Battle of the Bowls: Which place makes the best açaí bowls?

Alina Calix-Martinez ’25

I am a self proclaimed açaí bowl aficionado. My summers consist of making açaí bowls in my free time, trying new recipes, and buying bowls from any açaí bowl place that I come across. Through- out my açaí journey, I have continually asked myself, “Who sells the best bowl?” I have tasked myself with find- ing the best bowl and ranking them on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the best and one being the worst. The rating is based on texture, taste, and over-all enjoyment.

First up was Berries ‘n Bowls, located in Bethesda, MD. This location unfortunately came out to be in last place. The bowl seemed to have more fruit than base, which itself was somewhat bitter, so all of the sweetness came from the Nutella. I can truthfully say that this bowl disappointed me. When I tried the base without Nutella, it tasted unsweetened. I didn’t enjoy this bowl’s overall taste. The only redeeming factor was that the texture was perfect and the fruit was cut into smaller chunks unlike the bigger chunks at most other locations. I give this bowl a weak 4/10.

In second place was South Block. Located in Georgetown, South Block offers convenience to Visitation girls, which all of the other locations did not. While it is the most convenient for an after school lunch, South Block wasn’t the best. South Block’s base was good, but not great. Its consistency was a little runny in comparison to the others. The base didn’t amaze me, but it didn’t disappoint me either. This bowl felt just okay, and while I did enjoy it, it wasn’t the best. One thing that stood out was that the bananas were very sweet and the fruit was very fresh overall. I give it a 7/10.

The best location I tried was Playa Bowls in Kensington, MD. Playa Bowls exceeded my expectations. The base of the bowl had the perfect level of sweetness, with a hint of honey. The granola was perfectly crunchy and textured. The bowl tasted like perfection; I enjoyed every spoonful of it. Playa Bowls received a perfect 10/10 from me. In the future, Playa Bowls will be my go-to for açaí bowl cravings!