If you know me well (or have been following my blog for a little while) you should be more than aware of my obsession with berries and nut butters — specifically mixed together in a blender with ice and liquids. There’s barely a day that goes by in my life where a meal consisting of an açai bowl, some nana ice cream, or a smoothie of any kind doesn’t happen. I crave it in the morning and I dream of it at night. Pretty obsessive, yes and yup. But these healthy goodnesses are just a triple yum and a whole lot of slurps, and thus deserve to be featured.
So how can my obsession enrich your life, you may ask? Well, it has definitely made me an expert on who delivers the best açai bowls out there and here is my list of the very best I’ve ever had outside of my door:
1. Juice Generation, New York:
My favorite bowl in New York is probably also my favorite ever. Juice Generation’s PB Açai Bowl is blended with pure love, topped with even more love, and consistently manages to make me a happier person. The base itself is a mix of açai, frozen coconut milk (!!), bananas, and a choice of hemp or almond milk. The toppings are cacao nibs, bananas, and the best peanut butter I have ever had entered my mouth. (Don’t worry, I promise you that I am drooling now too, even though I am perfectly full from the bowl I’ve already had for breakfast).
Grab it with a green juice after a killer workout. I promise you will feel like a beauty (and a beast!).
Ps. The other bowls are pretty dope as well, especially the Coco Açai and the Almond Butter Bliss. (As for their very best smoothies, I’d choose the Peanut Butter Split, the Joyful Almond, and the I ❤ Watermelon.)
2. Liquiteria, New York:
I am sorry if you opened the link in the text above and had to see this picture for the second time in only two minutes, but I must admit that it’s not a bad picture to look at twice. (Maybe except you happen to be really hungry and also far, far away from any Liquiteria location, then I can apologize and mean it).
A cup of their PB Acai Bowl and granola tastes like it’s made in smoothie heaven, and has been a favorite of mine for a long while now. It’s simple, yes, but far from boring. They normally mix it with bananas, apple cider and almond milk, and top it with granola and peanut butter, but I always ask them to leave out the apple cider to decrease the sugar level and give it a smoother taste. And sometimes I have it with almond butter instead. So much mmmmmmm.
3. Brazilia, New York:
“Lord. Did she really add ice cream to her breakfast?”
I wish I could say I did, but no — not this time at least.
This scoop is just nuts. Literally speaking… At this newly opened Brazilian gem at Broadway and 3rd, they top their PB açai with a scoop of natural peanut butter — making it extra fun to spoon through the superfood bowl! A fellow açai lover says that this is the best one in the city, but I leave it up to you to judge it for yourself. All I can say is that it is ridiculously good and definitely deserves its place on this list. Good job and welcome, Brazilia!
4. Liquiteria, New York:
Yup — Liquiteria actually makes it twice to this list. Their newly added item on the menu — the Açai Parfait — is the perfect combination of açai, vanilla almond milk, almond butter, peanut butter, strawberries, and honey, layered with berries, bananas, and flax seeds. My suggestion here is to leave out the honey (sweet enough already) and add some granola to it if you’re hungry or just want some crunch to it. This is definitely a flavor bomb that will make your mama’s peanut butter jam sandwich weaken (I’m sorry, mummies out there, but it’s true!) Besides, this one is actually good for you. Double win!!
5. Liquid Juice Bar, Los Angeles:
My recent trip to LA included lots of good food and a bunch of açai bowl testing. (Especially since finding one in San Francisco seemed to be impossible!!! So, Tech People, get your juice- and smoothie bars going already!)
This one from Liquid Juice Bar on Melrose Avenue had just the right amount of almond butter, banana, and açai to taste yummmmm — and to make it in to the list. Extra win for coconut flakes and goji berries on the top.
6. Super Foods Açai Bar, Puerto Rico:
When it looks better, it taste better they say. Now, this may not always be the truth, but the idea of adding some prettiness to an already good item can make it slightly better is definitely something I can believe in. Besides, pretty things tend make us happy, right?
The bowl above was devoured at my recent solo trip to Puerto Rico at the Super Foods Açai Bar in Punta Las Marias. That I walked over 90 minutes in the burning sun to get this piece of candy — and that it came out looking like this — may have biased my love for it. But it was nonetheless a perfectly made Açai Bowl topped with nut butters and tasty granola that you should definitely look up if you ever find yourself on the Caribbean island.
7. Earthbar, Los Angeles:
This is probably the biggest açai bowl I have ever had in my life!! I got it two times and actually had to save half of it for later both times — which definitely is a first.
Summed up: it’s a great tasting bowl and you won’t regret having one — just grab a buddy to share it with and add a green juice on the side. Mmmmm. Bonus, watching the people that come here is just as entertaining as eating the bowl itself!
PS. A tip for my LA friends is to go to Whole Foods in West Hollywood and customize your own (and big!) açai bowl for only $8. Yes and yup, your welcome.
Now, go get your bowl on!
late night snack 