New England Soup Factory

No matter what time of the year it is, nothing can cheer me up like a bowl of soup. I am a huge fan of soups and needless to say I was very excited when I stumbled upon the New England Soup Factory in Salem MA. They have two other locations, one in Brookline and the other in Needham MA. The menu mentions they carry 150 different types of soups, and the choices of soups are continuously changing.

I went to there for lunch and on that particular day they had three different types of vegetarian soups, each with a distinct flavor. The service was very friendly and I was able to sample all three of the soups.

The first soup I tried was the Black Bean and Yellow Rice with Habanera but found it too spicy for my liking. The Roasted Peach and Ginger soup was a yummy cold and sweet soup that tasted like a peach yogurt smoothie however I could find no taste of the ginger. Out of the three soups, the one I liked best was the Spinach & Zucchini Bisque, a warm cream based soup with shredded spinach. Besides soups, there are quite a few good vegetarian/vegan options on the menu. I ended up ordering the sesame noodles ($3.25), a side dish made with vegetables and ginger in a sesame soy blend. I really enjoyed the taste of this dish but quite contrary to my experience with the Peach Ginger Soup I found the ginger in this dish a bit overpowering.

Depending on the day, the selections of soups could be hit or miss but it looks like they try to offer something for everyone. The ambiance is casual and simple but I did not have a problem finding a seat to have lunch. If you are in the area, the New England Soup Factory is worth checking out for a healthy affordable lunch.