Playa Bowls Opens in Fairfield: Acai Bowls & Smoothies For All!

Acai: the dark purple berry from the lush jungles of the Amazon has made its way to the recently opened Playa Bowls kitchen in Fairfield. With almost 50 locations, Playa Bowls has quickly grown from an idea in New Jersey to a nationwide phenomenon that highlights Acai, the berry that makes it all happen.

Acai contains the nutrients that provide a natural energy boost that doesn’t overload the stomach. Playa Bowls uses this berry to its best ability by complementing it with concoctions of other fruits and intricate, yet simple, twists of decadent flavors that are rarely seen in a bowl.

Over the weekend, I heard many amazing things from friends, and had seen tons of Instagram stories filled with Playa acai bowls and smoothies that piqued my curiosity. I had to go. A friend and I visited Playa Bowls in Fairfield to see what all the buzz was about. We walked in and it was as though I had entered a completely different underwater world. The pictures and art on the walls entranced me into thinking I was on a tropical beach or in an underwater cave - a nice touch that made me feel far from the suburbs of Fairfield County. 

I surveyed the sizable crowd waiting in line. They were overflowing with vibrancy and enthusiasm, primarily high school girls from Fairfield, Westport, and Norwalk and college girls from Sacred Heart University and Fairfield University.  Out of Playa Bowls’ many locations, it seems that they smartly target college-towns where the Acai phenomenon is most likely to flourish. This idea has certainly panned out in Fairfield.

Now, let’s talk food. The menu had a wide variety of choices from an Acai Bowl, Pitaya Bowl (Pitaya, banana, pineapple and coconut milk base), Chia Seed Bowl, Green Bowl (Kale base), or Coconut Bowl. My friend and I shared the “Stupid Cupid,” a strawberry based yogurt topped with Nutella, coconut flakes, white chocolate shavings and strawberries. Delicious and fruity. We also tried the traditional Acai bowl which didn’t disappoint.

A Playa staff member recommended the “Power” to me which had pure Acai with chocolate protein, topped with crunchy granola, lined with freshly cut bananas and drizzled with decadent peanut butter. Two things stood out to me with this bowl. The first: the contrasting textures of the crunchy granola and the smooth bite of the banana floating on acai was delicious with each bite. Second: the presentation. A circle of yellow bananas encapsulated the inner brown granola while the purple yogurt beneath served as both a perfect base and color contrast to the creamy peanut butter above.

The most special aspect of Playa Bowls was reveling in the purity of the ingredients and it’s unique combinations. The extensive menu will have you going back for more. 

Playa Bowls 57 Unquowa Rd, Fairfield, CT 06824 (203) 292-6999