Noodles founder Aaron Kennedy may have been living in New York City's Greenwich Village when he came up with the concept for this chain -- but Noodles & Company calls Colorado home. The fast-casual place features noodle dishes, salads and soups inspired by American, Asian and Mediterranean cuisines; each region is represented by four noodle entrees, one salad and one soup. The standard entrees and salads come without meat or tofu; you can add chicken, beef, shrimp or organic tofu. When you're in a hurry and looking for food that's consistent and relatively healthy, Noodles & Company is a good choice for either carryout or a quick sit-down meal.