If you had asked me before my recent trip to Oahu my thoughts about acai bowls it would have been along the lines of “they’re good.” Don’t get me wrong - when done well, the consistency of the blended acai with fresh fruit and drizzled sweetness on top is simple deliciousness in a bite. I had just never really sought it out. Or craved it. Basically, I rarely wanted to wait in the long line for the only acai bowl spot next to my San Francisco apartment.

Now, it’s basically all I crave each and every morning. I stare longingly at the acai bowl food truck near my work and countdown my next time to treat myself to a fresh bowl. Crazy how a few good experiences can really flip the cravings!

While I can’t guarantee a perfect view of the beach with each of these acai offerings, each of the locations offer their own spin on this favorite.

Haleiwa Bowls

66-030 Kamehameha Hwy || Haleiwa, HI 96712 || Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haleiwabowls/

If you’re looking for literal heaven, this is it. Look no further than the North Shore of Oahu.

Disclaimer - my partner was the mastermind behind the day trip to the North Shore and a majority of our eating plans so I owe him a big one for starting off the day here!

We picked the Mana Bowl + bee pollen (because HECK YES) to share and my only regret was that we didn’t just both get our own. The consistency and blend of the acai, topped with fresh bananas, coconut flakes, honey, and granola was exactly what I needed. Something about this experience just clicked with me and from that moment on, all I wanted was more acai, all the time.

Recommendation: You can easily bike, walk, or drive up near the shack-like location. Since we went midweek, and arrived on the earlier side, we had no issue with parking. Review the menu and place your order at the window and enjoy some people, car, and rooster watching. There’s some bench seating around the immediate area where you also wait for your order. While I thoroughly enjoyed the Mana Bowl, check out the Blue Majik Bowl, made with blue majik spirulina. I had never seen a bowl like this before! This local favorite also offers smoothies.

Heavenly Island Lifestyle

The Shoreline Hotel Waikiki || 342 Seaside Ave || Honolulu, HI 96815 Waikiki || Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heavenly.hi/

The day after our North Shore trip, Will asked me what I wanted for breakfast. I, unsurprisingly, said an acai bowl. We turned to Yelp and found a popular, yet sweet, sounding spot: I present to you, Heavenly Island Lifestyle.

As many know, I spent two years living in Japan. I eat up Japanese-inspired EVERYTHING. No shame. I had already been giddy at the opportunity to read and speak Japanese in Honolulu, and then the option to eat some much Japanese food made it feel like I won the lottery. When we got in line at Heavenly Island Lifestyle, I’m pretty sure I let out an audible squeal of joy. Everything about the place made me feel like I was back in Japan.

Cutesy menus?

Cutesy, hodge-podged decor that just seems to magically work together?

Music that can only be described as what you think you would hear in a coffee shop, but never actually do?

Yes, I was immediately won over.

While the cafe offers a seriously delicious looking breakfast/brunch menu (I mean, I was about to ask the lady sitting at the table next to us to slide me a bit of the Big Island Honey French Toast, but I knew I was on a mission and after another acai bowl).

I ordered the Acai Bowl with Hawaiian fruit, and Will ordered the Pitaya Bowl. The bowls came out dressed with a flower and were super delicious!

Recommendation: We tried both the acai bowl and pitaya bowl and were plenty satisfied for breakfast. If you have any fruit allergies (like I do!) don’t hesitate to ask what is included in the Hawaiian fruit mix option. And not just here, anywhere. Everyone was so accommodating to make sure I knew exactly what fruit was dressing the top of the bowl. Better safe than sorry! The interior decor of the cafe is super cute and welcoming, so I didn’t mind missing out on the patio seating.

The Sunrise Shack Waikiki

2335 Kalakaua Ave || Honolulu, HI 96815 || Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunriseshack/

Basically, at this point in our trip, I’m pretty sure our bodies were 50% spam musubi and 50% acai. Not that I’m complaining!

Deciding that yes, more acai was required before getting on to our rigorous day plans of laying on the beach for me, snorkeling for Will, and stuffing our faces with other local favorites before our friend’s Wedding Welcome Reception, I once again turned to Yelp and found The Sunrise Shack Waikiki.

The Sunrise Shack started on the North Shore (which I’m now so bummed we didn’t get the chance to explore the original location). The Waikiki location, while inside a hotel, may have lack in the beach views, definitely did not slack in impeccable branding and delivering an incredible smoothie bowl experience.

I stood overwhelmed, trying to decide exactly which bowl to go all out with. My husband on the other hand, immediately new he was going after the Pitaya Bowl (“It’s served in the fruit!”) and then had to spend some time sorting out his bullet coffee options. While I had never been a big fan, I was happy to see him so happy and curious about all the coffee options.

Eventually I settled on the Jungle Matcha Bowl with added chocolate almonds because I was finally ready to branch out beyond acai and I am a definite sucker for matcha. The base was whirled up with matcha, almond butter, and kale, and was decorated on top with items you’d expect from an acai bowl, like coconut flakes and honey. Basically, it was heaven and I loved every bite.

Recommendations: This spot offered so many ways to customize your experience, so get a bit creative! I also loved the variety of options in food and drink, so it’s a good “grab and go” compromise spot if you’re traveling with people who all can’t decide on a quick breakfast or snack option. This location also left me feeling my fullest after eating one of the bowls, most likely to due to the addition of almond butter as well as the extras I threw in (and the fact I didn’t share).

Tucker & Bevvy Picnic Food

Park Shore Hotel || 2586 Kalakaua Avenue || Honolulu, HI 96815 || Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tuckerandbevvy/

We visited this local chain on two separate days and went to two separate locations - the first day was that it was close to the beach we wanted to go back to, and the second, it was literally stumbling distance from our Airbnb and in the same hotel that the bride and groom were at so we could say a quick goodbye before heading to the airport.

If you’re looking for a fast casual, affordable option that offers a lot more than just smoothies, this is your spot. Every item on the menu would make for a perfect picnic spread.

Here, we went for the organic acai bowls with seasonal fruit. Straightforward, delicious, effective. They also came out ready to eat pretty quickly too. Both times, we enjoyed our bowls on the spot and they were perfect ways to start our days.

Recommendations: If you’re traveling with people who may not be as into acai bowls or smoothies, this place offers sandwiches, paninis, salads, and other picnic options to appease even the picky eaters. You can grab a couple of options and share bites with everyone!

Now that I’ve returned back to California, I’ve been looking to continue this incredible acai trend. What are your favorite places to grab acai bowls in the Bay Area?