Backyard Bowls

Blended acai bowls, tropical smoothies, and energizing breakfast favorites: Backyard Bowls of Santa Barbara, California, has all your health-food needs.  Numerous acai/berry and non-acai blends were available as well as oatmeal, muesli, yogurt, quinoa, and plenty of toppings. All this within a two minute walk from the main beach.

The establishment really set itself apart from the other small shops in the plaza with its homey and earthy feel. With a few outdoor seating options and an open, completely exposed kitchen, Backyard Bowls felt like a mom and pop place with a surprisingly large menu. It has options for all kinds of cravings.

For purists on the search for a standard bowl, the Island or Berry Bowl is the way to go. We chose the Island Bowl, which consists of blended acai, banana, mango, pineapple juice, and coconut milk, plus a topping of granola, banana, fresh berries, coconut, and honey. The blend was light in taste and smooth. The flavor of each topping powered through every spoonful — especially the coconut flakes.

For those who are more adventurous, we recommend going for the Green Bowl. Most certainly a different flavor palate, this blend contained acai, banana, kale, spinach, ginger, lime, and apple juice and toppings of granola, strawberries, blueberries, honey, and chia seeds. We worried there would be too much conflicting taste for it to be enjoyable. The lime and ginger remained mellow though, and the heaps of fruit on top made it fantastically sweet and filling.

Stepping outside the fruity acai box, we tried Oatmeal off the hot breakfast menu. Cooked in homemade cashew milk and cinnamon, these oats were a bit underdone but still very tasty. We added blueberries, strawberries, Mama’s Jam and brown sugar. The Jam was definitely our favorite. Gooey, fruity, sweet and slightly cool, it the perfect addition to a warm bowl.

Whether you’ve just hit the gym, coming off the beach on a hot day, or just looking for something delicious and fruit filled, Backyard Bowls is a must stop. Grab your favorite and enjoy this sweet treat while you walk along the sunny streets of downtown Santa Barbara.