The Corner Juice:

The Corner Juice is exactly where you would expect it to be: on the Corner (but they also have a location on the downtown mall). This European-inspired cafe was founded by University of Virginia alumni. The Corner Juice’s mission is to “increase accessibility of health and delicious food in a memorable and sustainable way.” The family owned and operated small business strives to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment. The Corner Juice’s main impact is sustainability. The CJ Way is the Corner Juice’s motto: Food is medicine: when you fuel better, you feel better. Corner Juice uses organic ingredients and partners with several local restaurants including MarieBette Bakery, Blue Ridge Coffee, and Carter’s Mountain. There are a wide variety of healthy options ranging from chia seed pudding to cacao matcha powerballs to a gourmet grilled cheese to freshly squeezed orange juice. Arguably, the coolest item on their menu is the cold brew with coffee ice cubes or the lavender tea latte. At Corner Juice, there is something for everyone (they even have bottled water). You can place orders online or order in-person and take it to go!

To order: Corner Colada (for the adventurous), House Acai (for the basic), Banana Toast (for the foodies), and the Cold Brew with coffee ice cubes (for the coffee snobs)

The Juice Laundry:

If you consider yourself a health guru, the Juice Laundry (TJL) is THE place for you. If you’re not familiar with the Juice Laundry, you might be wondering: Why Laundry? The mission of the Juice Laundry is to focus on healthy eating and cleansing the inside of the body with good food. The founders recognize that we constantly clean our clothes by doing laundry, but we frequently skip out on “cleaning” the inside of ourselves with nutritious and healthy food. We find ourselves going to that fast food restaurant or eating that processed junk food because it’s easier. The owners of the Juice Laundry created this restaurant with the purpose of making clean and delicious food of all kinds. In fact, all of the ingredients used are certified organic foods. Don’t be fooled by its name, TJL sells cold-pressed juice & nut milks, smoothies & acai bowls, breakfast bowls, chili, chia pudding, and salads! The cold-pressed juices & nut milks are refreshing and come in a variety of flavors (clean green, rinse & rebeet, cold brew latte, chocolate/strawberry shake, etc). The smoothies and bowls come in the same delicious flavors. The major difference between the two is that the bowls have larger portions and are topped with house-made granola and fruit. Finally, the “snacks and bites” sold are outstanding. Our personal favorite, the chili, comes topped with cashew cream and is a must-try. You can find the Juice Laundry at Preston Avenue, the Corner, and the AFC!

To order: Mexicocoa (for the bold), Clean Green (for the ultra-healthy), or the Monster Bowl (for the people that are too scared to try the juices but want a delicious smoothie)

Smoothie King:

Although Smoothie King is not unique to Charlottesville, it’s still a very popular choice for smoothie lovers. Smoothie King’s mission is to “inspire people to live a healthy and active lifestyle”, and they aspire to help everyone throughout their health and fitness journeys. They want each of their customers to live their best lives while eating healthy foods. Smoothie King dedicates their entire menu to smoothies and they provide dozens of smoothie combinations to fit each individual’s needs. Each smoothie falls into one of five categories: fitness blends, slim blends, wellness blends, break time blends, and kids blends. If you can’t tell, there is a smoothie blend for literally everyone and Smoothie King likes to consider your lifestyle goals when making a smoothie for you. For instance, if you consider yourself a fitness addict, you can add protein powder to your smoothie or additional energy boosting ingredients. If you’re extra lucky, they might give you a larger portion than you paid for—just be sure to be extra nice to the Smoothie King employee making your smoothie.

To order: the Angel Food Slim Smoothie (for the ones craving a classic strawberry banana combo), The Activator Banana Strawberry Smoothie (for the fitness addict), Apple Kiwi Kale Smoothie (if you’re craving something green)