Review: Hello Juice & Smoothie in St. Louis

Business is booming on a Saturday afternoon at Hello Juice & Smoothie at 1000 S. Newstead Ave., in St. Louis. A steady growl of heavy-duty blenders working overtime fills the air. The decor is much like the food concept – everything is clean, simple, earthy and bathed in sunlight. A young crowd of health-conscious diners flock to this laid-back, ultra-hip retreat for a unique menu packed with fresh fruits, vegetables, grains and various superfoods.

Acai Bowl 
This enormous smoothie bowl pleases with spoonful after spoonful of freshly blended organic blueberries, strawberries, acai, bananas and coconut milk. Like all the smoothies here, no ice, dairy or fillers are included. This shines through in the pleasant thickness of the smoothie, which is naturally sweet and satisfying. Piled on top are substantial pieces of more strawberry, blueberry, banana, coconut and a drizzle of honey, along with a hefty sprinkle of local Made Fare Co. granola, blended specially for Hello Juice.  

Bone Broth
An abundance of rich, meaty flavor is packed into the little cups of fresh chicken bone broth, sourced from Bolyard’s Meat & Provisions. The standard broth, seasoned simply with salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary and lemon, is warm and soothing, akin to the succulent pan drippings of a freshly roasted bird. 

Add-in options are also available, like the Something Veggie with shredded carrots, zoodles and avocado. I like the broth with Something Spicy, which brings heat with chili peppers and smooth hits of fresh ginger, as well as microgreens and sliced cherry tomatoes for a fiery, healthy soup.  

Strawberry Toast
Meticulously dressed with sweet ingredients, the strawberry toast is a surprisingly healthy indulgence. A thick, crunchy slice of Knead sourdough is toasted and smeared with a hefty base of Nancy’s organic cultured probiotic cream cheese infused with honey and balsamic-fig glaze. Fresh sliced strawberries, along with crunchy bits of walnut, a sprinkle of sea salt and an extra drizzle of balsamic-fig glaze add more sweetness.

Avocado Toast 
A thick layer of creamy avocado is smeared onto a hot, crunchy slice of Knead Bakehouse + Provisions sourdough and topped generously with sunflower and pumpkin seeds. A handful of juicy cherry tomatoes round out the flavor profile, along with red pepper flakes for a nice element of heat. It’s hard to imagine a better avocado toast. 

The Orange Dream Smoothie
Pure orange juice blends with coconut milk, mango, pineapple and flax for a thick, gratifying cup of fresh fruitiness finished with a drizzle of bee pollen extract.   

The Downside
While its smoothie game is strong, Hello Juice & Smoothie’s full juice program took longer to get up and running. It hadn’t fully started up when I went, but has since launched.

Matt Berkley is a longtime contributor and critic for Sauce Magazine.