It’s been a minute since any new Black owned healthy spots opened in Broward, so I was excited to stumble upon Tropibowls while scrolling through IG. Turns out, not only is it Black-owned, but it’s also owned by a woman who’s serving some of, if not, the best acai bowls you can get outside of Brazil.
Located at 1520 E Commercial Blvd, Oakland Park, FL 33334, the café is cozy but the robust flavors are anything but! My favorite and most memorable selection was the Sunshine State Acai Bowl with kiwi, pineapple, strawberries, almonds, granola, honey, and shaved coconut served inside of a hollowed-out pineapple, which was perfect because the pineapple flesh on the sides added more flavor to the already delicious bowl.
If you’ve never tried an Acai Bowl, you are missing out. For starters, they are incredibly healthy. Each bowl is constructed using pulped and flash-frozen acai berries which are then pureed with other frozen fruit and topped with a variety of fresh fruit, granola, seeds, nuts, peanut butter, etc. The Acai bowls are cold, refreshing, creamy, sorbet-like and boast a deep, complex berry flavor.
Considered a superfood, the Acai berry is native to Brazil and is pretty much a darker blueberry powered up on antioxidants with an earthier taste if eaten raw and unprepared. The berry has been eaten for thousands of years by the Ribeirinhos people but was popularized by Brazilian martial artists as a part of their diets. The bowls are great for breakfast but can be eaten at any time and freeze well if you need to save some for later. You can have your bowl served anyway you like, but just don’t get too crazy with toppings, or it will take away from the incredible berry flavor.
Next on our list was a smorgasbord of avocado toast, which I was not a fan of until I tried these. Avocado toast, like cupcakes in the early 2000’s has become a craze in the U.S., and in some cases an obsession – with social media taking the fetishizing of food to new heights! From your most elaborate toast creations to its most basic form the way Mesoamericans enjoyed it hundreds of years ago, the toast at Tropibowls will have you coming back for more than just one.
My favorite was the Everything but The Bagel served on a Brioche toast with avocado Spread, topped with fresh smoked lox, red onion and Everything Seasoning. This tasty and healthy toast is a meal in and of itself. To be quite honest, some may even be a bit indulgent. These are not your typical grab and go toast, but rather stars in and of themselves.
To wash it down we had several of their delicious, refreshing cold pressed and natural juices. I have returned several times since I’m beginning my fitness journey for the 10th time. Spots like this help me keep it all together when I need to get back on track.
Most of the items are also vegan friendly so make sure you share with your aggravating vegan friends. Just kidding. They are the best! We love vegans! But, low key, they are aggravating. Tropibowl is health at the intersection of delicious and receives The Hungry Black Man’s approval. Call them at (954) 530-4913.
