Though Juice Laundry—the place to go for UVA On-Grounds smoothies—was infamous for its high costs, its absence allowed Corner Juice to (almost) monopolize and force students in need of the refreshing, fruity drink to pay over $10.00 or wait over an hour at Saxby’s for their dining dollars options.
So, when UVA Dine announced the “Date To Be Announced” opening of Blenz Bowls, I (a smoothie extraordinaire) was ecstatic. Though it was later announced that it would only be located at the Aquatic & Fitness Center—and not next to the Fresh Food Dining Hall in Newcomb—I nonetheless followed @BlenzBowls on Instagram, missed their free bowls giveaway, and waited patiently for opening day. When it was finally added to GrubHub, and I noticed four different 8-oz smoothies for just a meal exchange, I became even more excited.
At last, @UVADine’s story provided me with the date that (I thought) would be the best day of my life. On February 2nd, 2026, however, I opened Yik Yak to a warning: “DO NOT ORDER FROM BLENZ BOWLS. THEY ARE NOT OPEN YET, AND I WASTED MY MEAL EXCHANGE”. Many hours later, and after an angry and confused Yik Yak post of my own, UVA confirmed the delayed opening.
Eight days later, on February 10th, 2026, I was finally facing my first Blenz Bowls meal exchange smoothie. The subsequent three days, I tried the remaining options. Below, I present my ratings of the four smoothies.
Day 1: Happy Hippie Smoothie (Mango, Strawberry, Banana, and Almond Milk)
6.5/10. Though refreshing, I found that the mango addition threw off the classic taste of a strawberry and banana smoothie. I do feel like I need to try this one again, as I noted a chocolate aftertaste that may have come from the leftovers of someone’s chocolate protein powder addition—a taste that I do not enjoy in my smoothies.
Day 2: Zen Zone Smoothie (Strawberry, Blueberry, Banana, and Almond Milk)
8/10. I am not usually a blueberry smoothie, but Kip’s “Blue Moon Over Brooklyn” in Heated Rivalry made me excited for this one, and I wasn’t disappointed. It is the only smoothie I have repeated as of 2/18, and that is because of its delicious and original taste.
Day 3: Beach Bum Smoothie (Pineapple, Mango, Banana, and Almond Milk)
9.5/10 and my favorite. While walking to the AFC, I ran into my friend who had a yellow smoothie in hand. She happily told me that it was her favorite, so I anticipated picking it up for my whole workout. And though my go-to smoothie is strawberry banana, the pineapple and mango alternative is refreshing, delicious, and a great start to my day.
Day 4: Sunset Smoothie (Pineapple, Strawberry, Banana, and Almond Milk)
7.5/10. This tastes most like a classic strawberry banana smoothie to me. I found it nostalgic and tasty, but it didn’t feel as unique as the Beach Bum or Zen Zone alternatives—though this is most likely because of my strawberry-banana-acclimated taste buds.
Overall, I recommend Blenz Bowls for anyone on Grounds, and I’m excited to splurge on their dining dollars smoothie bowls soon!