Poke Green Lite brings fresh new dining option to downtown Rockford
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A locally owned restaurant that specializes in customizable poke bowls with sushi-grade fish and other healthy options has opened its doors in downtown.
Poke Green Lite celebrated its ribbon-cutting Wednesday at 308 W. State St., suite 135, which is inside the Stewart Square building. It’s open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Owner Yichu Yang and his team transformed the space for the quick-service restaurant focused on the popular Hawaiian dish. The layout provides a bright, clean look where you can see your ingredients before ordering your bowl. It was previously home to Ripe Life Juice Co. and before that Bella Luna Bakery.
“When I walked in I was just in awe of the transformation that the owner has made in the space. It shows how much he cares not just for his business but for the Rockford community to give us a restaurant of this caliber,” said Alderman Tamir Bell, who represents the 13th Ward where the business is located.
“Because of this business coming to the downtown west area we’ll see an increase in foot traffic and more people wanting to come to not just try a new restaurant but to enjoy what the downtown west has to offer,” Bell said.
The restaurant marked its ribbon cutting with Bell and other city officials, KH Food Safety Consulting and Services, and friends and family of Yang.
“It’s a great addition to the collection of great facilities we currently have,” said Karen Hobbs, founder of KH Food Safety Consulting. “It gives a great option for grab-and-go for a lot of people who work downtown.”
The downtown restaurant is a second location for Poke Green. The first opened at 3053 N. Perryville Road in December 2023. The owners are also preparing to expand into Beloit, Wisconsin, with a third restaurant at 319 State St. in the heart of its downtown.
“I hope this one goes well and everyone loves it,” Yang said before cutting the ribbon Wednesday with an oversized pair of scissors.
The restaurant offers mostly organic produce and high quality fish in its bowls. Protein options include sushi-grade salmon, tuna, shrimp, crab and eel. They’re mixed with rice and produce such as mango, edamame, seaweed salad and cucumber, among other options. They’re then topped off with house-made sauces.
“Their menu has great ingredients … including some organic options and gluten-free options,” Hobbs said. “It’s definitely a great addition to downtown Rockford.”
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas
