As a college student who’s constantly surrounded by fast food––fast food in the dining hall, in The Plaza, and everywhere on Erie Blvd.––it can seem nearly impossible to eat healthy. But, take a trip downtown and you’ll discover a new spot that’s all about grains, fruits, and veggies. Original Grain has given the acronym O.G. a whole new meaning.

Original Grain has incorporated the idea of being a fast-casual restaurant while also focusing on healthy choices. The menu features brekkie bowls, nori wraps, sandwiches, and smoothies.

The eatery has become famous for its food bowls. There are two different types of bowls you can order, one being “brekkie bowls,” which consist of mainly fruits, and the other, which primarily contains vegetables and protein. The brekkie bowls are primarily a breakfast dish, but they can be ordered throughout the day. There are four variations with fruit, nut, and grain combinations. If you want to make your bowl more filling, you can also add whey protein, peanut butter, acai, or coconut oil. The other bowls are based on your choice of greens, “original” grain (like quinoa) or kelp noodles. Some options include: broccoli, sweet potato, avocado, chicken, beans, and corn. There are also other ingredients you can add if you want to spice it up and make your own bowl.

Original Grain’s slogan is “Cali vibes, NY fresh.”

Walking into the restaurant is like having a “Dorothy Moment;” suddenly you’ve been plucked from Syracuse and dropped into a cool hipster restaurant that has no business being in Upstate NY. The wooden high top tables, cassette tapes hanging from the lights, and the skateboards on the walls make you feel like you took a trip to the West Coast. Even the workers have that same hipster, West Coast look with their tattoos, piercings, and nerdy classes.

The three young partners who opened Original Grain are experts in owning a business in downtown Syracuse. Matt Godard is the owner of the coffee roaster, Cafe Kubal. He grew up in the Syracuse area and chose to remain here to pursue his passion for coffee, according to cafekubal.com. Eric Hinman owns Urban Life Athletics fitness gym and Chris Billy is a former partner of the diner, Modern Malt, which is located in Armory Square. They each wanted to create a place that Syracuse hadn’t really seen before, something more along the lines of something you’d see in New York City.

Original Grain tries to keep it O.G. by having “Hip Hop Brunch” every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There’s a live DJ spinning dope beats in the corner while you eat your favorite bowl. Not to mention, you can also build your own mimosas. Pretty sure it doesn’t get much better than that.