I tend to crave sweet things more often than I should, but I’m also constantly on the lookout for healthy food or drink options to balance out my diet. Luckily, there are plenty of choices here in Austin.
One of my newest health adventures involved a trip to Jugo, where I enjoyed a fresh juice and food item. Not only was the juice delicious, but all of the ingredients were sourced locally. Being healthy while supporting local businesses? That’s a combination I can’t pass up.
Thank you to Jugo for hosting me for the purposes of this article. All opinions are my own.
What Is Jugo?
Jugo is a local juice bar owned by Parkside Projects, the restaurant group behind Parkside, Backspace, and Olive & June. The space was inspired by the lifestyle of Parkside Projects owner Shawn Cirkiel and his family. It was created to be a place someone can easily stop by between meetings, or when taking the kids to school, going to a sports events, or anything else that pops into daily life.
Take a step into the store and you’ll immediately find yourself filled with a sense of comfort. The design is crisp and clean, made to look as inviting as your own home. Healthy snacks fill the fridge and shelves in the front of the store, while scrumptious looking fruit line the shelving behind the juice bar.
Delicious Juices and Smoothies
Jugo features a variety of delicious juices and smoothies. All of the ingredients used to make them are sourced locally from places such as Johnson’s Backyard and Farm to Table. Cirkiel said one of the goals is to use purchasing power as close to home as possible. This also ensures the ingredients that go into each drink are as fresh and nutritious as possible.
You’ll notice right away there are no secret ingredients going into your juice or smoothie. Each drink is described on the board behind the bar. And if you want to spice it up a bit, you have the option to add yogurt, chia seeds, or coconut water into your juice or smoothie.
Some of the popular drink choices are the banana cocoa and pineapple mango smoothies. The former was inspired by a Dole Whip at Disney, if that gives you an idea of what to expect!
I tried the cucumber, celery, apple, kale, and lemon juice when I visited–and it was absolutely delicious. I felt it was a perfect mixture of flavors because the celery and kale didn’t overpower the other ingredients.
If you’re not craving a juice or smoothie, no worries. Jugo also offers a selection of cold brew coffee and tea.
You can currently find Jugo at two locations: on Brazos Street downtown and North Lamar Boulevard in Rosedale, but the team plans to open another location in the airport in September 2019.
603 Brazos St. and 4200 N. Lamar Blvd. – Website
@theAustinot wants to know:
Which juice or smoothie do you want to try at Jugo?
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