Juice Joint
1525 Barton Springs Road, 494-1767
Daily, 8am-8pm
Amidst the gastronomic gauntlet of neon-lit eateries lining the entrance to Zilker Park stands this inauspicious but far from overlooked South Austin fave. True to its humble character, the Juice Joint sticks to smoothie basics and produces excellent elixirs, great for any post-Zilker workout. Choose two fruits from a list of 11, including acia, a little-known, high-protein berry from Brazil. Add a juice and sip or scoop your way through 16 ounces of blendered fun.
Smoothie King
504 W. 24th St., Ste. A, 474-2929
10900 Research, Ste. 150C, 231-1414
6406 N. I-35, Ste. 1575, 452-3558
10616 Research, 231-9499
Hours vary depending on location
Decisions, decisions, decisions. Good thing their locations are open late. With 37 varieties of smoothies to choose from, it might take a fair bit of time until you figure out what you want. From lowfat to high-calorie to specialty concoctions, the original smoothie people offer something for everyone. After a hard workout, try their Power Meal Smoothie while checking out their extensive nutritional supplements section.
Jamba Juice
600 Congress, 478-8696
Mon-Fri, 7am-7pm; Sat-Sun, 10am-5pm
10710 Research, 342-9998
Mon-Fri, 7am-9pm; Sat, 9am-9pm; Sun, 10am-8pm
“Intense” is the best word to describe the Jamba’s fruit sensation experience. Brimming with just-picked flavor, these creations are packed with tastebud-bursting depth, like the ripe-off-the-tree Mango a Go-Go and the Strawberries Wild. Complementing these healthy tall boys is an equally healthy selection of vegetarian soups and Jambolas — high nutrition mini-bread loaves. Excellent service and friendly people explain why this chain that is new to Austin is sprouting up across the country.
Central Market
4001 North Lamar, 206-1000
Daily, 9am-9pm
4477 S. Lamar, 899-4300
Daily, 9am-9pm
No surprise that Austin’s emporium of everything food would have smoothies waiting to greet shoppers as they walk in the front entrance. With its legendary produce section only steps away, it’s a given that its field-fresh reputation carries over to the smoothie bar. The mixed fruit drink is particularly delicious. With a blend of grapes, peaches, cantaloupe, and melon, the combination works very well creating a mélange that leaves your insides feeling happy and healthy.
TCBY
303 W. MLK, 320-8229
3818 Far West Blvd., 794-8355
3710 Crawford Ave., 451-8229
3201 Bee Caves Rd., 327-9513
Hours vary depending on location
The home of frozen yogurt adds a dollop of its namesake to each smoothie it whips up. And whipped it is — rich and dense. Add any combo of fresh fruit to your favorite yogurt flavor. The blackberry smoothie comes speckled with tiny chunks of pulpy fruit folded into the yogurt-thick creaminess.
Smoothie Shak
11011 Research, 346-2700
Mon-Sat, 10am-9pm; Sun, noon-7pm
705 W. 24th, 476-9700
Mon-Fri, 10am-8pm; Sun, noon-6pm
Great for students, with its campus location and good-value pricing. A whopping 20-ounce size cup will set you back only three bucks with tax. And while the price is right, so too are their smoothies. Their large selection includes favorites like Peach Coral and Mango Mango. The Muscle Power smoothie has a nice balance between strawberries and bananas while packing a hefty dose of heart-healthy soy protein.
Wheatsville Co-op
3101 Guadalupe, 478-2667
Daily, 9am-11pm
(smoothie/deli bar open till 9pm)
Remember creamsicles? Love ’em? If so, you will love Wheatsville’s double banana smoothie. Twice the fun of a regular banana smoothie with a kiss of orange folded in, Wheatsville’s creamy creation is not only chiffon smooth, but it may just transport you back, if only momentarily, to those lazy, long-ago summers of youth. A far-and-away best buy at $2.80. Pair it up with one of Wheatsville deli’s great sandwiches for a fast, filling meal.
This article appears in September 8 • 2000.