California, or as it is becoming known, #KALEfornia is an absolute haven for acai-loving, green juice drinking, kale chip eating individuals, such as myself.
This was very clear after a short stroll down Union street and Chestnut street in San Fransisco where every second shop was showcasing cold-pressed juices and vegan desserts… I was most definitely in my element.
Of course I made it my mission to find the best acai bowls in town. I’m sure there are more I haven’t yet tried, but here are my top picks.
Basik acai
Clearly I am not alone in thinking this is one of the best acai bowls around given that people queue for an hour to get their fix on the weekend, myself included.
I tried the “Banyan” bowl (the one with peanut butter) but I don’t think you can go wrong.
Bowl’d Acai
I have been following their drool worthy IG for years so visiting a Bowl’d acai truck was high priority… and it certainly did not disappoint. I opted for the “These Nuts” acai bowl which is topped with homemade granola, banana, peanut butter (and lots of it might I add), hemp seeds, bee pollen and honey. It’s a must try! Toppings were on point.
Remember it’s a moving food truck so be sure you check their website for location.
Nourish cafe
This is a great little cafe serving lots of healthy salads, smoothies and raw treats. They do an original acai as well as a green acai… I opted for the original but for those feeling adventurous the option is there.
Earth bar
I also tried their delicious toast “sampler” where you choose any four sweet and savoury toast toppers. I had the smashed avo and the Mediterranean veg with hummus for savoury and then a house made “nutella” and almond butter for something sweet.
This is another great place to get your acai fix (they also have a great selection of juices and superfood smoothies). I asked for unsweetened and added almond butter – a compulsory addition in my books. It’s right by Soul Cycle if you’re in need of a work out pre gigantic acai. I tried a class while I was away and loved it!
Urban remedy
Urban Remedy is perfect for an on-the-go lunch (they have a lot of pre prepared salads and snacks) as well as cold-pressed juices and almond milk smoothies. It is a chain so you shouldn’t have difficulty locating one, I ran into them everywhere from Union Street and Hayes Valley to the Ferry Building Farmers Markets.
Kokkari
This was my stand out restaurant meal in San Fransisco. If you love quality Greek food, then this place is an absolute must. Very vibey too. Make sure you try the Saghanaki – it is to die for. So much so that we just had to order another round…
I would recommend booking in advance to guarantee a spot.
As well as finding lots of impressive foodie spots, I also found some pretty great coffee – something I was told I would struggle with in the US. My favourite was Blue Bottle coffee… The queue is a bit of a giveaway. They have multiple locations throughout the city. I suggest visiting the one at the Ferry Building Farmers Markets so you can check out the stalls while you’re there.
Another excellent coffee shop I found was in Hayes Valley called Ritual coffee. Hayes Valley is definitely an area worth exploring – lots of trendy cafes and boutiques.
One more thing! If you have time I would highly recommend renting a car for a day trip to Napa Valley (or maybe an overnight trip if you plan on doing lots of wine tastings…) It is such a beautiful spot and so rejuvenating. My sister and I spent the day lounging by the pool at Spa Solage and treating ourselves to massages and their signature mineral rich mud therapy treatment. We came home feeling very zen.
