From avocado toast to apple cider vinegar, Gen Z is no stranger to healthy food trends. With their fruit-packed and antioxidant rich qualities, it’s no surprise that acai bowls are one of them.
However, as college students, 12 dollars on an average smoothie bowl might seem like money better spent elsewhere when met with a lackluster frozen mess. Whether it’s in the Gulch, 12th South or Hillsboro, look no further for the review that will ensure you get the bowl that’s worth your buck in Music City.
1201 Demonbreun Street
My order: The Pro Bowl
From the presentation to the flavor components, this bowl bursts with the character and originality that would be expected of a Gulch-located spot. It screams LA vegan, which was more than exciting for this southern California girl.
The bowl is a mountain of acai blended with blueberries and banana, with just the right amount of each to ensure that the blend is sweet but doesn’t feel like a mouthful of straight sugar. Protein powder is always a welcome addition to my acai bowls and smoothies, and E + ROSE does it right, perfectly incorporating the powder without the grainy texture or chalky protein taste. On to the toppings: you know that granola that every acai place in existence uses? E + ROSE is NOT on that bandwagon. Theirs is simple, yet different, accentuating the other toppings of bananas, cinnamon, sliced almonds and honey. The blend was smooth but not icy—achieving that perfect half-melty texture. They also mix the peanut butter, granola and almonds throughout the acai, giving each bite the perfect juxtaposition of salty-yet-sweet taste and crunchy-yet-smooth texture.
Acai-to-topping ratio: 75 percent : 25 percent
Tier: A
2301 12th Avenue South
My order: Bombom Bowl
Located in Nashville’s eclectic 12th South, Franklin Juice Co. is probably my most frequented Instagram acai account (what’s yours?). Although the pictures all flaunt the same perfectly placed toppings and artsy logo-design that I received with my order, looks can be deceiving. Upon digging in, I was met with a hollow center filled with granola—not the tasty acai that I hoped to be enjoying. Nonetheless, the blend combines acai, strawberries and bananas for a fruity, tangy taste and an icy texture. Topped with strawberries and status-quo granola, the addition of cacao nibs and almond slices added crunch and earthiness to this bowl.
Acai-to-topping ratio: 50:50
Tier: B
3904 Hillsboro Pike
My order: The Berry Bowl
Sadly, acai is not the star of this bowl. In a blend of acai, banana, almond milk and honey, the bowl is a bit watery and flavorless. This bowl also lacked structure— basically falling to soup before I could finish. If you’re a fan of thinner, smoothie-consistency bowls, this place might be for you. But, if you’re like me and want some ~thickness~, maybe skip this one.
What the bowl lacked in consistency was compensated for by their generous toppings. Clean Juice added almost a whole banana AND goji berries—an elite topping choice that brings crunchy texture and a tart taste to the topping portfolio. Again, the granola wasn’t anything special. No complaints but certainly no brownie points for the unoriginal choice.
Acai-to-topping ratio: 80:20
Tier: C
2424 Elliston Place
My order: Frutta Bowl
Acai bowls just taste better when they’re included on the card. Frutta Bowls, although not ranking high on my Nashville acai bowl list, definitely makes a good case if you’re looking to be economical. That being said, despite frequenting Frutta Bowls many times before, I’m just not impressed. Most notably, the acai-to-toppings ratio is too low. The acai blend is your typical acai-banana-strawberry blend, but made sweet (too sweet if you ask me) by the thick layer of nutella and peanut butter on top. Personally, I like to feel like a health queen when I eat an acai bowl, and the overly-sweetened blend makes it taste more like a dessert than a “fruit bowl” as the name might suggest. Again, it’s topped with the classic acai bowl granola, but also has a generous amount of kiwi, pineapple and strawberries. It’s creamy, yet crunchy and reminds me a bit of a fruity peanut butter cup.
Acai-to-topping ratio: 65:35
Tier: C
1806 20th Avenue South
My order: Mango Passion Bowl
Topped with a load of mango, pineapple and coconut, this acai bowl from Hillsboro’s newest spot gives me all the tropical vibes. The base is sweet yet flavorful, just like an acai sorbet. Grain and Berry adds a slightly sweeter touch to the classic acai bowl granola, with a rich honey and oats flavor. The texture is icy, with a melty consistency towards the bottom of the bowl. Although the taste and freshness of the toppings make it a strong competitor for Urban Juicer’s bowls, its acai-to-granola ratio was too low, with the granola taking up half the square footage of the plastic bowl.
Acai-to-topping ratio: 50:50
Tier: B
222 11th Ave South
My order: Smooth Acai Bowl
I Love Juice Bar’s acai bowl definitely has me feeling some type of way. The blend was sweet from the acai and slightly tangy from the strawberries, making for just the right amount of sweetness and flavor. Like E + ROSE, I Love Juice bar forges their own path for granola. It’s clumpy with a honey and oat flavor that reminisces of honey nut cheerios. Although I felt slightly betrayed by the lack of toppings, the addition of the hemp hearts was a welcomed aesthetic touch. It’s more on the smoothie consistency side, but the chewiness of the honey, the crunch from the granola clusters and the softness of the fruit made for a mouth-watering texture in every bite. I’ll definitely be back.
Acai-to-topping ratio: 85:15
Tier: A
