New restaurant: Health food restaurant with a?aí bowls expands to second location

Laurie K. Blandford, Treasure Coast Newspapers
·2 min read

A downtown Fort Pierce health food restaurant with a?aí bowls has expanded to a second location in Port St. Lucie.

Beach Bowls opened in the Shoppes at St. Lucie West on Aug. 14. The first location opened on Avenue A in May 2020.

Owner Michael Croke replicated his a?aí bowls and other menu items at the new space, which is slightly larger at 1,200 square feet. Croke’s goal always was to expand, but not too big, he said, maybe just three or four locations across the Treasure Coast.

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Beach Bowls, which opened a second location in Port St. Lucie after it originally opened in Fort Pierce, specializes in açaí bowls.
Beach Bowls, which opened a second location in Port St. Lucie after it originally opened in Fort Pierce, specializes in a?aí bowls.

His latest cafe is in the same plaza as 3 Natives health food restaurant, but Croke said his bowls are larger and different enough to be able to compete.

A?aí berries have been touted as a superfood containing fiber and antioxidants, according to the Mayo Clinic. The grapelike fruits are harvested from a?aí palm trees native to the rainforests of South America.

Croke blends the a?aí berries with only minimal slices of banana and strawberry so they don't overpower the a?aí flavor, then adds granola, honey and blueberries. All bowls can be customized with different fruits, toppings and protein bases, such as chia seeds and peanut butter.

Beach Bowls, which opened a second location in Port St. Lucie after it originally opened in Fort Pierce, specializes in açaí bowls.
Beach Bowls, which opened a second location in Port St. Lucie after it originally opened in Fort Pierce, specializes in a?aí bowls.

His pitaya bowl is similar, but he uses a base of dragon fruit, pineapple and banana. He also offers smoothies — containing oats, dates and almond milk — as well as smoothie bowls.

The “CocoLoco Bowl” has a base of coconut, pineapple and banana and is topped with the same three fruits and honey. The “Funky Monkey Bowl” has a base of banana, almond butter and cocoa nibs, the same topping and almonds and chocolate honey.

The Port St. Lucie restaurant has the same casual beach vibe as the Fort Pierce restaurant.

Croke said he’s planning a grand opening with giveaways, as well as expanded hours.

Beach Bowls, which opened a second location in Port St. Lucie after it originally opened in Fort Pierce, specializes in açaí bowls.
Beach Bowls, which opened a second location in Port St. Lucie after it originally opened in Fort Pierce, specializes in a?aí bowls.

Beach Bowls

Laurie K. Blandford is TCPalm's entertainment reporter and columnist dedicated to finding the best things to do on the Treasure Coast. Follow her on Twitter @TCPalmLaurie and Facebook @TCPalmLaurie. Email her at [email protected]. Sign up for her What To Do in 772 weekly newsletter at profile.tcpalm.com/newsletters/manage.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Beach Bowls in Fort Pierce opens new restaurant in Port St. Lucie

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