Grabbing a post-workout protein boost has never been easier, as smoothie bars are ubiquitous at boutique studios and health clubs (see: Swerve, Barry’s Bootcamp, Equinox, Life Time, TMPL).
Some of the newest additions to the scene feel like cafes that also happen to offer classes.
HealHaus, a wellness space that opened this week in Bed-Stuy, features a wellness bar and cafe along with spaces for yoga and meditation classes and private practitioner rooms for services such as acupuncture and reiki.
The cafe serves HealHaus’ own teas, elixirs and smoothies, like the signature Healer, made with activated charcoal. Others feature ingredients such as spirulina, turmeric and bee pollen. HealHaus worked with chef Diane Chang and herbalist and naturopathic doctor Naika Apeakorang to create the beverages “to give customers something unique,” says co-owner Darian Hall.
B MVMNT, a yoga studio created by Bizzie Gold that opened earlier this month on the Lower East Side, is also offering its own line of wellness products through its WELLNESSbar, which sells pre- and post-workout protein drinks and snacks made with Golden Ratio Nutrition, a gluten-, grain- and dairy-free supplement line founded by Gold.
Wellness center Nap York opened earlier this year in midtown with a cafe on its ground floor and places to nap and meditate on its other three. The cafe, which draws a mix of nappers, yogis and commuters, serves a menu of smoothies, pressed juices, avocado toast and more, designed with recipe developer Clare Langan, with a “focus on wellness,” says Stacy Veloric, Nap York’s director of marketing. Popular offerings so far include its pineapple smoothie, acai bowls and vegan and gluten-free cookies, with some new additions planned.
“We want to really focus on providing our customers with healthy and delicious menu options,” Veloric says. “[We] are hoping to add more specialized items that focus on different ways of clean eating like vegan, paleo, raw, etc.”
Some health clubs have partnered with existing restaurants for food offerings. Last year, Equinox Sports Club on the Upper West Side briefly brought in trendy farm-to-table eatery The Fat Radish to cater its cafe. And last month, Chelsea Piers Fitness debuted a cafe helmed by health-focused chain fresh&co, with a menu of smoothies, grain bowls, salads and grab-and-go sandwiches. When Chelsea Piers Fitness’ second location opens next month in Downtown Brooklyn, it will also have a fresh&co — the chain’s first in Brooklyn.
