Okay so as I’ve mentioned before, I’m sort of on a health kick. I’ve been working out triweekly, eating balanced meals, and taking care of my body. So of course I had to make a stop at the infamous Playa Bowls in State College. I only really get playa bowls when I go to the beach, so I was obviously extremely excited to test this one out!

Upon entering, one of the very first things I noticed was the trendy atmosphere. The place has lots of pretty lights, cool posters, and trendy music. The place is very aesthetically pleasing and has tons of cute areas to take pictures of your food, just like the Instagram influencers do! I must also note that there is a lot of seating which is crucial since the place is always hopping and busy. In addition to all of this, they display their colorful fruits such as bananas and pineapples along the walls which gives the small space a beachy vibe.

Menu

But of course, the main reason I was there was for the food. My initial concern was that I wouldn’t know what or how to order. I’m not an expert on smoothies or acai or anything of that nature. It wasn’t until that day that I found out what acai even was. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to order. On the left side of the ordering line, there’s a large blackboard with all of the menu items written in chalk. They offer a number of different bowls such as acai bowls, pitaya bowls which are made with pitaya, coconut milk, banana, and pineapple, green bowls which consist of kale, coconut milk, banana, and pineapple, banana bowls which have almond milk, bananas, and honey, and coconut bowls which are made with raw coconut, banana, and coconut milk. The options are pretty much endless.

Pink Flamingo & Coco Craze

In addition to their famous bowls, they also offer other options such as oatmeal, chia pudding, smoothies, fresh juices, poke bowls, and wellness shots. Also included in their menu is their extensive toppings section which includes extra fruits of your choice, granola, Nutella drizzle, coconut shavings, almonds, peanut butter, honey, and so much more. Pretty much anything can be a topping and toppings can be added to all bowls, smoothies, and oatmeal.
I will also note that the bowls are a bit pricey ranging from around nine to twelve dollars, however, you truly do get what you pay for and in my opinion, it’s totally worth it.

Pura Vida Acai, Number 1 Oatmeal, Strawberry Banana Smoothie

I wound up going to Playa Bowls on two separate occasions: once with my friend Mya and a second time with my boyfriend Bryce. When I went with Mya, I got the Pink Flamingo pitaya bowl, while Mya got the Coco Craze coconut bowl. When I went with Bryce, I got a strawberry banana smoothie and the Number 1 oatmeal bowl with strawberry and banana topping, while Bryce got the Pura Vida acai bowl. I must note that I was pleasantly surprised by how big my pitaya bowl, oatmeal bowl, and smoothie actually were. My pitaya bowl and oatmeal bowl were incredibly large and filling and I wound up taking most of them home. The smoothie was also very filling, tasty, and the fruit tasted very fresh. You could definitely get at least two meals out of just one bowl, which makes their high prices look not as bad.

Overall, if I were to rate Playa Bowls out of 5 stars I would give it a solid 5. You can vividly taste the fresh fruit and plant-based products, leaving you feeling healthy and renewed. Playa Bowls at State College definitely satisfies my smoothie cravings and makes fruit and veggies look just as good, if not better, than processed food. So check it out and let me know how you feel! I can assure you that they NEVER disappoint!