Stories abound regarding the invention of the smoothie, but they all seem to share one thing: a tale of someone creating an alternative treat to thick, rich milkshakes and other similar goodies. But the modern smoothie has evolved into big busi- ness, and the choices of flavors, extracts, powders, and other smoothie paraphernalia are simply mind-boggling. In Austin, smoothies have different consistencies and flavors all across town, and their makers have diverse formulas for what makes a smoothie a smoothie. Whatever the formula, here are six of our favorites:
Avocado Smoothie
The only smoothie flavor missing at coco’s cafe is Kitchen sink. a sweet and simple blend of ice, milk, fruit juice, and flavor, the smoothies at coco’s are anything but expected. The flavors include everything from green bean to cotton candy to peanut butter. our favorite? The mellow and mild avocado smoothie.
Coco’s Cafe, 1910 Guadalupe St., 236-9398, cocos-cafe.com
100% organic Blueberry Smoothie
Oh, blueberries. Your muffins are delicious. But your smoothies have for too long gone unnoticed. Well, no more. The vegan Yacht’s blueberry smoothie, with add-ins like hemp protein and organic cacao, takes the cake out of the equation and mixes it up with organic unsweet soy milk for a rich flavor that’ll part your clouds.
The Vegan Yacht, 1001 E. 6th St., 619-7989, theveganyacht.com
Mango Smoothie
Everybody loves mango. Whip it up with a dollop of fruit juice, banana, and sorbet, and that fine little fruit becomes even more lovable. at conscious cravings, the mango smoothie loves you back with a kick of fresh tropical flavor and a hearty helping of flax seeds so you can get your omega-3s on. in? Whatever.
Conscious Cravings, 1901 Rio Grande St., 782-0546, consciouscravingsaustin.com
Strawberry Fields Smoothie
Banana and apple juice are pretty basic smoothie starters, but the tangy-sweet taste of strawberries and the rich-sweet taste of honey add some much-needed dimension, making the strawberry fields smoothie at Mambo Berry at once more zingy, more sexy, and more delicious.
Mambo Berry, 1600 S. Congress Ave., mamboberry.com
The Elvis Smoothie
The elvis smoothie is a labor of burnin’ love that will have your inner old, sweaty elvis feeling like young, vibrant, sexy elvis again in no time. Banana, nut butter, and cacao combined with almond milk (and you know it’s got to be hard to milk all those little almonds) make for a creamy, dreamy smoothie you can’t help but fall in love with.
Lift Cafe, 215 S. Lamar Blvd., 472-5438, liftaustin.com
Chai Chi Smoothie
chi is defined as a flow of energy that sustains all living things. as such, daily Juice’s chai chi smoothie can be defined as the flow of banana, chai, organic rice milk, fresh ginger, coconut oil, and vanilla that sustains some living things. especially if those living things are thirsty smoothie geeks.
Daily Juice, 1625 Barton Springs Rd., 480-9501, dailyjuice.org
