Colorful Smoothie Bowls Fill Brighton This Weekend

In the heart of winter, some summertime beach vibes are headed for the Boston College area. New Jersey-born smoothie shop Playa Bowls opens Saturday, February 16 at 2199 Commonwealth Ave., Brighton, bringing with it brightly colored acai bowls, juices, and more.

Playa Bowls joins dozens of other locations concentrated in New Jersey, and even more spread out across the East Coast. The chain employs the PG-13 motto “go bowls deep,” stylized in hashtag form, and offers a vast selection of smoothie bowls with assorted bases.

Managing partner Hung Lam is a BC alum and chose to open the shop with friends from school: Sarosh and Dana Nentin, David Swanson, and John Castiglione. Together, they’ll carry on the model of the original Playa Bowls, sourcing acai from Brazil and blending it in-house. Acai serves as a base for an entire section of the menu, which also features pitaya, banana, chia pudding, coconut, oatmeal, and green bowls. Guests can choose toppings that range from cacao and granola to nut butters and cut fruit. In addition to smoothie bowls, Playa Bowls will have 16- and 20-ounce smoothies, as well as juice blends.

“My goal has always been to bring a healthy food option to my fellow Bostonians,” Lam previously told Eater.

Now on the verge of meeting that goal, Lam and his team are prepared to unveil their shop with a grand opening Saturday, February 16 at 11 a.m., offering the first 50 people in line free bowls. Playa Bowls joins a strong contingent of smoothie and juice shops in Boston that stretch from Downtown to Jamaica Plain and include Carrot Flower, Cocobeet, Jugos, Pressed, and more.

• Playa Bowls to Open in Early 2019 Near Boston College [EBOS]
• Playa Bowls [Facebook]