The Pushcart Cafe

I ordered a grilled chicken and the description mentioned the chicken was marinated. Not only was it very dry and bland, but it did not taste as if it were even cooked before I picked it up. It tasted like reheated, like you would throw in the microwave, very dry and rubbery. The chicken was extremely tough to cut. I ended up spitting out what I tried and threw the rest away. The broccoli also did not taste cooked and a few pieces tasted cold. I’m very disappointed this was $15 and on par if not worse than what I could make myself at home. I typically got subs here with no issues and I wanted to try something else. I will think twice if I go back here or dare to try something else off the menu. Edit* - Just wanted to address some things mentioned in the reply. I did not call back because I was on a lunch break and didn’t have time to go back to the store and take care of this, nor should I have to. I understand it had grill marks, that does not imply it was cooked then and there on the grill, it could have been from days ago, etc. I have cooked chicken before, I find it very hard to believe this was cooked on a grill before I picked it up. Again it was very dry and not marinated at all. It plainly just tasted like reheated chicken. The owner stated I ordered it plain, I did not. In fact there is no option to add anything regarding marinade, sauce or even to make it plain.There was only the description saying it was marinated, I have added photos right from their online ordering showing the options.

Always great tasting soups, salads and wraps! Quality ingredients you can tastes and a clean restaurant with very friendly staff. I frequent this restaurant quite often and highly recommend!

Came specifically for the lobster roll with salad and water for the 23.49 price listed online and at menu when ordering in person. (see picture) Cashier said NO - its not included- so I had to pay an extra $2.50 for a water…. Then I waited over 15 minutes for it bc one worker girl was chatting away and didn’t realize I was waiting for it? It literally sat for about 8 minutes. How is that acceptable when the place was steady busy? All tables were dirty so I was forced to eat in the car. Bummer about it all was the lobster roll with butter was great (a bit on the small side - maybe 4oz of meat) BUT the charcoal on the roll was questionable. (see picture). Be better Pushcart. After response from Pushcart Wow…. Short staffed? then why did one worker chat forever with someone and NOT do her job and left my sandwich to sit!!!! Furthermore…. We all work hard for our money people should know what to expect before choosing a place to spend their money. I will NOT be back. Especially for the lack of service (lame excuses) and misleading menu prices.

Me and my girlfriend ordered a chicken parm sub and it was the epitome of mid. Chicken is chewy and not crispy, sauce is that fake/too sugary stuff, and the bread is whatever. Cherry on top: that melted plastic like shredded mozzarella cheese as a topper. It was slow maybe 4 or 5 other patrons who already had their food, so it wasn’t because the time of day Waste of calories. Picture says it all, just look at it. *Mac n cheese was alright*

Too expensive for the small portions and mediocre tasting food, uncomfortable seating arrangements, salad bar is not that different from Pizza Hut, and no changing station for families. It wasn’t busy but my wrap order took several minutes. The branding gives a false representation of what this is. You might as well go to Pressed Cafe for better tasting, better quality food, AND for less money. If you’re doing take out for lunch just to get back to work, this place is recommended otherwise expect a sub par dine-in experience especially for families.

Tracey and staff were awesome. My first time there...food was beautiful and fresh. I will be back

This place has expanded and sacrificed none of the quality. Huge fresh salad bar. Delicious fresh smoothies and the sandwiches and paninis are amazing. I recommend the Buffalo chicken panini on scali bread. Best menu item there.

I ordered 3 smoothies today (Berry blast, strawberry banana, and mango tango) and they were all $9 each. This would’ve been fine but the smoothies were tiny and all of them had no flavor. They all tasted like yogurt rather than fruit and one of the lids weren’t even on. It also took 10-15 minutes for me to get my order which was just the drinks. I came here because it was convenient based on where I was at the time, but next time I’d rather just drive to Chelmsford and get a flavorful smoothie from Tropical Smoothie Cafe for only $7

This is a casual counter service place serving good food but whose highlight is the great salad bar. This is what salad bars were at the height of salad bars but with modern options. Best of all, you pay by the weight of your dish, so you only pay for how much you want AND you can take leftovers home. I had worried because I saw a few people online were complaining there salads were too expensive, but after paying for ours we realized these folk must have just got huge salads to be paying some of the prices they cited. The cost is $12.99 per pound (2 August 2024) and well worth it in my book. For me filling the smaller sized dish was plenty - the perfect meal size. Pushcart is in a strip mall and from the way they're set up it looks like they may have taken over two storefronts. The salad bar and soup station are in one "room" and the order counter and tables in the other. If you're getting the salad, you fill up a take-out style dish first and bring it to the counter to weigh. Same with soups, but those you pay for by container size rather than weight. You can buy other stuff like sandwiches at the counter and they looked very good though I stuck to my salad. Tables include high tops and regular tables, with three or four set up outside. Basic, but clean and bright. I only wish this place were closer.

Came specifically for the lobster roll with salad and water for the 23.49 price listed online and at menu when ordering in person. (see picture) Cashier said NO - its not included- so I had to pay an extra $2.50 for a water.... Then I waited over 15 minutes for it bc one worker girl was chatting away and didn't realize I was waiting for it? It literally sat for about 8 minutes. How is that acceptable when the place was steady busy? All tables were dirty so I was forced to eat in the car. Bummer about it all was the lobster roll with butter was great (a bit on the small side - maybe 4oz of meat) BUT the charcoal on the roll was questionable. (see picture). Be better Pushcart.

$26.00 Salad and soda. What the hell went on here. Last visit it was $12.00 for the same salad and soda.... Did I brake a window? And the balls to have a "tip option"come up on the key pad for something I made myself... 30 year Customer lost!

Fantastic find! Fresh amazing food, friendly staff. We arrived about an hour before closing the salad bar was fully stocked an spotlessly clean - a triple plus in my book. My date had the chix ziti broccoli and brought half home for lunch tomorrow. Five stars and four enthusiastic thumbs up, We'll be back!

Delicious fresh food! One of the best places in town if you want the freshest items. Hot turkey sandwhixh is my favorite. Lots of delicious items here

Grabbed some sandwiches for a late lunch. Friendly staff, food was basic but tasty. I can say that the thanksgiving turkey sandwich (with gravy) is probably not the best choice to eat in the car--gravy everywhere! Confetti cake was beautiful to look at, but meh.

The Pushcart has expanded and now open until 3pm on Saturday which is great!! The quality is spectacular & has been the same for over 34 years. Tried their Chicken Soup today and it was outstanding (not at all salty!) snd you can add things from the salad bar to customize it. Everyone on the staff is friendly & professional. Love this place!

Their salad bar is the best around. Pricey yes, but great fresh selection. Stopped in today around 2 pm to get some salad after an appt. Loaded my to go container and went up to the register. There was no line. I stood there and watched everyone in the restaurant call out that that someone should help at the register. It is not their turn. I stood and watched while everyone called out to explain why it was not their turn. The blond lady with glasses finally came up from the back and explained that everyone is "having fun". I replied that it is frustrating to listen to. She just ignored and went on . I repeated that it was frustrating to stand here and watch... She replied with another "just having fun". If you are not interested in serving customers... don't open. Its a good salad... but I have other things to do besides watching you not work.

Very kind staff - willing to answer questions and provide recommendations. The food is home-y, nothing too fancy but hits the spot every time. Love the options at the salad bar, super customizable, there truly is something for everyone.

Great little cafe with a very kind staff! I'm not sure where the negative reviews are coming from but I had a very pleasant experience. They were so fast and even apologized for the delay, even though there wasn't one. I think everyone needs to give small businesses like this a break if they come in on a tough day. Remember, they're short staffed and also doing their best. It takes nothing to be patient and kind. For the food, based on other reviews, I got a chicken salad sandwich and a cookie. It was delicious!! They definitely don't skimp on it either as the portion was huge! The cookie was also nice and fresh. Would definitely come back!

It's perfectly ok. Salad bar is wicked over priced. Wish there was a Whole Foods or Wegmans, frankly.

I think everything here is great. Service is usually great. Everything is fresh you can easily tell. They expanded the resteraunt now.

Ordered food here for the first time since they expanded. Unfortunately it was the same old bad service. Put in an online order which was only 2 sandwiches. Came to pick up about 25 min later and had to wait another 20 minutes and it wasn't that busy. Only 3 other people there waiting for food. I don't think they even started making my food until I got there which defeats the whole purpose of ordering ahead. The chicken soup was not good and it used to be my favorite soup. Turkey sandwiches were so dry I had to add my own condiments to it so I could eat it. $32 for turkeys sandwiches is ridiculous, especially when it's subpar food. My family will not be returning.

Really like this place. I typically go there a couple of times per week. The salad bar is great and well stocked. The soups are really good. Cream of chicken is my favorite. The chili is great, especially in the fall. You can dress it up with sour cream, cheddar cheese and/or bacon if you like. You can also add noodles or rice from the salad bar to the chicken soup which I like. My only criticism of the soup is the chicken in the chicken soup tends to be very dry. Have also had the turkey dinner and the chicken parm dinner several times. Both were very good and I'll get them both again. Love the chocolate chip cookies as well. The people who work there are usually pretty outgoing, friendly and polite.

highly recommend the Stuffed Blueberry French Toast, the people are incredibly friendly. It is a very cozy little spot, great relaxing place to just chill and do work, while having a couple of Home made dishes to fatten you up 12/10

This place is great. One of the best vegetarian wraps. A real hefty sandwich not one of those will throw some tomatoes and lettuce and call it vegetarian. A salad bar with lots if fresh ingredients. Soups that are very good. The chicken soup was packed with chunks of white meat. Two things I would have liked to seen: a vegetarian option for soup and greener packaging. They use styrofoam takeout which just does not jive with the tone of the place.

I am so glad to have been able to remove The Pushcart Cafe from my "Gone But Not Forgotten" list. After the kitchen fire others may have also mentioned, I assumed it was never coming back - but it's back, with a bigger salad bar. The variety is there, with a salad bar about twice the size of the original, plus a dessert corner with fruit and pudding. There's also tureens with multiple daily hot soups. You can order additional items such as subs, wraps, grills, etc., at the new counter, at which 3-4 people are always working. I do miss the grilled chicken on the salad bar - I understand you can special request it, but at least the Buffalo chicken is still there as well as bite-sized pieces of salami, turkey, and ham. It can be a bit of a zoo here during the busy 12-1 lunch hour. Today the line waiting to check out extended almost to the back of the salad bar. It's times like this when a 2nd register would speed things up. But who am I to complain? The fact that The Pushcart is back and better than before is very welcome!

Great Caesar Salads and one of the best Chicken Salad Sandwiches on the planet. Damn that is good!!! My girlfriend's family raves about this place and I finally tried it. Wish I took some photos, but we were too hungry. I swear by the fact that this place is legit! Will def return before long to try some of the other stuff like the paninis. Thank you Pushcart for an excellent lunch! Oh great to find out they are open for dinner as well (till 8pm)...

What a shame... We have loved this place for a long time. Even before the fire and rebuild. It has always been a little slow, but it always been worth it. Attention to detail. Wonderfully soft fresh French bread, in house prep of everything that goes in your food. So we now call to cut down the waiting. When it's sandwiches, we always get the same... grilled chicken panini and chicken parmigiana on French. This past Tuesday, we got it again... WOW! HORRIBLE! Chicken in both sandwiches was dry and barely edible, the panini was burnt (yes burnt), the sauce in the parmigiana was cold and the French bread was old, hard, and reheated. We called at about 1:00 pm and picked up 20 minutes later. I know it was right after the lunch rush but... It will be awhile before we give them another try. I know we could have called and gotten them replaced (I'm guessing), but who has the time to go back mid day.

They always seem busy Food is always fresh I usually just get chili and a salad self made Smoothies are good too

Extremely rude miserable large blonde woman intentionally ignored my order and did not start it until I had arrived. Was bragging about how she didn't care and about how long it's taking. Food was extremely bland as well. Literally anywhere else has better food.

I've always appreciated this place due to fresh and good tasting food but the prices are way to high. Would love to come here more due to its convenience but my wallet can't take it.

Excellent place. The salad bar has a variety to it that most others simply do not. The house made soups are always fantastic, my personal favorite being the broccoli cheddar. Excellent chicken salad and other sandwiches and wraps as well. The owner is very friendly and accommodating. I don't know what the yelper below is talking about as far as her being rude and using the "n" word. I don't believe it for a minute. Sounds like a story made up to attention grab. Anyway ... great place. Wish I still worked next door.

I sent my husband to PushCart for a hot turkey dinner. They gave him cold turkey on two rolls. It was horrible.

I have had the soups, mac and cheese, salads desserts, sandwiches, muffins, etc, etc. Excellent customer service. Excellent food! All homemade and the veggies are fresh as can be. They are NOT overpriced at all. Just got a chicken salad on spinach bed, a quart of meatball escarole soup with crackers, 4 freshly baked muffins for a WHOLE lot less than had I made that stuff myself. Not to mention the time it would have taken. This is my favorite place in Tewksbury. Options galore!

Outragiously overpriced. Stopped in for a small soup and a bottle of water charged over $9. Asked why so high , she said the small soup was $6. This is a serve yourself , to go, restaurant . will never be back for those outrageous prices.

THE PUSHCART IS BACK! Sometimes you don't realize just how amazing a place is until it's gone. Tragically, two years ago, in August 2015, the Pushcart Cafe closed due to a kitchen fire, and although it was expected to be closed two or three weeks, until mid-September 2015, it has remained closed since. Until today! The same sandwiches, paninis, and prepared salads are there, and the salad bar has had an extra infusion of fertilizer and is now double its previous size. It is, bar none, the best (and quite possibly, only) salad bar in town, and surpasses its Billerica salad bar rival, Augusta's. The salad bar is a bit more expensive now than it was when it closed - $8.79 per pound vs $8.54 per pound, but a bargain considering the cornucopia of fresh ingredients available to you. The legendary chili and chicken soup are back daily, of course, with a rotating third and now fourth soup on weekdays as well. Tuesday's Italian wedding soup with meatballs, orzo, and escarole is highly recommended, and all the soups will warm your heart and stomach on cold winter days. I can't say enough good things about this intimate, family-owned sandwich shop. It's delicious, nutritious, and a Tewksbury institution. I wish them nothing but success and I hope they're around for years to come.

First of all let me say the food was great but I heard that one of the workers pretty sure his name was Mitch or mike went to Italy on a school trip and contracted corona and he made my food so I'm on my way to get

I was a little underwhelmed. The salad bar was nice and options were fresh, but for some reason the meat area had a weird smell I couldn't get past. It's located in a strip mall off the main drag. A little pricey.

Got the pans of Mac n Cheese for the soccer spag dinner. They inhaled it and asked where it was from. Our new go to side dish for large gatherings. The tray of chicken parm and sauce disappeared and cutting it in half was genius- made it easy to eat and the kids didn't waste it. Thank you Tracy and Julann!

Super happy The Pushcart has reopened. New owners with a new layout inside. Very clean restaurant. Salad bar is fantastic. Well maintained, fresh ingredients and lots of options other than veggies. Several protein choices. Multiple homemade dressings to try. Homemade soups/chilis/chowders. Made to order food bar well staffed for sandwiches, paninis, wraps, and dinners. So much variety. Staff is friendly and responsive. Good prices. Wish there was more seating especially outdoor but otherwise fantastic location for a healthy quick lunch.

This is my go to place in Tewksbury. First things first. The hot turkey sandwich is thanksgiving in a french bead sub roll. Cranberry, stuffing, turkey and gravy. It's pretty filling. Chicken bacon ranch salad is delicious. Italian panini is another good choice, just wish they put some more meat inside the sandwich. Chicken parm sub or chicken parm dinner is good. The breading on the chicken is great. Chicken ziti and broccoli is a little bland, but edible. They have a lot of other options on the menu and a great salad bar too. The staff is usually very courteous and friendly.

Fresh food, but not enough was in my sub. I wish the price of a sub, drink, and chips at this place was worth it, but it definitely isn't. On top of the steep price for a sub, you have to pay extra for the thinnest slice of cheese I've ever seen in a sub shop. Service isn't that friendly either, except for the young gentleman-- he actually seemed to genuinely care for the customers.

Definitely try the buffalo chicken panini. It's not too spicy, it's perfect. Super fresh and super yummy :) I also got a smoothie, you can add whatever you would like in it. I recommend asking for milk in it, if not they will put juice. Super delicious! I've been plenty of times, just be careful with the salad bar. Just making a salad can get expensive, so only put what you will eat. Overall, I definitely recommend.

Incredible food and selection of options from huge salad bar, sandwich board, soups & specialty items! Never disappointed!!

I have been to the pushcart twice now and it is VERY busy at the lunch hour! I have gotten a ham/cheese panini and this last time the lobster roll. Lobster roll special with a caesar salad and water came to about $17. It was good, just note the lobster is warmed in the microwave and served with butter (no mayo). The salad was huge and their dressing was classic and tasty. I really like the food at this spot and plan to try more menu items soon. I'll likely stay away durning the lunch rush (for now) because the line moves very slowly.

Clean fresh food. Customer service was great. I had chili just as I liked. Will definitely be coming back.

I used to love this place till I had a disagreement with the owners son!! He talked to me as though he didn't want me to come back, and I never did!! He sits on his ass collecting the money while his mother works like a dog!!

I love the staff. Always friendly. Food is fresh and always yummy. My favorite soup always runs out early. I won't tell you which day it is. I'm very selfish.

Great variety in the salad bar, many sandwich options. Soups change every day and many baked goods. Be careful when at the salad bar with weight, it adds up QUICK!

The food is great, but evidently the employees think the pandemic does not apply to them. A customer walked in with NO MASK on while I was waiting inside to pick up my food. All three employees saw this and said nothing, even though there are signs saying masks are required. When I approached the employees about this maskless person, I was told the person was "just waiting for their food and it's fine." I guess COVID-19 doesn't exist in the push cart! Very disappointed.

This place has a wide variety of fresh vegetables and meats to choose from. I am not impressed with the portion sizes I was given for their salads. Their idea of garnishing with red onion is providing 3 microscopic shards of onion. I was more than frustrated with the wait time for a pair of salads and soup. I almost wanted to ask if they were waiting for the lettuce to grow. Inside pickup was very disorganized.

I am obsessed with the pushcart. I was devastated when they were closed due to the fire. I make the trip whenever I am even close to the area. Where else can you go and get the freshest salad bar around? Now with the new owners, the food menu is huge and I can get something for the whole family there. I do wish it didn't cost me almost my mortgage to get a salad but I pay it, because it is that good.

Second time here and won't be back. Just ordered a chicken salad sandwhich that had chunks of tuna in it. I had to stop eating it after a few bites to make sure I wasn't eating raw chicken(i really hope it wasn't raw chicken). The pickle also tasted bad.

Moved into the area recently and was told that this spot was great. Finally went there today and my only problem is that I wish went sooner. Food was excellent, service was excellent and the place is super clean! They have a great menu with tons of soups,sandwiches and panini choices, as well as home cooked meals. They also have a huge fresh salad bar with meats, cheeses fruits and veggies! Love this place, my new favorite spot for lunch in Tewksbury!

Owner seems great and so friendly but the food was unexpectedly a let down, which is sad because the salad bar is great!!!! But I WATCHED them make my food in a microwave oven kept behind the counter for everyone to see it happen. If you're going to do that, at least do it in the kitchen where I don't have to watch it.

Not a bad place to go have lunch. Quick and friendly service. I got the meatball sub which was well portioned but lacked a bit in flavor. The bread was nice and toasted and the meatball were good, a bit too much sauce for my liking.

Glorious, as KT would say. A giant wonderful salad bar, full of fruit, veggies, and cold pasta. They also have sandwiches I think and possibly other cafe ish food, but I've only been here once and I couldn't not go directly for the super fresh looking create-your-own-giant-salad option. I can't believe no one had reviewed this place yet! (Well, it is is tewks...) I really can't believe I lived in north andover as a vegetarian for 10 years and never went before. This place is great. Small but clean, yummy and fairly priced. In a word, glorious. All credit goes to Jen and Katie for bringing me :)

I stopped in with a friend for lunch and I'm addicted. I had a huge salad and everything was fresh. It's fast moving with a lot of people in and out. I only had 40 mins and was able to sit and enjoy.