Chef Darius Johnson is on a mission to bring healthy meals to customers at Camp North End. He will open Sage & Citrus in the Keswick food stall at 1801 North Graham St. in early spring 2026. The stall was formerly home to Eggroll Co., which announced earlier this year that it will relocate to a larger space within Camp North End.
While crafting the concept, Johnson was inspired by his own positive experience with health-centric food, as well as his past experience as a personal chef for NBA and NFL players. The menu will feature wellness-focused, fast-casual food designed to provide a welcome alternative to traditional fast-casual options.
Menu items will include salmon bowls, short rib entrees, rotating seasonal soups such as lobster bisque and healthy smoothies. Johnson’s favorite item on the menu is the fried oyster mushroom sandwich.
For Johnson, Sage & Citrus represents a larger goal of his: to combat the unhealthy options overpowering the fast-casual industry. The food stall at Camp North End is just the beginning for Johnson. Eventually, he hopes to see Sage & Citrus grow as a brand to additional locations, helping to sway fast-casual toward a more healthy pathway in general. In the meantime, he also hopes to partner with local businesses such as gyms to get healthy meals to people in the community.
“I like the idea of building our own drive-thrus and redefining what we know fast food to be today,” Johnson told What Now Charlotte. “I want to be part of that shift in offering a product that people can benefit from in the fast-casual industry today.”
