Life

Starbucks Just Dropped An Epic New Lunch Menu

by Kaitlyn Wylde
Starbucks

Ready-to-go meals and snacks are nothing new for Starbucks — they've been serving tasty breakfast, sandwiches, salads, protein boxes, and desserts for years. But on Apr. 11, they're launching something a bit more hearty. You're definitely going to want to know all about Starbucks’ new Mercato lunch menu, because if you live in Chicago, it's going to be what's for lunch today.

Yes, that's right: On Apr. 11, 2017, Starbucks has debuted the first iteration of their new lunch-geared food line called Mercato (meaning "marketplace" in Italian) in 100 of their Chicago locations. According to a statement from Starbucks, the new menu is a response to what their customers were looking for: an assortment of fresh, healthy, diverse meals that come in different sizes and cater to different dietary restrictions. Pretty neat, right?

If you don't live in Chicago, don't get too upset, Starbucks plans on spreading their new lunch menu nationwide eventually. This healthy and filling lunch upgrade is great news for people in cities who dreamed of going to Starbucks for a one-stop shop. No longer will people have to get their coffee there and look for their healthy lunch elsewhere — the healthy lunches are now at Starbucks, and they cater to vegan, vegetarian and even gluten-free diets. So if you do have access to a Mercato lunch, get ready to drool: here's what your lunch options are (please note that the menu items might change from location to location and are updated frequently for freshness).

Za’atar Chicken & Lemon Tahini Salad

Starbucks

Herbed chicken with Za’atar spice, ancient grains, chunky cucumber tzatziki, marinated carrots, chopped romaine, and lemon tahini dressing.

Cauliflower Tabbouleh Salad

Starbucks

Chopped parsley, mint, cucumber, tomato, and riced cauliflower with fresh lemon juice on arugula.

Seared Steak & Mango Salad

Starbucks

Seared flank steak, minted mango, pickled onion, cucumbers, carrot slaw over rice noodles, and chopped peanuts served over romaine lettuce with red curry vinaigrette.

Herbed Chicken & Fig Spread Sandwich

Starbucks

Herbed chicken breast with a flavorful fig spread and arugula, made complete with whole grain mustard ricotta on Ficelle bread.

Smoked Pork Cubano Sandwich

Starbucks

Smoked pork loin, pulled pork, swiss cheese, jalapeno whole grain dijonaise, and dill pickle on flatbread.

Crunchy Almond Butter, Strawberries & Jam Sandwich

Starbucks

Chunky almond butter, strawberry jam and fresh strawberry slices on Bavarian wheat bread.