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Like many busy New Yorkers, Colin McCabe and Tony Shure grew tired of lunchtime options that alternated between greasy burgers and reheated pizza. But instead of shrugging their shoulders and choosing the lesser of two evils, they decided to buck the trend with a healthier choice. In 2001, the pair opened Chop't with a mission to put "food first," offering salads made with fresh organic produce, the best-quality meat, and daily homemade dressings that they first test on friends and family. Just as distinct is the salad-making technique that gives Chop't its name: The customer's chosen ingredients are dumped onto a cutting board then diced with two large knives. And with more than 50 “choppings” (like anchovy fillets and edamame) and 25 dressings (like jalapeño honey dijon and steakhouse blue cheese), the combinations are exponential. For those who just can't get enough of the dressings, Chop’t sells bottles of them to go. — Aimee Rawlins