Playa Bowls in Montclair: A Taste of Home
“I think I’ll get the Coco Craze! Or maybe the Pink Flamingo? Or the Lola?! Ugh they all look so good…”
At 2 p.m. on Friday, April 14, Playa Bowls in Montclair, which is located at 19 Church St amongst other popular businesses like Raymond’s and That Little Black Dress, was accumulating a diverse crowd. With a distinct purple awning and a pineapple emblem displayed proudly on its window, Playa Bowls is the place to be.
The sun shined brightly on this beautiful 70 degree spring day as patrons waited with anticipation to get their hands on these tasty, healthy and Instagram-able treats. From smoothies to juices, acai, pitaya, coconut and green bowls as well as oatmeal and soup, Playa Bowls has a diverse delicious menu.
Montclair State freshman and Exercise Science major, Melissa Martinez, waited in line for her favorite: the Nutella Bowl. As a frequent customer, Martinez said, “I like acai bowls: they’re really good and healthy. It’s a great snack.”
The General Manager of Playa Bowls in Montclair, Anthony Beller, said, “This is what the summer is going to look like: a line out the door.”
Playa Bowls first opened during the summer of 2014, as a small stand on 8th and Ocean in Belmar, New Jersey. With an overwhelmingly positive response from customers, Playa Bowls has since expanded to 9 locations in New Jersey. Playa Bowls in Montclair successfully opened December 23, 2016 and has been thriving ever since.
With over 34,000 followers on their main Instagram, as well as separate accounts for each location, Playa Bowls interacts with customers by reposting their photos and replying to comments.
While the Playa Bowls in Montclair is far from the shore, the ambiance inside has a transformative effect. Montclair State junior and Shift Leader at Playa Bowls in Montclair, Alexa Christie said, “It really brings the beach feels to North Jersey.”
“When you walk in you immediately feel like you could look out the windows and there would be sand and the ocean,” said Christie. Glittering lights are strung on the ceiling while blue painted walls adorned with a decorative leaf and palm tree pattern, along with photographs of the beach, set the scene. With bananas and pineapples visibly stacked behind the counter, customers can see they will be enjoying fresh fruit. Colorful surfboards add to this summery aesthetic as well as a flat screen TV that projects an exhilarating video of surfers catching waves to authenticate this facade.
This spacious location has plenty of seating. Whether it be at a round or wall table, each customer can comfortably eat while listening to pop hits like Ariana Grande’s, “Into you.” “The environment is very fun and upbeat,” Christie said.
The 21-year-old began working at Playa Bowls in Belmar during the summer and was transferred to the Montclair location when it opened. As the Shift Leader, Christie is in charge of making sure the store is running smoothly and accordingly if the manager is not present.
“My favorite part about working at Playa Bowls is definitely the calm beach vibes our stores have. I have worked at several different restaurants and Playa Bowls is by far the best I have ever worked at. I love the positive vibes in the stores and I always enjoy going to work everyday. I also love how involved the managers and owners are with their employees. It really makes me feel like we are a family and everyone is there for each other.” said Christie.
The 8th Ave bowl (which has acai, banana, granola and honey) is Christie’s favorite due to its simplicity. For a healthier choice, she suggests the Pura Vida which is an acai blend topped with granola, strawberries, blueberries, and honey. She also recommends their most popular: the Nutella Bowl.
Beller added, “Guys usually go with the Power Bowl because there is protein in there and peanut butter on top, so that’s a good one for the guys.”
As the blender finished whirling, Christie poured the liquid remnants into clear bowls. Chopping a fresh banana and gathering other ingredients, Christie was preparing bowls, in particular, the Nutella Bowl, for excited customers.
The Nutella Bowl is worth the hype (and countless Instagram posts.) The vibrant purple blended acai lyes at the bottom. With a thick smoothie like texture, it is refreshingly chilled and adorned with organic, crunchy granola. Freshly cut strawberries and bananas overflow the large bowl. To top it off, a thick drizzle of chocolatey Nutella covers the sweet fruit along with gigantic coconut flakes.
Behind the counter, each employee exudes enthusiasm and focus while performing their tasks, “Almost every one that works at the store goes to Montclair State University so anyone from the school that goes will feel comfortable. A bowl is a great healthy meal depending on what you get and is the better choice than an unhealthy meal off campus.” said Christie.
Montclair State sophomores, Miranda Dambrot and Lauren Kaiser, sat comfortably in Playa Bowls, enjoying their Nutella bowls.
After swallowing a spoonful of Nutella, strawberries and acai, Kaiser smiled and said, “I love Playa Bowls.”
Kaiser, who is from Marlboro, first went to Playa Bowls in Pier Village over the summer. Her family has had some health issues so they found Playa Bowls to be a healthier alternative to other treats like ice-cream. Kaiser was thrilled when she found out Playa Bowls opened in Montclair and has since been to the location a total of 20 times.
Kaiser finds solace when at Playa Bowls in Montclair, “It reminds me of home.”
A Montclair State and Playa Bowls collaboration has yet to occur, however, Kaiser advised, “I think we should have a Playa Bowls on campus. I might lose all of my money because I’d spend it all there… but it’s worth it.”
