It seems like  everyone has been talking about smoothie bowls lately. Recently while on vacation, I wanted to see if they were really that good. I found a place called Kaia Bowls in Clearwater Beach, Florida.

     There was not really any parking, but it was very walkable. Kaia Bowls is located in a popular shopping and food area. Many people walk from the beach. As I walked in, I felt the air conditioning. Inside there was a large menu on the wall and a long table to sit with bar stools and regular small tables. 

     I was greeted by staff immediately, even with the busy spring break crowd inside. We came up to the counter and ordered . I watched with eagerness as my bowl was being made, and only waited around 5-10 minutes for our order

     The menu was huge and every bowl was customizable; They have smoothie bowls, smoothies, and even poke bowls. The smoothie bowls have several different base options. This includes acai, pitaya, passion fruit, oatmeal and coconut just to name a few. The more popular bases also include several variations and different toppings. The Acai and Pitaya comes in 5+ varieties and several others with 3 variations.

     Although there was enough space inside to comfortably sit down and eat without getting in the way of others, I took my bowls and sat outside to enjoy the Florida weather. There were plenty of places to sit out and enjoy my smoothie bowls.

     I ordered a pitaya bowl called Hula Who and the Passion Fruit bowl. The Hula Who bowl had a pink pitaya (dragon fruit) base that was sweet and had a soft smooth texture. The toppings that came with were granola, banana, pineapple, strawberry, mango, chia seeds. The Passion Fruit bowl was a little less sweet and a bit sour. The toppings that came with were granola, strawberry, blueberry, kiwi, honey. If I had to pick a favorite, I would personally choose the pitaya base because of the citrus taste.

     Although the price of almost $15 seems steep, they do not give you a shortage of fruit. One bowl could easily be shared with 2 adults. The bowl is loaded with fresh fruit that is packed with flavor. The quality and freshness of the fruit was clear; it must have been locally sourced.  Nothing was sour, mushy or woody.

     For those with allergies, places like these can be a big concern. But Kaia bowls is extra aware of dietary restrictions its customers may have. There is a sign that says that their granola is gluten free and nut free, and their fruit bowl bases had no fillers (ie. milk, peanut butter). When I went with my cousins who have severe nut allergies, the workers made sure to clean the dishes and were extra careful with cross contamination.

     If you are in the area, I would highly recommend going to Kaia Bowls in Clearwater Beach, Florida. I know that for me, this will not and has not been my last visit.