We’ve had some dismal weather recently but we all know that summer is just around the corner. Pretty soon we’ll be ditching our sweaters and rain gear to bare our arms, legs, midriffs, and in some cases a little too much more. While there’s nothing like hunkering down in the New York winter to slurp bowl after bowl of steaming ramen, come summertime it often is too hot and sticky to stomach more than a salad or smoothie. And if you’re after some lighter fare, Greenpoint’s recent addition, Acai Berry (650 Manhattan Ave), could be your go-to stopping place on your way to McCarren Park this summer.
Opened in March 2016 at 650 Manhattan Avenue, Acai Berry offers a lot more than the name implies. Of course you can get the popular and refreshing acai bowl, but the vegan restaurant also offers a host of other snacks, juices and light meals. The acai bowl comes in four different 16-ounce options, all for a reasonable $10. You can opt for the traditional “Aronia Bite” bowl that comes topped with fruit, hemp granola and chia seeds, the ever present healthy green option with spinach, kale and avocado blended into the base or go all out for the “Choco Lava” bowl which incorporates raw cocoa and chocolate hemp protein into the mix.
Prefer a straw to a spoon? Check out the list of juices and smoothies—also available in 16-ounce portions minus the toppings. Prices range from $6 to $8 and there are a lot of tasty antioxidant rich ingredients to choose from, many of which are organic. There’s also a list of protein smoothies with added chocolate or vanilla protein powder.
In addition to all of their refreshing and healthful drinks, Acai Berry also offers some tasty vegan eats. Starters such as miso soup, edamame or veggie gyoza will only set you back $3 to $6 and are a great snack for between meals or as an addition to the colorful vegan sushi on the menu. Even if you aren’t vegan, I recommend giving Acai Berry’s sushi a shot next time you’re getting ready to order the standby california roll or spicy tuna roll at your usual sushi place. They have some really interesting flavor combinations–for instance, the “Pickle Zen” which includes six grain rice, gobo (burdock root), relish shitake mushroom, pickled daikon, and is topped with avocado, rainbow mix and vegan amber sauce or the “Southern Passion” with black rice, avocado, jicama, pickled jalapeno, and topped with mango and a vegan raspberry sauce.
On top of all of that, Acai Berry also offers rice paper wraps (think Vietnamese summer rolls but with more variety). I could practically live off of these things come summertime. At Acai Berry, $7 will get you nine inches of rice paper wrap, and there are three different options to choose from, all stuffed with green tea noodles and a variety of vegetables, herbs and extras. Finally, you could opt for one of their salads or steamed dishes which offer playful combinations of colors and textures. You’ve got grains and seeds, fruits and vegan proteins. If you want healthy, Acai Berry has got you covered.
Acai Berry is located at 650 Manattan Avenue in Greenpoint.