juice

A Guide to Austin’s Best Acaí Bowls

February 22, 2020 by Alyssa

A dedicated list rounding up Austin’s best acaí bowls for your spooning pleasure brought to you in collaboration with the Austin Food Blogger’s Alliance annual City Guide.

This post was updated on April 3, 2021

Did you know that when you Google ‘best acaí bowls Austin’, the first thing that pops up is a Yelp list of bowls that isn’t very helpful. In all my searching, I wasn’t unable to find a single list that sourced only acaí bowl recommendations. Sure, there were lists for best bowls which also included grain and buddha-type bowls, or best juice and smoothies, but I wanted a list exclusively for acaí bowls which is why, I created my own.

Blenders & Bowls Endless Summer & Chill Berry Bowls

So, in no particular order, I introduce to you, my Guide to Austin’s Best Acaí Bowls!

Blenders & Bowls

Let’s just start off with the queen of Austin acaí bowls (yes, queen, not king because this cafe is all female owned!). I love Blenders & Bowls thick acaí base, the ability to customize the bowl with collagen, protein, maca, or drippy delicious nut butters which allows customers to truly make it their own. Plus, they’re always adding new seasonal blends to keep you coming back for more! My favorites are the Endless Summer and The O.G. but I often find myself drawn to their new seasonal creations that may include pumpkin, lemonade, or mint!

Various locations around Austin

BlendersandBowls_BlackberryLemonade_SvetaMoller

Blenders & Bowls seasonal Blackberry Lemonade, photo cred: Shveta Moller @atx_bites

Daily Juice

While Daily Juice has a limited acaí menu, they do acaí bowls right. The Chocolate Almond and Nutter Butter bowls are perfect as a hearty meal or can serve as a delicious dessert option. I also love that their toppings include hemp seeds & puffed rice.

Various locations around Austin

Whole Foods

Yup! Whole Foods is also in on the acaí bowl game! Their single bowl offering is worth a try, topped with a crunchy flaxseed granola, kiwi and seasonal fruit.

525 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78703

Poke Poke

While I haven’t personally had the acaí bowls at Poke Poke, I can vouch that their poke bowls are delicious so I can only assume that this restaurant from basing their dishes off the big island standards is also serving up authentic acaí bowls with their OG, Berry, and PB Bowl options.

Various locations around Austin

Néktar

I’ve yet to try Néktar but they have quite a selection of acaí bowls with quite a few I’m excited to try like the Almond Butter Bowl, Superfood Bowl, and Protein Bowl all made with their housemade cashew milk. If you’ve tried it, let me know how they fare.

222 West Ave, Austin, TX 78701 and 3637 Far W Blvd, Austin, TX 78731

Sunlife Organics

A new comer to Austin, Sunlife Organics specializes in signature shakes, bowls and shots. Their açaí bowls menu is vast, diverse, and will keep you coming back over and over again. They offer your choice of 1, 2, or 3 scoops of açaí topped with flavor combinations coconut granola, dragon fruit, cashew butter, and mango. Head to this SoCo spot if you’re looking to switch up your standard açaí order.

1011 South Congress Avenue, Building 2, Suite 120, Austin TX 78701

Kale Me Krazy

While Kale Me Krazy has a limited açaí menu, they’re bowls are worth checking out. Kale Me Krazy uses a coconut milk base in place of traditional fruit juices making their bowl extra creamy and sweetened with dates. Make it a classic bowl topped with blueberries, cashews, banana, and strawberries or go deluxe with a mix of banana, gluten-free granola, chia seeds, hemp seeds, goji berries, sliced almonds, blueberries, and raw honey.

8300 North FM 620, Austin TX 78726

Vitality Bowls Superfood Cafe

Looking for a place North of downtown to satisfy your acaí bowl craving? Then check out the menu at Vitality Bowls, offering 14 different acaí options along with the ability to customize to your liking. They even offer a dessert bowl with coconut, dark chocolate chips, and strawberries.

1310 Cypress Creek Road, Cedar Park, TX 78613

Vida Pure Juicery

Vida Pure not only serves unique juices and smoothie options but they’re also blending up acaí bowls made with their house almond mylk. What makes these bowls unique, is the granola on the bottom of their Black Mamba and Pura Brazil options.

2610 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78722

JuiceLand Acaí Bowl

Juiceland

One of Austin’s OG juice café is also offering acaí bowls (at their city locations and at the airport so you can get one before you jet set). What’s unique here is the coconut butter drizzle to finish the bowl. The coconut butter hardens when mixed into the cold acaí adding texture and crunch to the bowl! While still a great bowl, my only wish here is that JuiceLand’s acaí was a tad thicker as right now it inches more towards slush than thick acaí.

Various locations across Austin

So tell me, what acaí bowl is your favorite? Are there any missing that should be added to the list?

BlendersandBowls_EndlessSummer_feedthishouse

Blenders & Bowls Endless Summer, photo cred: Shveta Moller @atx_bites

A Guide to Austin’s Best Old Fashioned was created in collaboration with the Austin Food Blogger’s Alliance City Guide. Check out the full round-up on the AFBA site or check out my Austin tab for other great round-ups like ramen, tasting menus, and old fashioneds.

The Soup Peddler: Celebrating 16 Years

January 30, 2018 by Alyssa

The Soup Peddler, the OG of Austin soup and juice, is celebrating its 16th anniversary with a special Alamo Drafthouse screening and a world premier tasting of their Duck Soup!

Above: Tropicalia with mango, banana, pineapple juice, lemon, kale, spirulina and whey protein

Did you know The Soup Peddler is the OG of Austin’s soup and juice scene? The Soup Peddler was making fresh, wholesome soups, juices, and smoothies before it was cool and started as a peddle-pushing soup shop on wheels way back in 2002.

Above: Magic Carpet Ride with cherry, pistachio, tahini, sumac, Himalayan salt, banana, coconut water; African Peanut Soup

In 2010, The Soup Peddler opened up its first brick-and-mortar and from there, the business blossomed into a quirky, iconic, Austin hotspot. All this was way before the big eat-local, juice movement became the phenomenon it is today — thus making it the OG of Austin juice (or at least in my book!).

Above: The Love Cleanse withcucumber, kale, spinach, parsley, celery; The Soup Peddler Lamar Location; Veggie Chili

The Soup Peddler is celebrating its 16th anniversary on February 13th with a rare screening of its ‘2005 epic documentary The Soup Peddler’ where you can learn the backstory of The Soup Peddler himself, David Ansel, who’s become an Austin legend.

Above: Charisma, Dexterity, and Stamina Bread; Moonage Daydream with carrot, orange, apple, lemon, turmeric, ginger, cayenne

The Alamo Drafthouse screening will follow with a meet-and-greet with David Ansel and a showing of the iconic Duck Soup by the Marx Brothers. At the event, the shop will also premiere their own Duck Soup, served complimentary to all attendees.

You can grab tickets on TicketBud for less than $12 inclusive of the movie, meet-and-greet, and tasting! And best yet, all proceeds will benefit the non-profit Yellow Bike Project.

Above: The Soup Peddler Mary Street Location

If you can’t make it to the anniversary celebration, at least stop by your neighborhood Soup Peddler and wish them a Happy Anniversary.

The Soup Peddler
Multiple Locations
Austin, TX
(512) 444-SOUP

I Finished Early!

December 9, 2011 by Alyssa

So I was on a 3 day juice fast and I did so well, I finished early!

Hahaha. Kidding!

Actually, I stopped the cleans on the third day because the thought of putting that red or green juice to my lips literally made me want to vomit.

I could not even swallow it at the end of day two.

In fact, during day two, every time I had drink the juice I was unable to finish the bottle and my final bottle of red juice on day 2, I actually ended up throwing out.

I did actually enjoy the cashew milk and I’ve been sipping on that the past few days, using it on cereal and in my oatmeal. Yummy!

So honestly, I don’t consider my self a quitter because I feel like quitting results from being too hungry or not being able to stand the effects of the cleanse where as I finished early due to the repulsive nature of the juices.

Anyways, here’s my opinion of the cleanse

1) I was never hungry. In fact, I felt like I was just constantly drinking and actually had to force my self to drink the liquids towards the end of the days.

2) I temporarily lost 4 pounds in 2 days and have gained 2 pounds back so far.

3) My stomach definitely shrunk – I can’t eat as much as I used to before the cleanse but I’m sure that will change in time.

4) It taught me that I can control my sugar cravings and to just say no. As a result, I plan to limit the amount of added sugar in my diet.

5) I felt no caffeine withdrawal symptoms, but I do plan to cut back two 1 cup a day.

6) I used to eat large amounts of roughage or dairy and would have digestive issues – so far I’ve had two vegetable heavy meals with no stomach aches.

7) On the day after the cleanse my head felt “clearer.” I was able to concentrate better at work and felt more productive. I also had a bit of an energy boost – surprising because the 2nd night of the cleanse I was awoke at 3am and fiddled around ‘til morning – my waking was not a result of hunger pains or any of the likings, I just plain couldn’t sleep.

8) On the day before the cleanse I felt a cold coming on, and it was a bit stronger on the 2nd day, but on the day after I “finished” my cleanse, all cold symptoms were gone and I can officially say I did not get a cold. I truly believe this was because of all the micronutrients I had pumping through my blood thanks to the juices.

So overall, I can’t find anything negative to say about the cleanse and it will probably be something I do again at some point, though I might search out a different version.

Now my only issue is…what to do with that leftover juice, it’s good through the 10th!