Hello Juice & Smoothie just opened in The Grove and man, am I excited about it. It has been a long time coming.

I saw the sign advertising that it was opening soon a couple months ago as I was driving to work. Every morning after that I’d glance over to see if it was open yet. The other day I saw people inside and a line, so I decided to venture over. I brought my sister with me and we went for lunch.

Hello Juice & Smoothie is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. The interiors are quiet, calming, and filled with plants, so it’s the perfect place to come and unwind for an hour during the workday. It’s also not too noisy even at peak hours, which makes it a good place to sit and do work. Last time I stopped by, I did some writing and reading and I didn’t even need to put headphones in.When I went with my sister, I ordered a lavender smoothie bowl (pictured at the top of this post). It’s served in a beautiful ceramic bowl and has lavender bitters, blueberry, banana, coconut milk, and lavender buds and Made Fare Co. granola on top. It was sweet, floral, and slightly tart. It was good for a light lunch.

My best friend was in town recently and she asked me if it was weird to go to a place and get a smoothie bowl when I make so many myself. The answer is, yeah it’s kind of weird and I wonder if I’m just throwing away money. Then I remind myself that going to a place like Hello Juice is an experience. Also, I can’t make smoothie bowls during the workday because I live so far from home.

The other plus about going to Hello Juice is the Made Fare Co. granola. It’s a local brand that I discovered last year. I used to get a bag a week and it was a little pricey, so I weaned myself off that habit. Now, I can go to Hello Juice and get the granola on top of a smoothie bowl. This little indulgence seems worth it.Hello Juice also has breakfast and lunch menu with toasts and salads. I ordered a banana almond butter toast with honey for lunch last Friday and a juice of the day. Every day the shop makes a new flavor of juice, and the day I stopped by it was pineapple turmeric. It was very refreshing on a hot summer afternoon and paired well with the toast. I ate a slice of quiche before I went over to try the toast and juice, so altogether, that made a good lunch. I’d recommend toast and a smoothie bowl though if you’re looking for a more filling meal.

When I stopped by last time, I was surprised to see doughnuts in a case by the register. It seemed a little out of character but also endearing. We’re in St. Louis after all, not an L.A. juice shop. I recognized the doughnuts on sight and I asked the cashier if they were from KNEAD. “Yes,” she said, her eyes bright. They were. So, if you want to get all your food groups in, this is also an option.

I’m excited to go back to Hello Juice soon and try a salad and get another smoothie bowl. For now though, I’m satisfied with the memory of the lavender smoothie bowl, which ranks among one of the best breakfast dishes I’ve tried in St. Louis. I’d highly recommend getting one soon.

Also, I read that Jordan and Kayla Bauer, the owners of Hello Juice, are planning on rolling out some seasonal items this fall. I’m looking forward to trying lattes and soup, if /when they appear on the menu.