandwich, both very popular. The wheat gluten (in seitan) is the main protein binder,” explains Loriann. She adds, “We have a Black Bean Burger as well.” Their biscuits are 100 percent vegan, perfect for Breakfast Sammies.
Firefly’s full beverage menu boasts organic kombucha — "very natural” — with all-organic teas and coffee. Loriann points to more popular drinks, like “organic matcha, hoji chai, mushroominfused coffee that’s woody and earthy and a Golden Milk with organic turmeric and maple syrup.”
12 N. Reading Avenue, Boyertown | 484.415.5066 | fireflycafeboyertown.com
3. Clean Eatz
Sarah Deisher, who co-owns Clean Eatz with Dani Zeamer, says, “We like to describe ourselves as a healthy dine-in café and meal prepping company. Our name just means we use healthy fats and healthy carbs, and we weigh and portion everything. The customer will know the details of all ingredients! It’s a lifestyle — not a diet. Nothing bland or boring. You get all the nutrients you need, and the portions are exactly what you want and need.”
Three main aspects shine: Weekly Meal Plans, Grab ’n’ Go and the Café. The Weekly Meal Plan menu offers six meals to choose from — e.g., pizza or a premium meal plan that might contain bison, salmon or tiptop steak for a higher-priced protein option. The plan is not a subscription — you pick and choose meals, all made onsite. Simply order online, then pick up on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday. “Sunday is our busiest day of the week,” says Sarah. “Our customers are awesome. We know most of them by name and know about their families and their stories. We have a mixture of people: singles, businesspeople, teachers, nurses, parents whose kids are busy with sports…”
Beverages include protein smoothies and protein coffee, energy drinks and lifestyle waters that contain zero sugar, zero calories, immunity elements and electrolytes. “At the café, I personally like the Turkey Burnt End Cuban,” says Sarah. “It’s a flatbread sandwich — so good, with so much flavor! It’s moist and flavored with Clean Eatz’s epic sauce of honey mustard and barbecue. Buffalo Chicken Mac ’n’ Cheese is a top seller, but the Lobster Mac ’n’ Cheese is so popular, laughs Sarah, “we can never keep it in stock — people will call in and ask if we have it that week.”
1665 State Hill Rd., Wyomissing (Berkshire Mall) | 610.816.5085 | cleaneatz.com/locations/reading-pa
