The Best Thing I Ever Ate in Philly: Juice Edition 

Go ahead and bookmark this list, then refer to it the next time you’re thirsty.

Photo via Facebook | The Juice Philly

Photo via Facebook | The Juice Philly

*Welcome to our occasional feature, The Best Thing I Ever Ate in Philly. We’re on a mission to find the most delicious, indulgent restaurant dishes for every kind of dieter—whether you’re gluten-free, vegan, raw and more. We’re all about occasional splurges, and that’s what this series is all about. We’ll talk to foodies to find out their favorite eats, but feel free to add yours in the comments. Bon appétit!

My weather app tells me that the temperature outside at this very moment is a balmy 76 degrees, and you know what that means? That means juice season has officially arrived, friends! As you probably know, nothing ruins juice season quite like paying upward of $8 for a drink only to find that it tastes like straight-up grass mixed with beet-flavored detergent. So, to help make sure your juice season goes smoothly, we asked some of our favorite folks from the Philly fitness world (you know how fitness folks love their juice) to dish on their absolute favorite juices around the city.

It’s safe to say there are a few clear stand-outs: The Juice Philly gets lots of love on this list, for both juices and juice blends (which have a more smoothie-like consistency), and Stripp’d Juice’s Jala at Ya Boy is clear winner in the green juice arena. Now, go ahead and bookmark this list, and refer to it the next time you’re thirsty.

Pssst: Don’t see your favorite juice on this list? Shout it out in the comments!

Jayel Lewis of JL Fitness 
Best thing ever: Jala at Ya Boy at Stripp’d Juice

“The surprising combination of pure deliciousness is filled with amazing ingredients like red grapefruit, kale, apple, jalapeño, lemon, and blood orange. If you have the opportunity to try it, I recommend you grab more than one bottle. It’s like a smoky margarita turned healthy, sans alcohol. And the best part? The actual juice bar location has a bar-like feel, so when you don’t know what to choose, you can try them all — and they offer shots, too! Healthy ones, of course.”

Ali Jackson of Never Give Up Training 
Best thing ever: Mango Cilantro from The Juice Philly 

“My juice go-to is definitely the Mango Cilantro by the one and only The Juice Philly! The delicious blend of spinach, cilantro, mango, pineapple, lime and coconut water is amazing. You get the sweetness from the mango and pineapple, with the cilantro and spinach to cut the sugar and add a fresh, healthy mouth-watering finish! The combination of mango and cilantro is genius for flavor, but also acts as an anti-inflammatory, which I love as a perk for after long sweat sessions. I also love The Juice Philly’s Coffee + Kale, as well as the Beets + Berries.”

Erin Jaskiewicz of Philly Vegans
Best thing ever: Pineapple Charcoal Lemon-aid at Sip-N-Glo

“This lemonade is refreshingly delicious despite it dark appearance! You can’t taste the charcoal at all, but still reap its detoxifying benefits. If you closed your eyes, you would think you were drinking yellow pineapple lemonade.”

Lia Belardo of the Team Human League Meatless Monday Running Crew 
Best thing ever: Red Root Juice by Juice Dr. at HubBub  

“My new favorite juice is the Red Root Juice from HubBub. It’s pineapple, sweet potato, carrot and beet, and it’s perfect for any endurance athlete. I love the Juice Dr. for Hub Bub juice line because it’s hard to find 100 percent organic juices in philly for the low-ish price point of $7.25. Plus, nothing goes better with a cold-pressed, raw, organic juice than a giant soy latte!”

Emily Leaman, Lifestyle Director at Philly Mag (and former Be Well Philly editor!) 
Best thing ever: Coffee + Kale from The Juice Philly 

“I know: Coffee and kale sounds like a pretty disgusting combination. And the truth is, in smoothie form, the two all blended together actually yield a concoction that looks as gross as it sounds: a thick, sludgy greenish-brown, well, mess. Ah, but looks can be deceiving, because this drink — the brainchild of juice guru Katie Rodger of The Juice Philly — is one I quite literally dream about on the regular. It’s probably the one exception to my well-documented kale aversion because — and here’s the rub, fellow kale hater — you actually can’t taste the kale. What you can taste is the coffee, almonds and vegan chocolate protein that give this drink legs, making it feel more like a Starbucks-approved calorie bomb than a nutrient-dense (Hey! There’s avocado in there, too!) breakfast-in-jar. The stuff really does keep me full for hours on end.”

Shoshana Katz of Body Cycle Studio 
Best thing ever: A tie between the Jala at Ya Boy and the Bishop from Stripp’d Juice 

“I normally HATE green juice because I can’t stand cucumbers. (I know, I know: WHAT?! But really, I even despise the smell.) But not the Jala at Ya Boy. This juice gets its name from the jalapeños in it, but even if spicy is not your thing, do not worry: The juice doesn’t have a massive kick — it’s a bit tangy and sweet. With the red grapefruit, kale, apple, lemon, and blood orange, it is seriously magic. My other favorite, the Bishop, is like delish and fancy lemonade. Super refreshing with apple, lemon, and ginger root. I wish they made a 32-ounce size of this jawn to have with me on a summer day.” (Hint, hint, Stripp’d.)

Dan Layo of The November Project
Best thing ever: Vanilla Chai from The Juice Philly

“Though slightly less well-known than her sister Coffee + Kale, Vanilla Chai is equally delicious. I have a well documented sweet tooth and Vanilla Chai’s tasty vanilla bean flavor, with hints of nut and honey, makes it the dessert of juices. Yet the banana and coconut water keep it refreshing and make it a  perfect post-workout drink.  Because I mostly workout in the morning, it’s a great treat to start the day before heading into the office.”

 

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