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Notting Hill: Juicebaby opens in Westbourne Grove

Juicebaby’s philosophy is simple, “little by little”.

They believe that it’s the little choices that make a big difference. They’re all about the small switch ups, from fizzy drinks to cold-pressed juices, processed to unprocessed and dairy to nut mylks.

Juicebaby supports local, organic farmers and offers sustainable, healthy food on the go.

The brand began life on the King’s Road in Chelsea and their second branch has just opened on Notting Hill’s Westbourne Grove.

The setting

Although it’s primarily a grab and go, Juice Baby does have a good amount of seating in their light, bright space. Cushioned banquettes line the walls and there are several small wooden tables.

The vibe is industrial in tone with a pretty, hexagonal mosiac floor.

The walls feature polished concrete engraved with mottoes and a colourful striped mural. The staff are friendly and the clientele as cool as you would expect for Notting Hill.

The little things

We liked the handy plug sockets, free wi-fi and taster samples of juice on the counter.

The fresh juice test

We were absolutely spoilt for choice…Juicebaby has a whopping total of five green juices on the menu: Green Glow, Skin Balm, Thai Greens, Green Easy and Green Mean.

We were naturally drawn to the Green Glow a refreshing combo of cucumber, apple, seasonal leafy greens, celery and lemon with a welcome kick of ginger.

What we ate

It’s not all about the juice here, the salads and snacks alone are worth the trip. We had a Holy Kale salad – a crisp mix of their signature massaged “kurly” kale, avocado and toasted pumpkin, sesame, sunflower and hemp seeds.The price includes a dressing and there’s a large and interesting choice in small, separate bottles. We had the turmeric mustard (turmeric, olive oil, mustard lemon juice, black pepper and pink salt) which really added a kick to the salad.

The Cheezy Kale crisps are our favourites. Top tip -they are great for travelling.

Finally, desert…and Juicebaby does desert brilliantly. Don’t miss The Snix – layered almond shortbread, with gooey date caramel, roasted peanuts and homemade raw chocolate. It was amazing in both texture and taste.

The bill

Holy Kale salad £7.25
Cheezy Kale Crisps £4.95
The Snix £4.95
Green Glow juice £6.95

What made us glow

The massive choice of delicious juices and The Snix!

 

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Chelsea: Juicebaby

juice bar review of london based juicebaby

Juicebaby is an ‘on the go’ juice bar in an area called World’s End at the end of the Kings Road.

They say “we source the absolute best produce, cold-press our juices on a daily basis and maintain the highest standards possible.

We never pasteurise, water down or add sugar to our juices. We avoid the use of dairy, eggs, gluten, soy, chemical additives or preservatives of any kind. We avoid cartons and cans.” They sell juices, acai bowls, homemade soup and takeaway salads.

Juice bar review of london based juicebaby
Juice bar review of london based juicebaby

The setting

Juicebaby is at the end of the Kings Road in Chelsea. It’s a busy drop-in cafe with a small amount of seating so be prepared to wait for a seat at busy times. It’s a self-service Pret-a-Manger vibe which is perfect if you need to grab and go. There were also people sitting working on their laptops.

The little things

We like the take-out small bottled salad dressings – turmeric mustard, macadamia balsamic, miso sesame, sunflower cheese, aioli, Caesar and Thai peanut.

The walls are covered with power statements and the music is upbeat.

We found it difficult to find the WC so some signposts would be appreciated.

The green juice test

We tried the Mean Green which was £6.95 for 500ml. It was bright green, cold-pressed and contained cucumber, seasonal leafy green, celery, ginger, lime and parsley. We were not offered a glass or a straw. It was very watery.

What we ate

We came for a late lunch. We asked to try the soup and bean stew before buying as we couldn’t decide which to go for and we were offered tasters happily. We chose the pea and mint soup which was homemade and super delicious. It tasted fresh and well seasoned and came with plain gluten-free toast with no butter.

The bowl was a cardboard take-out kind of thing so don’t expect china.

We also tried the kale crisps – simply the best we have ever tasted and worth a trip to Juicebaby for these alone. They contain curly kale, cashews, red pepper, sesame seeds, nutritional yeast, salt and lemon juice and come in a cool zip-lock bag.

At £4.95 they are not a cheap snack but they are a super tasty treat and great to pack when you travel.

What else?

We noticed lots of people dashing in with sports gear on post-workout. Others were working away at their laptops although we struggled to get on the house WiFi. It’s a conflicting environment – relaxed but busy.

Juice bar review of london based juicebaby

We also chose an acai bowl (acai, banana, dates and almond butter) which came in a plastic bowl with a plastic spoon. It looked beautiful with vanilla granola and coconut chips but was too sweet and heavy.

The Bill

£26.10 for soup, kale chips, green juice and an acai bowl so Juicebaby isn’t a cheap option.

Juice bar review of london based juicebaby

What made us glow?

The cheezy kale chips were a huge hit and think they are the best we have found in London.

It’s a great Glowcation if you are on the run or you are working or playing in World’s End.

We like the take-out salad bowls – the power, taco, yam yam and the market Caesar salad and the mix and match salad dressings.