Joe & the Juice has taken me far too long to tick off the to do list, but finally on a sunny Saturday afternoon my friend and I popped into the Soho branch in need of a refreshing drink.
The menu is slick and simple, various concoctions to remedy ailments, with a recipe for every mood. A large counter displays the fresh fruit and vegetables, an appealing rainbow of bright colours. The café itself is huge, open plan and airy, but when we left at 2pm the place was full and buzzing. There are comfy couches on which to relax, chat and use your laptop (there is free Wifi). It seems to me that juice bars are the new coffee shops, with drinks that are yummy and reviving and much more healthy.
On the menu I also spied a list of milkshakes, sandwiches, coffees and speciality drinks, of which Liquorice Latte sounded most intriguing. I love fresh juice, and after recently discovering a wonderful fruit shop near my work have become slightly addicted (my favourite is apple, orange and passion fruit). A perfect alternative for those afternoon sugar cravings in the office and always very tasty. London seems to have a shortage of juice bars, instead frozen yoghurt and endless coffee outlets line the streets… I am delighted to now include Joe and the Juice in my little black book of London cafes and I’m sure I’ll be a regular visitor on weekends.
I tried the ‘Hangover Heaven’ – a lovely combination of orange, elderflower and mint. It was fresh and fruity, with a kick from the mint, almost like a virgin mojito. My friend chose the Iron Man with strawberry, kiwi and apple, which looked equally appetising. Other juices that sound alluring to me include the ‘Sports Juice’ (passion fruit, pineapple, apple), ‘Sex Me Up’ (passion fruit, apple, ginger) and ‘Strong Bones’ (strawberry, apple, star anise). There is something for every preference and I’m sure creating your own is also allowed.
Joe and the Juice is a great place to recharge and refresh. Though with juices costing £3.85 for small (12oz) and £4.95 for large (16oz), it is not cheerfully cheap by any means.
You can experience Joe’s Juices at four branches in London: Regent Street, Broadwick Street, Old Compton Street and Kings Road.
Visit the website here: www.joejuice.com