The popular food trend known as the “acaí bowl” has recently flourished in Charleston. Made from the Brazilian superfood berry, the bowl contains an array of health benefits including promotion of heart and skin health. The acaí bowl, which is normally served as a breakfast, looks like an ice cream due to its thick smoothie texture. Many shops choose to create the base of their bowl from frozen acaí, almond milk and a variety of other fruits. On top of the smoothie mixture, different shops choose to garnish the bowl with granola, more berries, peanut/almond butter and other healthy foods. The bowls range in price but are relatively high in comparison to other breakfast options, however, when considering how full the nutritionally balanced meal will keep you, it is most definitely worth it.

Below I will rank Charleston’s acaí bowls from worst to best…

5. At the bottom of my list is Go Go Greens, of Sullivan’s Island. This shop mostly focuses on their juices and salads, but does include a bowl called “Purple Haze” on their menu, which includes “frozen acaí, banana, mango, coconut water, raisins, seasonal berries, green grapes, toasted coconut and hemp seeds”. Though the bowl includes many of the basic ingredients, they fail to capture the thick smoothie texture. The bowl was liquid-like and I did not feel the grapes highlighted the flavor of the bowl.

4. Next on my list is the Vintage Coffee Cafe, located in Mount Pleasant, which offers two types of bowls. The first called “Classic” is made up of basic toppings including granola, berries, banana and honey. The granola in this bowl was delicious and added great texture, however, like Gogo Greens, I do not feel that they nailed the thick smoothie feeling and flavor component was also not entirely on point. The shop also features a “PB Choco Banana” bowl that includes granola, chocolate, banana and peanut butter swirl. This bowl is very unique, but the texture and flavor of the acaí was still not perfect.

3. This spot was earned by Huriyali Gardens located in downtown Charleston. Not only does the spot feature delicious bowls, but it also has a lovely garden outside that you may sit in while you enjoy your treat. This shop has curated 5 different bowls called “Acaí Bowl, Chocolate Acaí Bowl, Aloha!, Green Bowl and Dragon Bowl”. On my trip to Huriyali, I opted for the basic acaí bowl which was loaded with antioxidant and vitamin rich toppings including cacao nibs, goji berries, seeds and coconut flakes. This bowl highlighted the flavor of the acaí, however the thick smoothie texture was not accomplished entirely. Another disappointment about Huriyali is that their bowls were the most expensive starting at $10. If you would like to add granola or honey to your bowl you will be charged an additional $1 for each.

2. Coming out on top is Beech, a newly opened shop, located on King Street in Downtown Charleston. The thing that differentiates Beech from from other shops is the texture. The texture that Beech achieves in their bowls is extremely thick, like ice cream, making it feel like your having dessert for breakfast. The shop features four bowls called “Beech Bowl, B.A.B., Delecta-Bowl and The Toppa Way”. My personal favorite bowl here is the B.A.B., which includes “acaí, almond butter, granola, banana, strawberry, raspberry, hemp seeds, coconut flakes, and raw honey drizzle”. The bowl has the perfect flavor and textures with the granola and almond butter. They truly highlight the acaí berry’s flavor with the perfect ratio of toppings to smoothie mixture. The prices at Beech are average, and their location makes healthy eating during a shopping trip simple. 

1. The top spot on my list was earned by Brava Bowls Acaí and Smoothies, a food truck that travels to several spots in Charleston. I cannot say enough good things about the company and their acaí bowls. Owners Dana and Norman “spent months retrofitting the Brava Bowls food truck themselves from an old retired church bus”. Brava has 5 different bowls on their menu named “Gnome’s, Chica, Cah-Cow, The Ono and Dragon Bowl”. I have tried almost all of the bowls, however my personal favorite is the Cah-Cow which is described as acaí that is “blended with raw chocolate cacao powder and coconut milk then topped with strawberries, banana, your chocolate chips or cacao nibs, granola and honey”. Brava achieves the perfect texture and has a variety of options depending on what kind of toppings and flavors your looking for in a bowl. My favorite thing about Brava is that they have a goal of “increasing health awareness and sustainability”. To make their bowls as delicious and healthy as possible, they “buy as many organic and local products as possible”. I strongly encourage you to check their Instagram to check the dates and locations they will be stopping at soon.