Daniel B.
Yelp
Kale Me Crazy is a healthy organic juice and smoothie bar that opened June 2013 in Inman Park. The business was founded by Roi Shlomo, who is also the founder and owner of the Yogli Mogli frozen yogurt chain. This Inman Park store, located next door to Pure Taqueria, is Kale Me Crazy's original location. Other locations have since opened around metro Atlanta including Decatur, Midtown, Sandy Springs, and Virginia-Highland.
The store sells about a dozen different types each of cold-pressed juices and smoothies containing a variety of fruits and vegetables. Cold-pressing juices means better flavor, more natural color due to less oxidation, and most importantly, superior nutrient retention. The juices are pressed and bottled daily. Smoothies are made-to-order. Juices come in approximately 16-ounce bottles for about $7-8 each. Smoothies cost about $7-9 each. The ingredients are high quality and non-GMO.
I haven't had a bad juice or smoothie here. Ask to sample some of the juices. I like the following ones:
* Kale Yeah! - kale, spinach, apple, cucumber, lemon
* Chlorella de Vil - apple, cucumber, lime, chlorella, spirulina
* Beet'l Juice - apple, carrot, beet, celery, lime, ginger
The Kale Yeah! is one of the store's more popular juices along with the Go Green (kale, spinach, romaine, chard, cucumber, celery) and Energizer (spinach, carrot, cucumber, celery, ginger). I love vegetables and I eat kale often. I've never had a kale juice that tastes quite as good as the Kale Yeah! The distinct kale flavor really shines through, complemented nicely by the sweet apple and tart lemon.
The Chlorella de Vil is surprisingly tasty and refreshing. It's rich in protein thanks to the chlorella and spirulina. Chlorella is a green algae. Spirulina is a bacteria that's used as a dietary supplement containing protein and lots of vitamins and minerals.
As opposed to the Kale Yeah! and Chlorella de Vil, which are green in color, the Beet'l Juice is a deep red/purple. The sweetness of the apples is a common theme among many of the juices here. I like the subtle kick from the ginger in this juice. It's not overly strong like Rawesome Juicery's Fat Burner (grapefruit, lemon, ginger, cayenne, and honey), though Kale Me Crazy's Fire Fighter (carrot, apple, celery, ginger, cayenne) may be better for comparison purposes.
Popular smoothies include the Tropical Trippin' (orange, mango, pineapple, coconut yogurt, coconut milk) and Burning Kale (celery, cucumber, kale, lemon, apple, cayenne). Of the smoothies, I like the following:
* Green Dream - kale, spinach, pineapple, apple, mint leaves, coconut water
* Refresh - kale, celery, apple, banana, mint, coconut meat, coconut milk, maple syrup
* Super Matcha - matcha green tea, blueberries, banana, spinach, chia seeds, agave, almond milk
* The Warrior - maca powder, spirulina, goji berries, flax seeds, banana, spinach, hemp milk, vanilla extract, agave
Generally, I like how the smoothies aren't too thick nor icy. The Green Dream and Refresh smoothies are light and minty. Super Matcha and The Warrior are more substantial and relatively "heavy." Maca powder, derived from a radish/root vegetable, has a lot of purported health benefits including enhancing mood and sexual function. Asian goji berries are nutrient-dense and have a lot of phytochemicals. Flax seeds are high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. Hemp milk gives The Warrior smoothie its overall nutty flavor and, like flax seeds, contains plenty of omega-3.
In addition to juices and smoothies, Kale Me Crazy also sells shots (e.g. e3live blue-green algae and wheatgrass shots) and coffee drinks plus food such as acai bowls, salads, and wraps including tuna, turkey, chicken, and salmon.
The store is small with a bar-like setup. Free Wi-Fi. The design is modern and clean. The check-out area has small items for sale such as snack bars and some of the same ingredients the store uses in its juices and smoothies (e.g. chia seeds, flax seeds, goji berries).
Service is great.
Kale Me Crazy has several free self-park spots in a nicely paved lot directly outside.