In Short: Joe and the Juice is a temple dedicated to juice lovers and health food fiends. Superb fit-out, with an upbeat ambiance, right next to Martin Place.
Joe and the Juice has finally landed down under. On a recent trip to Singapore I had seen a Joe and the Juice store near Raffles Place, and late last year saw hoardings advertising the fact that it would soon be opening up at Barangaroo (and as I walked down through Barangaroo recently, I see it is now operational!). I am here in their swish new digs on Pitt Street adjacent to Martin Place. It’s hard to categorise Joe and the Juice. The fit-out is handsome, sleek and reminiscent of its Danish roots. There’s a swinging cane chair, and Motown classics pumping through the speakers. It’s more health bar than cafe, yet they do coffee very well. You can take a seat, but there’s no table service or silverware, rather disposable cups and plates. And then there are the juices; the core of the menu. Speaking of juices, the ‘juicers’, i.e. the girls and guys that prepare the special elixirs that promise to cure all types of ills, they are predominantly young, healthy-looking specimens, that bound around with the energy that promote the good juice that Joe and the Juice is all about.
All the food and juices are crafted in front of the customers, so there’s no mistaking what goes into making each of the items on the menu, which is split into morning, lunch and afternoon. Under breakfast, there are a couple of hand meals, and for lunch and afternoon, a host of sandwiches to choose from. Then there are the juices which dominate the selections. I spied the ingredients of Sex Me Up and it appealed to me, but prudish old me couldn’t bring myself to go up to the counter and order one, it just sounded so weird! Instead, the equally appealing Joe’s AMG comprising apple, mint, and ginger was ordered. My first sip was sublime; the sweetness of the apple and refreshing mint is just about as perfect as it gets. Then slowly as you sip, you get the heat of the ginger that warms the throat. A pleasant, yet not too spicy sensation, not the type of ginger that hits you over the head, but one that rather subtly works well with the mint and apple.
Moving on, the next order was the sports juice. Again, this one is a three-ingredient concoction. Keeping it simple results in an utterly delightful drink with the pineapple and apple providing the sweetness, and the passionfruit providing the tangy notes. It’s a real tropical drink that would not be out of place as a mocktail on a drinks menu in bars across Sydney. Make sure you order the 16oz, because 12oz ain’t enough!
All juiced up, I seek some sustenance and seek out the breakfast club. It’s cup of super foods with acai, avocado, banana, and raspberry, topped with granola and almond milk. The raspberries paint the brekkie cup a bright red and a spoonful reveals sharp flavours of the summer berry, that give way to the sweetness of the banana and coconut flakes. The granola provides structure and crunch. It definitely does the job of filling me up.
On a return visit, I sample a couple more drinks at Joe and the Juice. But, before diving in, I take the opportunity to try a selection from their afternoon menu and indulge in Joe’s club sandwich. Tender chunks of chicken are stacked with evenly carved slices of avocado and tomato. It all sits within a dark rye pocket, that’s basted with pesto. The meat is nicely seasoned, and it’s classic flavours with tomato and avocado add acidity, sweetness, and creaminess. While the pesto injects a robust ‘herbie’ flavour to cut through the richness. For me the highlight is the dark rye. It’s flattened, toasty, yet doesn’t lose the texture of standard bread. It’s a case where, for a change, the bread shares equal billing with its ingredients!
A visit to Joe and The Juice isn’t complete without sampling their coffee. As is the norm these days I go for a flat white. It’s a robust blend with an acidic bite, that is easily tamed with the frothy milk and creamy textures. There are beautiful aromas that emanate from the cup, and remind me that this juice ‘çafe’, can more than hold its own with their coffee.
Before joining the hoards heading towards Wynyard Station and home time, I sneak in yet another juice. Appropriately, it’s a pick me up, and boy does it do the job! Blended raspberry, banana, and apple works the magic. Each sip starts out with the tartness of the raspberry, followed by the sweetness of the apples and banana weaving their way through. Compared to say the AMG or Sports Juice it’s a heavier drink, perfect for when you need a healthy filler, without a foray to the chocolate aisle of the supermarket.
Two visits to Joe and the Juice and I came away impressed. It’s a cool spot, that’s sophisticated, yet casual. With a booming soundtrack that changes everyday, it will revitalise you and get you back on track if you’ve started to fade or you need a jump-start to the day. Oh, and I almost forgot, if you need coffee post 5pm in Sydney, they will look after that too as they stay open ’til 8pm! I love that!
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