That moment when you step outside and a suffocating blanket of sticky air coats your body, you know that summer has arrived. Instead of baking and dying of thirst in the sweltering sun, try a local juice bar. The moment that icy drink touches your tongue, the dry air will fall away and your summer will be just as enjoyable as it is hot. In order to find the best selection of juices for those unbearably scorching summer days, I decided to take a trip to three of my local juice stores and bars to review this seasons’ best juices. As I traveled from shop to shop, I could definitely guarantee that a cold juice beverage from any of these places would satisfy any costumer. But my question was, which juice would reign superior in the world of smooth smoothies and squeezed surprises?

The first stop on my trip was to the iconic juice store, Jamba Juice. As soon as I walked in I was blasted by a combination of cool air and the fresh scent of lemon. After receiving my juices I decided to kick off my review process. My selection consisted off a Mango-A-Go-Go smoothie, a Strawberry Juice Refresher, and an Orange Supreme. The Mango-A-Go-Go smoothie slid down my throat with ease. The icy cool mango beverage tickled my taste buds as I was delighted with hints of passion-fruit and bursts of pineapple along with the sweet taste of mango. Both of the juices I tried left me completely satisfied. The Strawberry Refresher lived up to its’ name as it was extremely refreshing, combining cool ice with a strawberry puree. Whereas, the Orange Supreme was a hard swallow. The combination of squeezed orange juice, carrot juice, bananas, apple juice and chia seeds was not a refreshing option. Overall, Jamba Juice was a champion when it comes to sweet sherbet smoothies and juices but their more healthy options seem to be lacking creativity and that extra wow-factor that costumers experience with their other beverages.

My search continued as I ventured onto to taste-test the juices at Pressed Juicery. Where Jamba Juice falls short, Pressed Juicery succeeds. Their range and variety of healthy pressed juices is immense. From to citrus to green health drinks their juices create a wheel of flavors that costumers can easily navigate to select their favorite juice combination.  I personally tried Citrus 1, Citrus 2, and Lemon Cayenne H2O. Both Citrus 1 and 3 were very refreshing and energizing, but the Lemon Cayenne H2O was definitely an acquired taste. Citrus 3 had a very strong grapefruit taste with hints of mint to neutralize the drink into a more refreshing juice. Citrus 2 was more of a mellow relaxing post-workout drink, with tropical inspired coconut and pineapple accents to spike up a cucumber, lemon, and aloe base. Finally, I tried the Lemon Cayenne H2O, which is more directed towards costumers on juice cleanses. This water was definitely not to my liking, but I can definitely see why the spicy lemon hydrating taste and vibe is a favorite for some costumers. I ended my trip to Pressed Juicery with the conclusion that this juice bar is for more heath driven costumers, who want to guarantee the identity of each ingredient in their juice choices.

I finally ended my Juice Review with a visit to Nekter Juice Bar. This Bar was the ultimate winner for me because, unlike Jamba Juice and Pressed Juicery, Nekter has the perfect balance of healthy ingredients and broad flavors. Even though, Jamba Juice may be a crowd favorite, Nekter definitely took the lead.   Their juices are equally pleasing whether you are looking for a greener smoothie or sweet refreshment. While I was there I tasted their Pink Flamingo and Orange Crush smoothies. Both completely satisfied my sweet tooth but at the same time I was confident that what I was drinking would positively benefit my general health. The Pink Flamingo had a tropical influence while the Orange Crush was more citrus oriented. Overall, for me, Nekter is the overall winner when it comes to delicious yet health focused drinks this summer season.