All photos by Lea Rivel '22

Açaí, a purple berry-like fruit, first started gaining popularity in the 1970s when it was used commercially in Brazil. But it didn’t start gaining more fans until recently, with the many health crazes and increasing interest in veganism during the past few years.

Seeing the popularity of açaí, it’s a guarantee that many Westporters would want to try the most popular açaí dish, the smoothie bowl. No one wants to waste their money though, so I bought and tasted a few common açaí bowls in Westport and nearby in order to help figure out what will get you the most bang for your buck.

First, I headed to Green & Tonic, a health food cafe and store (which offers vegan and non-vegan options), located across from the Westport library. I got the large custom açai bowl topped with almond butter, the “essential” granola and the “superseed sprinkle.” It cost just under $10 and was definitely filling, fitting enough for a full breakfast or brunch. The presentation was great, and there was just enough of all of the elements of the bowl. The texture of the smoothie base was pretty icey and melted a little bit on the sides, but nothing major. It wasn’t too sweet but also definitely not sour, and the delicious topping balanced out the flavor of the base well.

Next up, I headed to a new fan-favorite, GG and Joe, in the downtown area of Westport. I ordered the “GG & Joe” bowl with an açaí base for a little over $11. Every bowl, no matter the choice of base, comes with granola, strawberries, blueberries, banana, coconut flakes, chia seeds and a choice of drizzle (I ordered almond butter for this). The taste wasn’t too bad with this smoothie base; however, it was extremely icey and not very smooth, so that portion wasn’t very pleasant to eat. The fruit was delicious and definitely super fresh, and I liked the addition of the coconut and chia. The granola was not necessarily to my taste as I prefer more toasted and loose varieties; however, it was still objectively great.

Organika Kitchen is a fully vegan eatery in Southport, but I decided to include it because it is still in the area and Westporters tend to eat there. There, I ordered the almond crunch bowl for a little under $12. It’s made with banana, blueberries, açai and almond milk, and it is topped with strawberries, bananas, granola, almond slices, almond butter and raw honey. The texture of the smoothie base was very balanced in terms of thickness and lack of ice, and it also tasted great. It definitely wasn’t shy with the other fruits since açaí is bitter on its own, which satisfied my sweet tooth just enough (but may not be for everybody). The topping to base ratio was perfect and the fruit was clearly fresh and the granola crunchy.

Lastly, the Granola Bar had an unconventional yet still delicious spin on the typical açaí bowl. This one, for about $11, contained organic açaí, banana, blueberry and almond milk, and was offered up in a cup topped with blueberries, strawberries and granola. I really liked the taste of the smoothie base; it was just sweet enough, reminiscent of a strawberry banana smoothie, and not too bitter. However, the base was very liquidy. I was under the impression that it would still be thick even though it was served in a cup, but it was more of a juice or thin smoothie texture. That being said, the crispy cinnamon granola and great taste of the smoothie still made it pretty enjoyable to eat (or drink).

Overall, I think the best açaí bowl was Organika’s. It was the most balanced and had a fantastic flavor profile. Although it was a bit pricey, so were some of the others, and comparatively, it was the best quality bowl for the small difference in price. I’d definitely go back and eat this dish regularly.