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With earthy colors that seem to reflect our desert landscape, like saguaro green and pink prickly pear fruit, smoothies can be just as grounding as they are nutritious and tasty.
Smoothie shops seem to exist on every other street corner but many national chains add extra sugar and powders. These local spots, in contrast, focus more on blending together raw ingredients for a wholesome beverage.
Here are our favorite local smoothie joints to find nourishing frozen drinks that will cool you off (and revitalize you).
Pure Love Juice started with two sisters wanting to spread their desire to stay healthy through food. In addition to drawing you in with their tasty drinks, they spread their message with quotes pasted to the walls and around the rustic wooden countertops in their store.
Need a body boost? To pump up your essential mineral intake, try the Pure Hulk Power Smoothie. Featuring avocado, banana, spinach, kale, Greek yogurt, orange, and a coconut topping, the ingredients are filling and satisfying. The bonus? Those leafy greens provide you with magnesium, potassium, and Vitamin E.
They also have flavors such as Pure Velvety (strawberry, banana, cashews, coconut oil, coconut milk, and dates, topped with unsweetened coconut flakes) and a Pure Detox smoothie (cucumber, orange, beet, lemon, ginger, and carrot juice, topped with unsweetened coconut flakes).
For more information, visit purelovejuicebar.com.
Xoom Juice features a clean, minimalist space with a welcoming blue counter, seats, and plenty of magazines to peruse while hanging out.
The Pinata Colada Smoothie makes it feel like summer regardless of season. The tropical infusion combines banana, pineapple and pineapple juice, coconut, and frozen yogurt in a drink. It’s creamy and tart, taking you to place of paradise.
There are plenty of other smoothies to check out, including the Blastin Blackberries (blackberry, fresh yogurt, guava juice, and mango) or Maximus Cactus (mango juice, prickly pear, peach, blueberry, and froyo).
For more information, visit xoomjuice.com.
Goodness offers a variety of smoothies and juices. But if you’re not feeling smoothies, they also offer sandwiches, salads, and healthy bowls.
One of their most popular smoothie options is The Goods — a drink that blends acai, mixed berries, avocado, chia seeds, banana, vanilla, agave, and coconut milk. The agave provides a subtle natural sweetness and the chia, needed fiber.
Other great choices include Hot Tropic (pineapple, mango, banana, chia seeds, dates, mint, honey, and coconut milk) and Daily Buzz (house cold brew, peanut butter, chocolate, banana, agave, chia seeds, and whole milk).
For more information, visit goodnessfresh.com.
Plant-based restaurant Urban Fresh offers a Maca Java smoothie that is worth coming back for again and again. The sharpness of the coffee, giving quite the caffeine kick, is balanced with the sweetness from the added dates. The superfood ingredient maca, a Peruvian root vegetable, tastes earthy and nutty and adds a great source of protein.
This quaint, downtown smoothie place has a diverse menu and plenty of unique flavor options. Personal favorites include Maca Java and Funky Monkey — both nut milk based and supercharged with goodness.
For more information, visit urbanfreshtucson.com.
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Juice Envy features an open, well-lit space — which is where they make their 100% raw smoothies.
The Dragon Colada smoothie mixes orange juice, pitaya, pineapple, mango, banana, and coconut for a fruity, exotic drink. Dragon fruit, also called pitaya, has a gorgeous hot pink color.
Not only is it eye-catching, but it also tastes naturally sweet and is rich in magnesium — good for boosting energy and assisting in muscle recovery (post-workout plus).
Their menu has other great finds like Orange Berry Breeze (orange juice, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries) and Spirulina Surprise (coconut water, spinach, kale, pineapple, banana, and spirulina).
For more information, visit juiceenvybar.com.
Previously part of the chain Keva Juice, Fruit Shack is now de-franchised and locally owned.
Looking for something tart but need a pick me up? Try the Love my Lime smoothie. Strawberries, raspberries, lime sherbert, and raspberry juice combine to create a refreshing, tangy concoction.
Other house favorites include Getcha Guava (peaches, strawberries, pineapple sherbert, and guava juice) and Avocado Smoothie (spinach, bananas, avocado, almond milk).
The smoothie place serves different types of shakes and protein bowls in addition to smoothies.
For more information, visit fruitshacksmoothies.com.
This acai bowl-serving food truck has a shiny purple exterior and a recognizable palm tree logo. While their acai is rave-worthy, their smoothies are also worth checking out.
Choose from a superfood Green Leaf smoothie, the Very Berry, or a summery Citrus Boost.
Purple Tree can be found in one of their regular parking spots near University of Arizona or Tumamoc Hill.
Keep up with Purple Tree Organic Acai Blends on Facebook.
Berry Divine, commonly known for their acai bowls, also serves several colorful fruit smoothies right on Congress Street.
Try the Luscious (acai berry, banana, mango, strawberries, and cashew milk) for a smooth drink with a naturally sweet taste.
Other flavors such as Rio (acai berry, mango, kale, mint, ginger, guarana coconut water, and lime juice) as well as Avalance (acai berry, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, almond milk, and protein powder) taste rich and creamy, providing the nutrients your body craves.
For information, visit berrydivineacai.com.
