Smoothies are a popular and versatile drink, with endless combinations of fruits and veggies available. Although there are tons of smoothie places around Tampa, I chose to try a few of the most well-known places to see what I thought.    

Extreme Juice  

Established in 1997, Extreme Juice has one location on Dale Mabry. The building is small but filled with lots of bright colors and helpful workers. There is a large variety of different smoothies, some with citrusy bases and some with more classic fruit bases. You can add things into your smoothie like “kale” and “açai berry.” Although smoothies are their specialty, they do have other options “fresh juices” and “wheatgrass.” I ordered a “Strawberry Banana Incident” smoothie and really enjoyed it. It is common for smoothies with banana to have a very strong banana taste, but thankfully this one does not. It is also not too sweet. The service was extremely fast — right as I was done ordering, the smoothie was being made and I was in there for no longer than 10 minutes. 

9/10 

Smoothie King  

Smoothie King has three locations within proximity of Plant High School. I went to the Smoothie King located on Swann Avenue. It was not very crowded, so I was in and out within five minutes, helped by the fact that someone was already making the smoothie as I was paying. I ordered the “Caribbean Way,” a smoothie containing strawberries, bananas, papaya juice, and turbinado, a type of brown sugar. It had a good flavor but wasn’t as smooth as the Extreme Juice one. Again, the banana was not overpowering, while the smoothie was pretty sweet, it wasn’t too sweet. The overall experience of ordering the smoothie was good; the workers were fast and helpful. 

8/10 

Planet Smoothie   

Planet Smoothie has one location within 15 minutes of Plant High School. They are located on Grand Central Avenue, close to the University of Tampa. I ordered the “Twig and Berries.” Inside this smoothie there are bananas, strawberries and frozen yogurt. The smoothie has a starchy texture and is fairly sweet, with an aftertaste that is not the best, leaving a sour taste in your mouth. I talked to others who have ordered from Planet Smoothie, and they agreed. However, the service was fast and efficient in and out in about 10 minutes. They have a relatively large menu with a wide selection of smoothies and add-ins such as fresh fruits, almond milk, and peanut and almond butter. 

6/10