THE JUICE PRESS

(multiple Manhattan locations)
1050 3rd Avenue at 62nd street
70 East 1st street
279 East 10th street
main tel: (212) 777-0034
http://thejuicepressonline.com/

The Juice Press is a smoothie and juice bar that recently opened its newest location in my neighborhood (two other locations are both in the East Village). Judging by the Saturday afternoon crowd, the small but sleekly designed shop is a welcome addition to the Upper East Side. They offer a variety of smoothies and fresh-pressed juices, with creative concoctions blending together antioxidant-rich and sometimes rare ingredients such as coconut meat, acai berry, maca, hemp protein, raw cacao, and bee pollen, to name a few. You can choose from a list of boosters to add as well, such as cold pressed ginger, pomegranate powder, L-carnitine, and vegan omega-3 oil. Plus they make their own nut milks (almond, hemp, Brazil nut milk) and nut butters in house, so they’re guaranteed fresh.

A refrigerated section stocks freshly-made bottled juices, smoothies, and nut milks, plus an assortment of raw foods to go. The limited raw food menu includes sandwiches served on baked sprouted grain bread, salads, entrees and raw desserts, along with breakfast options such as raw macadamia nut oatmeal and chia seed pudding. I didn’t sample any of the foods, but instead pored over the extensive drink menu before deciding on the D-tox Super Smoothie – a superfood blend that sounded like the perfect antidote to my Friday night festivities. I was intrigued by the flavor combinations of coconut water and meat, acai berry, agave nectar, raw cacao, vanilla, mint, cashews, a ‘mystery fruit’ and coconut oil. The creamy, nutty flavor was nicely balanced with the refreshing hint of mint, making it sweet but not too sweet. But, like a true dietitian, I wondered about the calorie and fat content, especially since smoothies can be deceivingly high in calories and fat when including ingredients like coconut milk and nut butters, but sadly no nutritional information was provided on the menu.
Before leaving, I purchased a few ready-made drinks to go. The cardamom milk made with coconut milk, cloves, cardamom, ginger and coconut oil is rich and creamy. I loved the cardamom flavor, but the consistency was a little too thick for me. The Ginger Fireball (aka “cold buster”) is a citrusy drink made with cold pressed ginger, squeezed orange and lemon, quantum colloidal silver, oil of oregano, and cayenne pepper. The ginger was extremely overpowering, but the potent Vitamin-C packed juice could be just what you need during the coming winter months.
As a dietitian, I appreciate that everything was made fresh using all organic ingredients. While I normally promote fresh fruits and vegetables over juices, sometimes a refreshing fresh-squeezed juice or smoothie is a great way to get your fruit and vegetable fix for the day. The prices are steep (smoothies range from $7.50-$13.00), but you pay for the quality of ingredients, freshness and variety.