The Ten Best Smoothie Spots in Auckland
Activewear at the ready.
Smoothies are a scrumptious and super convenient shortcut to ingesting your 5+ a day. Whether you like 'em lean and green or beige and creamy, we've got you covered with our round-up of Auckland's best.
1. Little Bird Unbakery
Little Bird is everyone's favourite organic, raw, dairy and gluten-free and mostly vegan (phew) café in town, and if you can't get a seat, no fear – grab the goodness to go. Whenever someone says "Oh, it's a meal in itself!" of liquid, I'm always doubtful, but these babies are so dense and jam-packed with good fats and fibre that half a cup can fill me up. My go-to is the Cacao Super Smoothie, which blends nut milk, cacao, banana, dates and crunchy trail clusters. It's just like a chocolate milkshake…only pretty damn good for you.
1A Summer Street, Ponsonby
2. Ceres Fresh Market
A mecca for gym bunnies and yummy mummies on weekend mornings, Ponsonby Central's Ceres Fresh Market – as well as peddling some of the best quality and most obscure produce around – boasts a smoothie and juice bar, Liquids for Life. The thick, creamy Goji Sunrise (banana, goji, activated dates and cinnamon) is downright moreish, and the zingy carrot, ginger and beetroot juice is a certified hangover-buster.
Ponsonby Central, 136-146 Ponsonby Road.
3. Wilder and Hunt
With a clean, sugar-free and largely Paleo menu, Wilder and Hunt is my go-to for guilt-free Sunday brunches. Smoothies are made to order (as they damn well should be), and the lovely staff aren't averse to customers asking for a cheeky taste test. Pro tip: if you love berries, go for the Royal, a combination of blueberries, banana, red cabbage, honey and chia seeds.
65 Mackelvie Street, Ponsonby.
4. Domain & Ayr
Famous for their cloudlike '20 minute pancake', this wee Parnell gem also smashes out an awesome range of smoothies. Try the aptly-named Dr. Libby – a perfect mix of coconut water, pineapple, banana and spinach. I'm not usually the biggest fan of green smoothies, but this one has a good consistency and is nice and sweet.
492 Parnell Rd, Parnell.
5. Ethos Cafe @ East West Organics
For the best raw caramel slice and feature fireplace in New Lynn, go no further than Ethos Café. Their range of fresh juices and smoothies are generously portioned and yum (even the ones with kale), with my favourite being the Summery Tropical – mango, pineapple, orange, coconut milk, sacha inca (a type of nut oil), and chia seeds.
34 Portage Rd, New Lynn.
6. Dear Jervois
D.J does everything right, and their fab smoothie offerings are no exception. The blueberry and peanut butter is to die for, and the raspberry and beetroot is worth a few serious injuries or two.
234 Jervois Road, Herne Bay.
7. Organic Mechanic
The boys/travelling salesmen at Organic Mechanic peddle seriously good organic smoothies and kombucha. While they have no fixed pad, you can find them at the La Cigale markets on weekends and keep tabs on their whereabouts/place orders via their website.
Various locations.
8. Sprout
With a unique Asian-inspired menu in a re-converted petrol station at the site of the fantastic Mt Albert markets, Sprout has come a long way since it was just a juice and smoothie bar. But they still do the basics best, and a refreshing cup of kale and mint is always worth the trip. On the current smoothie menu they have - blueberry with date, chia and coconut, and banana with pineapple, raspberry and coconut.
847 New North Road, Mt Albert.
9. Mustard Kitchen
This wonderfully cheap and cheerful Morningside café pumps out spectacular smoothies from a vintage smoothie maker – it's nearly as much fun to watch 'em blend as it is to slurp 'em up.
5 Morningside Drive, Sandringham.
10. Wise Cicada
A hippie oasis in a consumerist desert, Newmarket's Wise Cicada boasts a raw, organic café and a health food store servicing needs you never knew you had. The Organic Green Smoothie, which can be purchased fresh or bottled and contains banana, orange, apple, avocado, dates, chia seeds, seasonal greens, spirulina and maca powder, is tops.
23 Crowhurst St, Newmarket.
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