In, out and in favour, don’t miss the flavour of healthy acai

Acai bowls were a thing. And then they weren’t. Then they were again. So take your place in line and check out our list of the best places to try acai in Sydney right now.

Acai bowls were a thing. And then they weren’t. Then they were again. So take your place in line and check out our list of the best places to try acai in Sydney.

Thirsty Monkey

Multiple locations

Thirsty Monkey.

With stores dotted throughout Sydney, from Marrickville to Liverpool, Thirsty Monkey has garnered a loyal following – and regular queues – enamoured with the smooth and creamy acai soft-serve, piled super-high in a satisfying swirl. The bowls are as Instagrammable as they are delicious, and come stacked with a generous amount of the usual granola, strawberry and banana, or an array of topping choices that include peanut butter, coconut, honey and Nutella. And though the acai has legions of followers, there’s just as much love for Thirsty Monkey’s range of juices and shakes, making it a one-stop-shop for feeling good.

thirstymonkey.com.au

SolBowl

Multiple locations

SolBowl.

What started as Soul Bowls in Paramatta in 2017 has blossomed under its rebranded name to a number of popular spots across Sydney (and one in Melbourne), each dispensing a stacked range of colourful, wholesome and generous bowls, including vegetable-filled green bowls and fruity smoothie bowls. But it’s the acai that keeps us coming back; smooth, rich and enthusiastically adorned with everything from matcha to macarons. Because finding the perfect balance of healthy and indulgent is what we think life is all about.

solbowl.au

Fruitologist

Bondi and Rozelle

Fruitologist.

The racks of spectacular in-season fruit arranged outside these beloved neighbourhood grocers give a good indication of the kind of vibrancy and freshness you can expect not only from your acai bowl – beautifully dark-purple and topped with generous collections of granola, strawberry and banana – but all the other goodies on offer. Smoothies, salads, great coffee and fruit-topped yoghurt served in a halved papaya, this is the kind of brunch spot that leaves you glowing all day. But back to that acai – cleverly, Fruitologist’s soft-serve isn’t overly sweet, so you can double down on toppings.

2 Nagurra Place, Rozelle; 151 Bondi Rd, Bondi; fruitologist.com.au

Culture Bean

Kogarah

Culture Bean.

Some mornings call for an acai bowl, adorned with beautifully arranged strawberries, bananas, blueberries, coconut shavings, crunchy granola and a generous drizzle of honey. And then some mornings, you just want a big plate of scrambled eggs with crispy bacon, hash browns, haloumi, grilled mushrooms and tomato and buttery toast. However, you’ve woken up feeling, Culture Bean has you covered with a big menu of colourful classics – including that stacked acai bowl – along with some top-notch coffee and other breakfast faves like shakshuka. Need an extra sweet hit? Those chunky Butter Boy cookies on the counter are calling your name.

15 Gray St, Kogarah

Cali Press

Multiple locations

Cali Press.

Imagine a swirl of icy acai covered with peanut butter, almond butter and a rich chocolatey, hazelnut butter, studded with strawberries and banana slices, adorned with granola and cocoa nibs and drizzled with chocolate sauce. It’s called, appropriately, The Ultimate, and it’s the signature at this “healthy” California-style eatery that started out in Bronte but has since exploded to almost 20 spots across Sydney. Want to keep things a little more simple? The Little Acai pares things back to basics (acai, granola, strawberry and banana), while the MYO (make your own) is a choose-your-own-adventure of all things delicious and wholesome.

calipress.com.au