Sometimes the palette calls for something different. A different taste, a different texture, a different source of nutrition. For many of us, that call comes in January, after weeks or months of feasting on holiday goodies. We’re looking to consume foods more aligned with what we want for ourselves in the new year, which often includes something more nourishing. Less processed. Less sugary. Less meaty and cheesy.
That’s where smoothies and fresh-pressed juices come in.
Whether embarking on a detox cleanse or you’re just looking to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet, smoothies and juices allow you to do so without having to sacrifice taste or convenience. Nor do they require you to take your dollar out of the Black community.
“What people perceive as healthy, in the mainstream media, sometimes excludes different racial and ethnic groups,” said Deanna Belleny Lewis, a registered dietician nutritionist (RND) and co-founder of Diversify Dietetics. “They can sometime demonize what ‘Black food’ is.”
However, options abound for those looking to eat – or drink – healthy while still buying Black.
Check out the list below for an array of Black-owned smoothie and juice bars across the nation that can help you answer the call for something different.
Alabama
Foy Superfoods – Mobile, AL
251-307-8997 | Website |Facebook |Instagram
Foy Superfoods is one of Mobile, Alabama’s premiere destinations for healthy eats. An acronym for Fountain of Youth, they offer not only fresh-pressed juices, wellness shots and high-nutrition smoothies, but snacks without refined sugars, gluten-free brown rice bowls and vegan tacos.
California
Ju’C Fruits – San Leandro, CA
510-999-8869 |Website |Facebook | Instagram
With a mission to create plant-based products that bring the best of mother nature to the ‘hood, Ju’C Fruits offers cold-pressed drinks and smoothies with colorful names like Purple Panther and F*** Cancer. They also offer meal prep, catering and delivery services.
1987 Juices – Los Angeles, CA
747-238-4012 | Website |Instagram
Taking a wholistic approach to wellness, 1987 Juices seeks to heal its customers with nutritious juices and relaxing music meant to induce a state of ease and harmony. That’s why all of their juices come with a free, curated playlist. They also offer 2-day, 3-day and 5-day juice cleanse kits.
Rush Bowls – Oakland, CA
510-435-2177 | Website | Facebook | Instagram
A unique take on the smoothie, Rush Bowls blends all-natural fruits and vegetables together then tops them with granola, honey and your choice of toppings. Each bowl comes with up to five servings of fruits and vegetables, making them a complete meal replacement alternative.
Florida
The Squeeze Juice Bar – North Miami Beach, FL
305-627-3433 | Website | Facebook |Instagram
With an extensive list of fresh-pressed juices, smoothies, shakes and wellness shots, The Squeeze Bar has you covered for any detox, cleanse or healthy eating regiment you’re seeking to start. They also have unique menu items for solid foods, including keto bowls, Beyond Burger paninis and falafel tacos.
Smoothie Express Miami Shores – Miami, FL
786-534-8696 | Instagram
Every item at Smoothie Express is customizable – from fresh smoothies to raw juices to teas. Along with those light delights, they also offer paninis, wraps and salads with house made marinades and dressings.
Georgia
Get Fruity Café – College Park, GA
678-515-7601 | Website | Facebook |Instagram
Serving the “best fresh fruit salads in Fulton County, GA,” Get Fruity Café also offers both milk-based and dairy-free smoothies. With names like “Me & My Shorty” (strawberry, mango, pineapple), “You Ain’t Da Bomb” (blueberries, strawberries, bananas and oats) and “Ya Mom’s A Crook” (strawberry, pineapple, blueberries), you can grab yourself a healthy drink with some Atlanta flare.
Illinois
FruVé xPress Juicery – Chicago, IL
312-624-8170 |Website |Facebook |Instagram
They call themselves “the world’s most complete juice bar.” That’s because their cold-pressed juices are filled with antioxidants, raw vitamins, minerals and enzymes that both hydrate and satisfy. In addition to offering unique ingredients like sugar cane, barley grass, sunflower and alfalfa sprouts, bee pollen, raw algae and E3 Live, each bottle of juice contains the equivalent of 3-4 pounds of produce.
Rashidat’s Detox Café – Dolton, IL
708-517-4488 | Website | Facebook | Instagram
Powered by the idea of “seva,” a Sanskrit term that means selfless service, Rashidat’s Detox Café is an all-vegan establishment that seeks to benefit humanity by feeding people whole, nutritious foods. Rashidat’s specializes in 1-, 3- or 7-day juicing detoxes, but they also offer smoothies and raw meals like the Raw Alkaline Taco Bowl.
Louisiana
Froot Orleans – New Orleans, LA
504-570-7295 | Website | Facebook | Instagram
Created as a way to bring balance to the myriad health crises plaguing the nation – especially in Black and other communities of color – Froot Orleans prides itself on catering to the health and well-being of their New Orleans customers. They shift their menu every season to avoid using internationally shipped or highly preserved produce. They also offer 7-day detox packages for those wanting an extra re-set.
Maryland
Spizzy – Camp Way Springs, MD
Website | Facebook | Instagram
With everything Spizzy does – from designing low sugar yet high flavor teas, to developing an app that offers a loyalty rewards program – the intentions are clear. They are here to serve, nourish and inspire their community. In addition to smoothies and teas, they offer superfood bowls and a weekly menu curated by Chef Brazil.
Missouri
Ruby Jean’s Juicery – Kansas City, MO
816-321-1440 | Website | Facebook | Instagram
Convinced that his grandmother’s fatal health problems could have been remedied by making subtle changes to her traditional soul food diet, the once owner and CEO of Ruby Jeans Juicery wanted to create an eatery with longevity in mind. Their expansive menu of health-centric foods and juices has something for everybody, including sweet potato-based juices, an “Autumn Brownie” smoothie, wellness sips and meal replacement performance shakes.
New Jersey
Greenhouse Juices and Café – Teaneck, NJ
201-530-7266 | Website | Facebook | Instagram
At Greenhouse Juices and Café you can flood your insides with more than just the nutrients from fresh, raw juices and smoothies. You can target specific health goals by including one of their add-ons, like sea moss and probiotics. They also offer an array of paninis, wraps and salads.
New York
Bar Got Juice – New York, NY
917-513-5903 | Facebook | Instagram
With options for breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner, Bar Got Juice has you covered. They serve freshly squeezed fruit juices and smoothies, along with energizing sips like the wheatgrass or “aphrodisiac” shot.
The Nourish Spot – New York, NY
718-526-2099 | Website | Facebook | Instagram
A family-owned establishment, the operators of The Nourish Spot chose to open in Jamaica, Queens specifically because it was a food desert. Their goal is to bring life-affirming dishes to a nutritionally depleted environment, serving customizable juice blends, smoothies, salads, sandwich wraps and soups, as well as fruit cups and Greek yogurt parfaits. They also offer apple cider vinegar, ginger, turmeric and wheatgrass shots.
Be in Good Health, LLC – Laurelton, NY
929-206-5414 | Facebook | Instagram
By accepting SNAP and EBT as payment, Be in Good Health is clearly demonstrating its mission to provide high quality, nutritious food to underserved communities. They offer wraps, salads, empanadas and, of course, juices and smoothies.
Veggies Natural Juice Bar – New York, NY
347-627-3247 | Facebook |Instagram
Home to the “best vegan Jamaican patties in NYC,” Veggies Natural Juice Bar specializes in providing healthy alternatives to much-loved traditional dishes. But their natural juices are the standouts. They offer combinations aimed at helping different parts of the body, like the “Healthy Bone Tonic,” the “Blood Regenerator” and the “Body Cleanser.”
Mother Earth Juice Bar Café – New York, NY
347-494-5485 | Website | Facebook | Instagram
Founded by a naturopathic health practitioner, Mother Earth Juice Bar Café aims to supply healthy foods, juices, smoothies, tonics, elixirs and herbal remedies that prevent illness and improve vitality. In addition to their fresh eats and drinks, they host weekly health workshops to teach people about herbs and plant-based medicine.
High Vibrations Juice Bar – New York, NY
718-783-4839 | Website | Facebook | Instagram
“Everything has a vibration or frequency, including the foods we eat. Raw fruits and vegetables have the highest,” says the owner of High Vibrations Juice Bar. She helps customers reach their heights by hand selecting each of her products, making sure they’re vegan, organic, non-GMO and without magnesium stearate.
Juiceade – New York, NY
718-991-6369 | Website | Facebook | Instagram
With a mission to empower and educate the Bronx community on the benefits of juicing and veganism, Juiceade not only serves up familiar fruits and vegetables, it includes superfood ingredients with every blend. That can include sea moss, maca powder, chia seeds, black seed oil, spirulina, moringa powder and more.
Texas
Smoothie King #1317 – Houston, TX
832-409-6949 | Website | Instagram
You know Smoothie King. But did you know there’s a Black-owned franchise on Ella Blvd.? They offer smoothies, of course, along with vitamins, supplements and healthy snacks.
Taste My FLAViAS, Inc. -Houston, TX
281-740-2853 | Website | Facebook | Instagram
Taste My FLAViAS is a juice bar on wheels. Catch them in different locations around town, serving up cold-pressed juices and smoothies that aim to nourish the mind, body and soul. They have unique flavor combinations like grape, honeydew, kiwi and kale, or cranberry, pineapple and mango, with prices ranging from $3.33-$9.99.
Hella Juices – Houston, TX
832-215-8762 | Website | Facebook | Instagram
Founded by a respiratory therapist and fitness trainer, Hella Juices’s goal is to keep people fueled to be fit and active throughout the day. Along with cold-pressed juices, they also have specialties like blue algae bowls, dark chocolate energy balls and frozen sangria.
