13 of the Best Açaí Bowls in San Diego
Açaí bowls are a San Diego staple. And once you’ve learned how to pronounce the name of these grape-like, Amazonian berries correctly (aa-saa-ee), you think you’ve got them down. It’s a sweetened smoothie bowl with an açaí base that’s topped with fruit, granola, honey, and, if you can swing the extra charge, peanut butter. Pair it with an iced coffee and a slow beach day, and you’ve got yourself one hell of a morning.I also believed that was the extent of açaí bowls. Though some places are more generous with the PB than others, they mostly tasted the same to me. But upon conducting a further investigation, I’m happy to report that many of us were dead wrong.San Diego’s açaí bowls span the spectrum of savory to sweet, simple to complex, and walkable to so-big-you’ll-need-two-hands. There are many unique options worth trying—starting with these 13.Courtesy of TripadvisorNorthside ShackAçaí SorbetNorthside Shack serves up a true classic as part of its build-your-own-bowl menu: a sweetened, dairy-free açaí sorbet, to which you can add all the usual suspects, including strawberries, pineapple, gluten-free granola, and coconut shreds. Prepare for a long battle with your to-go lid, because when it comes to toppings, Northside Shack does not skimp. 1255 Rosecrans Street, Point Loma | 3773 30th Street, Unit H, North ParkCourtesy of PostmatesThe Cliffs CafeMonkey BusinessWhen Mayra Contreras took over The Cliffs Cafe in 2017, she wanted to do something different with her açai bowls—so instead of blending frozen berries with milk like most places, she experimented with apple juice. The Monkey Business bowl was born. She says the juice gives the açai base (and its blueberry, banana, and peanut butter accompaniments) a fresher flavor.1830 Sunset Cliffs Boulevard, Ocean BeachCourtesy of Señor Mango’sSeñor Mango’sAçaí BowlIf you’ve read our deep dive on local tortas, you know I have a lot of love for Señor Mango’s. That affection extends to the shop’s açaí bowls. As a nod to the name, top yours with mango slices. They add a burst of tropical brightness that will make you wonder why you ever thought banana was enough.4607 30th Street, University Heights | 3042 North Park Way, North ParkCourtesy of Nekter Juice BarNekter Juice BarChocolate BowlCuriosity (and my sweet tooth) got the best of me when I perused Nekter’s menu. The national franchise recently began blending açaí with banana, strawberry, housemade cashew milk, almond butter, agave nectar, and cocoa powder for a bowl that tastes more like a milkshake than a smoothie. But don’t let the cacao nibs and chocolate drizzle keep you from thinking this isn’t a decent post-gym meal—thanks to the addition of vanilla protein powder, it offers a whopping 23 grams of protein.Various locationsCourtesy of Val’s Coffee CornerVal’s Coffee CornerAçaí BowlWe all have our neighborhood go-tos, and as a proud OBecian, Val’s is mine. I’ve had the açaí sorbet bowl there more times than I care to publicly admit on the internet, and it always hits the spot. It’s topped with the typical fare: banana slices, strawberries, blueberries, honey, chia seeds, and granola. What sets it apart for me, though, is the layer of toasted coconut. You can add PB if you’d like, but the nutty crunch of the coconut flakes makes the additional charge unnecessary.1869 Cable Street, Ocean BeachCourtesy of Door DashAçaí CariocaBuild Your OwnMost smoothie bowls have the same setup: a fruit base smothered in various yummy bits and bobs. Açaí Carioca, however, assembles its build-your-own bowls in multiple layers that include condensed milk; açaí berries blended with honey, protein powder, or vegan agave; dry whole milk; and your selected toppings. The tiered structure of the bowls (which are really more like cups) makes each bite richer, as do unique extras like Nutella and peanut butter crumbs.3772 Voltaire Street, Point Loma | 743 Emerald Street, Pacific BeachCourtesy of Blue BowlBlue BowlThe Lazy BlueIf you’re over upcharges, you’ll love Blue Bowl‘s fixed-price menu that lets you go nuts on the long list of add-ins (which, fittingly, includes a lot of nuts). You can customize the açaí base with everything from maple quinoa to lime zest to mulberries, but if the amount of choices is too overwhelming, dip your toe into the topping madness with The Lazy Blue. This fan-favorite bowl comes with açaí, pitaya, blue chia pudding, pumpkin flax granola, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, almond butter, almonds, toasted coconut, goji berries, cacao, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, and date honey—all for just one flat price.9625 Scholars Drive North, Suite 0120, La JollaCourtesy of Juice KabooseJuice KabooseRise and ShineCoffee and açai bowls go together like brunch and bottomless mimosas. Juice Kaboose‘s Rise and Shine bowl pays homage to that caffeinated partnership with a shot of espresso whirred into an açai pulp base. Bananas, dark cacao, and soy milk also make appearances in this jacked-up treat, which comes crowned with fruit and gluten-free hemp granola for one delicious kickstart to your day.7556 Fay Avenue, La Jolla | 1826 Garnet Avenue, Pacific BeachCourtesy of Juice WaveJuice WaveAçai BowlThere is, perhaps, no better place to enjoy an açai bowl than the Mission Beach Boardwalk. While there are likely dozens of places to grab one along the promenade, Juice Wave has my vote. The açai sorbet is garnished with strawberries, bananas, house-made granola, hemp hearts, and honey sourced from a local farm. What’s more San Diego than that?3733 Mission Boulevard, Mission BeachCourtesy of Rum Jungle CafeRum Jungle CafeWatermelon BowlThe purplish hues and honey-drizzled fruits make any açai bowl worth photographing. But if you really want to wow your Instagram followers, order a Watermelon Bowl from Rum Jungle Cafe. This long-time PB spot serves its açai scoops in half a watermelon shell. It’s huge and ridiculous and makes the traditional bowl seem pedestrian, especially when you get a hint of watermelon mixed in with the granola, coconut, and other seasonal toppings. Consider your daily serving of fruit complete.4150 Mission Boulevard, Unit 153, Pacific BeachCourtesy of The Mad BeetThe Mad BeetBeyoncaiThe Mad Beet gets extra points for its açai puns. While I don’t think Queen Bee has tried her namesake bowl yet, she should. Like the superstar, this combination of açai, granola, honey, peanut butter, strawberry, and banana is a crowd-pleaser. The other music-inspired bowls, like the Twopac Shakur, The Granolling Stones, and the Acaiwol Nation, are also just as fun to order as they are to eat.933 Garnet Avenue, Pacific BeachCourtesy of Meràki CafeMeràki CafeAçai GidaThere are some wild açai bowls out there. But no place tests the limits of what you can top this typically sweet treat with quite like Meráki Cafe. Outside of the Classic Açai, owner Remzi Kaval says the most popular bowl is the Açai Gida. It’s got familiar flavors like blueberries, strawberries, and sliced almonds, but it also includes goat cheese crumbles. I was skeptical at first—especially when Kaval told me to get it with a balsamic drizzle—but the mix of sweet, creamy, and tangy is surprisingly addictive.1735 Adams Avenue, University HeightsKaty’s CafeAçai BowlThe single açai bowl on the menu at Katy’s Cafe is unlike any other I’ve seen—starting with the fact that the base isn’t açai. It’s plain yogurt. Instead, this reverse riff is smothered with açai, granola, and fresh fruit. Mix it all together for a creamier texture that’s much richer in probiotics than your average smoothie bowl.700 Seacoast Drive, Suite 106, Imperial BeachThe post 13 of the Best Açaí Bowls in San Diego appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
Wine Legends Head to San Diego This October
If wine is a love language, if “wine cellar” riles up your Zillow emotions, or if you’ve simply heard of wine and have an interest in being in the room with the best of it, circle Oct. 3 & 4 on your calendar.Crates of rare, ogled, oh-dang wines are being loaded onto trucks and planes on their way to San Diego—1er Grand Crus, cult loves, bottles not sent to restaurants but saved up for gatherings like this. It’s the Del Mar Wine + Food Festival, and sommelier/winemaker Ted Glennon has pulled some of the country’s top somms, winemakers, farmers, and thinkers into town. Names like Mark Bright, David Ramey, Ian Cauble, Shelley Lindgren, David Lynch, and a host of others.For three days they’ll post up at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, share tastes of rare and raved-about wines that define the wine world, and tell their stories. Here’s the lineup:Ian CaubleThursday, Oct 3In the Boardroom with Mark Bright + Benchmark WinesA once-in-a-lifetime experience for serious wine people. Limited to 10 guests. The rarest of the rare wines at the festival, with a legendary host. Mark Bright of world-famous Saison restaurant in San Francisco has selected the wines that move him the most, to share with a few friends. Get tickets.Blind Tasting with The Masters: Ian Cauble + June RodilBlind taste test amazing wines with the best wine tasters in the country—a panel of master sommeliers. Led by Ian Cauble (he won the “Best Young Sommelier in the World” competition in Athens, Greece, and was one of the stars of the documentary SOMM) and June Rodil (one of 26 women in the Americas to earn a Master Sommelier credential). How the hell can a sommelier taste a glass of wine with zero knowledge and name the grape; the part of the world it’s grown in; the appellation, sometimes even the hill, or the winemaker, and whether or not that winemaker is a side sleeper? Well, sometimes they nail it, sometimes they fail. Here’s a chance to watch some of the best in the U.S. try their hand at it. Get tickets.Femi OyediranFriday, October 4In The Boardroom With Ian Cauble + Benchmark Wine GroupThe second in the series, 10 guests max. This is the rarest of the rare wines at the festival, with a legendary host. Arguably the most beloved sommelier in the U.S. and one of the stars of the documentary film SOMM, Ian Cauble has selected the wines that excite him the most for you to try. Don’t miss out on these rare gems. Get tickets.My Life in 8 Glasses With David RameyHailed as “The Professor of Chardonnay” by Wine Spectator, Ramey is a pioneering American winemaker who has spent his life elevating California wines. Ramey’s chardonnays and cabs are celebrated and acclaimed worldwide. He’ll take the audience through eight wines that defined his life. Get tickets.A Few of My Favorite ThingsThree of the next generation of wine minds come together to share what they’re seeing for the future. Where’s next? What’s happening at the forefront of the industry? What are they drinking? They’ve selected eight wines that define the “now.” The trio is made up of Femi Oyediran, Amanda McCrossin, and Fahara Zamorano.Oyediran was Food and Wine’s “Top Sommelier 2019” and is the owner of Graft Wine Shop and Bar. McCrossin a.k.a. @SommVivant on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, left the dining room to spread the wine gospel on social media, and a half million-plus followers have tuned in. Zamorano, owner of Nite Thyme wine bar in LA, was named to Zagat’s “30 Under 30” list in 2016. Get tickets.Shelley LindgrenApertivo Italiano With Shelley Lindgren And David LynchTwo wine legends and James Beard Award–winners: San Francisco restaurateur Shelley Lindgren (A16, SPQR) and her dear friend David Lynch (author of Vino Italiano and importer) have selected bottles to share while they tell the stories from a life in wine. Get tickets.Great Cabernet TerroirsCabernet sauvignon is the most famous wine in history, but what really is the DNA of a great cab? Ted Glennon leads a killer group of heavy-hitters to taste and share insight: David Ramey, Jay James MS and Decanter Magazine’s California editor, Jonathan Cristaldi will showcase wines from Bordeaux to Chile, Napa, and the Santa Cruz Mountains. Get tickets.The Pyramid Valley Story With Steve SmithNamed as one of Decanter’s “50 Most Influential People for the Next Millennium,” winemaker and master somm Steve Smith unveils the first public tasting of the 2022 Botanical Collection. His session focuses on the most sought-after wines from New Zealand. Since their initial release in 2006, the Botanical Collection has created a new dimension for NZ wine. Get tickets.A Perfect WineWhat’s the deal with the “points” scoring system that every wine shop touts? Is there a perfect wine? Three of the industry’s top minds from different parts of the industry—the critic (Decanter’s Jonathan Cristaldi), the sommelier (t), and winemaker (David Ramsey) each have their own ideas about what makes a wine perfect. They’ll poke a little fun at the scoring system, and share some of their near-perfect wines. Get tickets.The post Wine Legends Head to San Diego This October appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
What’s Next for the SD Wave Without Alex Morgan?
Alex Morgan took a deep breath.When her shoulders relaxed, she charged toward the penalty spot and swung her famous left foot through the ball. It seemed destined for the back of the net, an equalizer for the Wave and another of Morgan’s 200-plus goals for club and country. But then, like a beach volleyball player in full stretch, North Carolina Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy dove and threw out her right hand, deflecting the ball harmlessly over the crossbar. Three minutes later, Morgan was subbed off, her retirement starting on a hot September night at Snapdragon Stadium.The soccer world focused on what had ended—a legendary playing career that inspired millions around the globe. But in the weeks since Morgan’s final game, one big question lingers for the Wave: What does the future hold for the team that she left?Courtesy of San Diego Wave FCThe Wave signed Morgan, a two-time World Cup champion, ahead of the team’s inaugural 2022 season. Their first home game at Snapdragon Stadium attracted a sold-out crowd of 32,000, at the time an NWSL record. That excitement, and Morgan’s league-leading 15 goals, carried the Wave to the NWSL semifinals.The Wave did one better the next season, winning the NWSL Shield, an award given to the best team during the regular season. Fans reciprocated, providing the Wave with the highest average attendance in the league. Morgan again ranked among the leaders in goals, assists, and total scoring attempts, and the team made the semifinals once more. The Wave were like a newly licensed teenager test-driving a Porsche. Blowing by more established opponents, the club ignored its inexperience and relished the playing power at its disposal. The players felt that they belonged in their new league. “We deserve to be here. We earned the right to play here, but we deserve more,” star goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan roared to her teammates moments before last year’s NWSL semifinal against the OL Reign.This season, Wave fans hoped the third time was the charm, the year the team put it all together to do something that no local team has done since 1963—win a major sports championship. At the Wave’s home opener in March 2024, the team broke the single-game attendance record they set in 2022.But in many ways, Morgan’s final shot of her career is the perfect encapsulation of the Wave’s 2024 season so far. It was a shot that could have and should have gone in. In the past, it would have. This has been a season of change, not progress. In March, Ron Burkle, the Wave’s founding owner, sold the team to Los Angeles–based investors Lauren Lichtman and Arthur Levine. Over the summer, amid a seven-game winless streak, Wave president Jill Ellis fired head coach Casey Stoney. Then, the club was rocked by accusations of workplace misconduct by a former employee. (The Wave denied the allegations.) Four franchise stalwarts—forward Sofia Jakobssen; defenders Abby Dahlkemper and Sierra Enge; and, of course, Alex Morgan—left for various reasons.On the pitch, the Wave’s performance suffered. With just four wins, they are out of a playoff spot by six points with six league games left to play. They’ve netted the third-fewest goals in the NWSL so far this year, with 17—just two more than Morgan scored by herself in 2022. According to The Athletic, the Wave ranked second-to-last in direct speed at the time of Stoney’s dismissal, despite ranking second in possession rate. In other words, their offense, once daring and opportunistic, had become a slog. But all is not lost, not this year and not in the future. Courtesy of San Diego Wave FCFew club teams have as much high-end talent as the Wave. The versatile 19-year-old Jaedyn Shaw is poised to claim the mantle from Morgan and become a goal-scoring star for both the Wave and the US Women’s National Team. (Shaw was a reserve on the Olympic gold medal–winning squad this summer in Paris.) Fellow forward Maria Sanchez is finding her footing after being acquired from the Houston Dash in April. On Wednesday, Sanchez scored a hat trick in the Wave’s 3-2 win over the Portland Thorns in a Concacaf W Champions Cup game. And there is arguably no better defensive duo in the world than Sheridan, the starting keeper for the Canadian national team, and defender Naomi Girma. “She’s the best defender I’ve ever seen,” USWNT coach Emma Hayes said after the team’s victory over Germany in the Olympic semifinals. In one sequence against the Courage, in Morgan’s final game, Girma baited an attacking player into cutting in, then effortlessly plucked the ball, single-handedly ending the threat. Courtesy of San Diego Wave FCThat reliability in the back creates possibility up forward. The nucleus of the next great Wave team is there. It just needs the right structure and supporting pieces, especially in the midfield. Landon Donovan, the interim head coach and a soccer legend in his own right, is trying to bring that to fruition with a more pressing style of play.A commitment to excellence starts at the top, though, and it appears the new owners understand that. “This investment aligns with our values and vision for supporting initiatives that empower women and foster opportunities for aspiring female athletes,” Lauren Leichtman said in a statement when the sale was announced. Courtesy of San Diego Wave FCIf Burkle’s Wave—Wave 1.0—were a startup fueled by successes that came fast and easy, then Wave 2.0 should see the club solidify its foundation and mature into a more sustainable operation. The Padres are an illustrative example. After the late Peter Seidler took control of the team in 2020, he made unprecedented investments in the roster and player development and empowered AJ Preller, the team’s general manager, to do what it takes to win. The Pads are now a perennial playoff contender and the hottest ticket in town.Morgan’s departure is certainly the end of an era for the Wave, but she inspired a vision for soccer in San Diego that did not exist before her arrival. In that vision, the Wave collect trophies for fun, and the players raise those trophies in front of one of the most fervent fan bases in the sport. That hope, that possibility, isn’t going anywhere. The post What’s Next for the SD Wave Without Alex Morgan? appeared first on San Diego Magazine.
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