With its abundance of sports team pride and students dressed in athletic wear on the daily, it's not hard to tell that Boston prides itself on health and fitness. A major food trend that the city has started to adopt is the açaí bowl. Originally from Brazil, these tropical treats have made their way to United States with their unique flavors and Instagram-worthy presentation. Here are six of the best açaí bowls near Northeastern University at local juice bars and cafés where you can try an açaí bowl for yourself.
JUGOS
Location: Right next to the Back Bay T stop on the Orange Line
What I ordered: The São Paulo Bowl
Thoughts: An açaí-cacao blend topped with granola, banana, cacao nibs and coconut, the São Paulo is perfect for people who prefer a bowl with less fruit and more diverse toppings. The cacao makes the açaí base less sweet than the traditional bowl, which I really liked because some bowls with only fruit aren't always filling.
Best part: This location is super easy to get to from Northeastern's campus. More importantly, the coconut on top is an awesome choice, and is the perfect finishing touch.
Mother Juice
Location: On Newbury Street, not far from Urban Outfitters and Trident Booksellers.
What I ordered: The Original Açaí Bowl
Thoughts: I visited Mother Juice on a dreary, snowy day, and this bowl was the perfect tropical pick-me-up. Mother Juice definitely got the sizing right for their açaí bowls — even though I'll never say no to more food, some açaí bowls can be totally oversized to the point where it becomes too much to eat all at once. To me, this was a great example of the classic açaí bowls that so many people love.
Best part: I was a huge fan of all of the berries that topped the bowl, which made it taste super fresh. I visited Mother Juice during a Saturday brunch rush, and while I only got to try the açaí bowl, other items on the menu, especially the avocado toast and salad bowls, looked amazing too.
Cocobeet
Location: Just a few steps outside of the Government Center T stop on the Green Line
What I ordered: The Original Açaí Bowl
Thoughts: This bowl was made with maqui berries, which I had never heard of until I stopped by Cocobeet, but I can say for sure that they're a game changer. These berries were a unique addition to the coconut shavings, and they went well really with the walnut and sunflower seed granola.
Best part: Cocobeet's bowl had an awesome selection of toppings that all tasted great together. Sometimes, juice bars will make bowls with lots of add-ons that photograph beautifully, but don't actually taste that good. Cocobeet made an açaí bowl that was even more delicious than it looks.
Kwench Juice Cafe
Location: Financial District
What I ordered: The South Station Bowl
Thoughts: I have Kwench to thank for introducing me to cacao nibs, which I would absolutely recommend to all dark chocolate lovers. These little pieces of dried cacao are low in sugar, but taste incredible when mixed with the açaí and strawberries.
Best part: When I arrived at Kwench, the person who was making my bowl told me all about the kinds on ingredients on hand and let me customize my bowl the way I liked it. I loved how open and friendly he was, because it really encouraged me to come back another time.
Liquiteria
Location: Harvard Square (note: I realize that this isn't super close to Northeastern, but I heard so many great things about Liquiteria and made the trip out — it was definitely worth it.)
What I ordered: The Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia Bowl
Thoughts: This is the perfect bowl for any one who loves fruit. Of all the bowls I tried, the one from Liquiteria was definitely the sweetest. The blend was mostly açaí, which isn't as sweet as the berries, but all of the fruit on top was super fresh and the chia seeds were a great addition.
Best part: I really loved Liquiteria because of its location right across the street from the Harvard Yard. Luckily, I visited on a nice day, so I was able to enjoy the bowl in a beautiful setting (and pretend that I actually got in to Harvard).
Thirst Juice Company
Location: On School Street, about a five minute walk from Primark or the Park Street T stop on the Green Line
What I ordered: The Peanut Butter Açaí Bowl
Thoughts: I loved this bowl because it wasn't soupy, but more like soft-serve ice cream, so I didn't feel like it was melting as I held it in my hands. I also really liked that the only had two toppings —strawberries and granola — because I could really enjoy the açaí base itself without being overwhelmed by so much other stuff.
Best part: The granola topping with almonds and sunflower seeds was hands-down some of the best I've ever eaten — I seriously contemplated ordering another bowl with just granola on top. Also, the three women working at Thirst that day were super friendly and helped me stage the perfect photo-op for the bowl.
Açaí bowls are perfect for when you don't want to sacrifice your sweet tooth for eating healthy, and Boston has so many great places for you to get your fix. If you're as addicted to them as I am, you can also buy the ingredients yourself to make your own for a meal that pleases health nuts and couch potatoes alike.