Vitality Bowls

I love Vitality Bowl, but this location is terrible. I understand the wait can be long at other locations, but if you order in store the wait can be 30+ minutes! C’mon figure it out! Hire people! Do something, it’s ridiculous. Now, after the extremely long wait, you have your bowl… I order the same bowl every time and every time the bowl is a different serving size, tastes different, is a different consistency and looks different. Your recipes are on your board! Figure it out! I always go to Walnut Creek or Pleasant Hill because I get what I order every time. The management in Lafayette needs to open their eyes and realize your quality control needs serious help. I’d rather drive to Walnut Creek or Pleasant Hill to fulfill my craving. Wake up Lafayette! You need help and some training.

Very clean and spacious! The lady who helped us at the register was very professional and polite. Great customer service. Thank you Lafayette VB!

This is a great place when you want quick lunch and healthy juices or smoothies. The have bowls with all kinds of fruits and veggies. I wish they would have few organic options to choose from.
You can come here for breakfast or lunch. We need more juice bars around.

I felt so much better picking this place to pop in to for a quick lunch than another «fast-​food» option. I recently went to Brazil and so enjoyed the Acai berries… and Vitality Bowls does the Acai right. The parking situation is also great — just enough down the block from the main Lafayette craziness. I will definitely be back soon!

Update: I went back, got the Salami Panini without the sundried tomato and with all specifics to gluten free, and I didn’t break out in a rash, and of course, it was tasty.
I also tried the green juice– forgot what it was called, but it had coconut water in it and ginger– one of the top 3 juices up on the menu– it was OK. I’d go with the beet juice they have instead.
The only thing I’d say is, and I might be a tad too particular because gluten gives me rashes and stuff, but the manager brought out my sandwich, and I’m sure she saw to it that it was prepared correctly, but as a patron, I should be able to walk in when a manager isn’t there and get it done correctly as well. So I’d say this is my compromise and solution:
If you have Celiac Disease, ask for a manager so they can supervise the execution. I think that’s fair, albeit probably kind of annoying for the managers, but if Gabi stands behind her business and the equal treatment of all patrons, then she won’t mind telling her managers and supervisors this.
Or, as a Celiac, you can just skip the sandwiches all together and get a bowl.
Gabi, thank you for your time and efforts. I appreciate a business that’s looking to do it right. I’ll be sure to ask for a manager when I go in so that the execution will be properly carried out, and also, this situation has made me rethink my whole way of going to restaurants. I will be asking to speak to a manger everywhere so that I can make sure they know to tell staff.
Thank you!
Original review:
This place was aight. The Apple/​beet/​ginger juice was awesome.
I thought it was gonna be a gluten free heaven when I saw they offered gluten free panini but alas, still I must advocate for Celiacs and people with food allergies… If you are going to offer something that caters to patrons who have allergies or food issues, WIPE DOWN ALL EQUIPMENT BEFORE MAKING IT.
I can’t stress this enough.
I know you must get hundreds of diet faders coming in with their silly excuse to order such a thing that ruins it for the rest of us.
If a patron has Celiac Disease, as I did, and informed the guy who rang me up and he even asked me if it was preference or medical necessity, then a separate cutting board/​knife/​spreading knife should be used. AT THE VERY LEAST these items should be properly sanitized to prevent cross contamination.
This was not done because I ate half the panini and broke out in a rash– I thought to myself what could have caused this? I took all precaution. Then I remembered; THE PANINI GRILL.
The grill wasn’t wiped down and that’s a big no no with Celiac disease. I had to throw the other half of the sandwich away.
My word of advice to vitality bowl:
You have a few options. You could invest in a separate panini grill/​knife/​cutting board to be used to support your gluten free panini sandwich option, you could properly train your staff to clean and sanitize for your patrons with food allergies or rare autoimmune anomalies, or you can stop wasting your money on precious gluten free bread because you lack a gluten free execution which means you literally only offer gluten free bread that you sprinkle gluten on.

Fresh fruit and toppings, an awesome variety and most importantly always delicious! I love this place. I wish there was one closer to where I live.

I think that Vitality Bowls are the Mercedes of Acai Bowls. They use all real fruit, not concentrate, with a refreshing variety of toppings and variations so that I never get sick of coming here.
I once tried a bowl with an avocado base (they have monthly specials) that was so delicious. The rest of the time I go for the Detox or Dragon.
One observation about this locations is it seems to employ a lot of teenagers, which could potentially be a bad thing. But in this case, it seems like this branch is offering teens their first job experience and the teens really know their stuff! One day I was feeling sick and asked for a suggestion. The young man at the counter told me to go for something with Spirulina because it brings oxygen to the blood… or something like that? I’ll have to ask again. But that is to say that I like businesses that are supportive of youth, and promote health.
Yes, they are expensive but it is worth paying for all the nutrients I’m putting into my system with each bowl. I’ve never tried the smoothies because the bowls are too good to pass up :)

I was introduced to Vitality Bowls by my daughter. Been here twice & I just got the basic bowl with granola, strawberries & bananas. I liked mine very much. Very refreshing. It’s pricey for what you get though!
Not sure if I’d be a regular fan. I think the service — while friendly, can be improved. They’ve got enough people working here & I’ve been here when there were only less than 3 customers & it takes 15 – 20 minutes for a bowl. I had to ask one day while I was there & there were quite a few people waiting. They told me it’ll be a 30 minutes wait. I turned around & walked right back out.
So either the staff has to be more efficient in what they do or their customer base will shrink.

I had the day off and decided to come here since I always pass by on the way to work. I couldn’t decide on what to order so I just got the vitality bowl. They make everything fresh so the wait can be a bit long. I waited about 8 – 10 minutes for my bowl to be ready. But despite the wait, they have posters along the walls about the different ingredients that they use, which are very informative and helps kill time while you’re waiting. When I got my vitality bowl, I was little bit in awe at how pretty it looked. And it tasted amazing too. It’s almost like a parfait but with frozen yogurt and lots of healthy toppings that adds flavor and crunch to it. The only con that I could think of was that the AC was on full blast and the vitality bowl is already cold, so I was extremely cold while eating my bowl. Other than that, I am definitely coming back to try the other items.

Pro: tropical bowl flavor consistent with vitality in walnutcreek. Wait time close to none in comparison to walnut creek. Cons: 10 percent off for Unilocal check in not offered at this location or feature is not working on Unilocal?!Overall I’m a big vitality bowl fan so thumbs up for me.

So what is a Vitality Bowl?
Food: I got the Tropical Bowl. The base is blended with acai, coconut milk, apple juice, bananas, mango, pineapple, and flax seed. It’s FROZEN like a frozen yogurt consistency. I wish I knew about this place earlier in the summer. It was topped with organic granola, sliced strawberries, banana, dried coconut and drizzled with honey. It was absolutely f’n delicious. I was eating it too fast and I got the ice cream headache… or should I say Vitality Bowl headache?
Service: the lady who helped me endured my questions with such a pleasant attitude. This isn’t fast food so your bowl will take over five minutes or so.
Ambiance: pictures of exotic fruits that I want to eat.
I’m so happy a location opened up in my city of Lafayette. They are going to see me there on a regular basis. Either by myself or with my kid, because it’s healthy and he’ll love it.

Enjoyed a take out tropical vitality bowl. Very fruit forward and flavorful with fresh sliced bananas, strawberries, mangoes, and coconut flakes mixed with the acai sorbet and coconut milk. Tasted like a refreshing dessert. Will need to try a vegetable vitality bowl. Service was swift and personnel friendly and well trained. The price point seems high, even though all the ingredients are healthy.

Great location on the corner of the street! It might be easy to miss if it’s your first time here.
There are so many options! I can always go for an acai bowl — so refreshing! Came here after dinner for a «dessert» to share with my boyfriend. We opted for a medium size Warrior Bowl and it came out in about 5 minutes, made-​to-​order!
PARKING: Street parking available, but if you drive onto the side street — there’s a parking garage for customers (underground parking).
MENU: The menu posted up on the wall is pretty concise, but for more details, check out their paper menus. It tells you what is blended up in the acai «smoothie» mix and what the bowl is topped off with!
AMBIANCE: Love the vibe and décor in here. There are canvas highlighting the different ingredients they use: goji berries, acai, dragonfruit (or pitaya), acerola, etc. Staff was very friendly and cashier explained all the goodies to us.

Now open on the main drag of Lafayette: a new place to get healthy. There are two big ways to get in shape, eat right and exercise. Vitality Bowls is in business to help you eat right. (Did you see that picture of me having a dinner with food from Vitality Bowls. .. and In-​n-​Out Burger? heh heh)
Vitality Bowls fits into the stereotype I have in my mind of health food restaurants. Everything on the menu is health food, and the menu lists all the ingredients. Posters are hanging describing in detail the health benefits of berries you’ve never heard of from around the world. Prices are high. Thankfully, the TV screen is not playing music by Yanni.
I came in late, so I didn’t get a good look at who is coming to this new place. Some diners fit the stereotype (two girls chatting outside, three high school track girls placing their order), others didn’t (the dad with his two sons waiting — and waiting — for their orders). It takes a long time to get your food, but there is a small sign explaining that they make their bowls and juice from scratch, so it takes a few minutes to get your order; I was told 5 – 7 minutes, and that was about right.
It may be pretty good, I’m not sure, I don’t make it a habit of visiting health stores. Hence the 3-​star rating. I got a nutty bowl to go, finished my Double Double, and had the bowl for breakfast the following morning. It was basically a bowl of juice with granola and bananas on the top, okay. At least it was tasty, and that’s better than I can say about most health food I’ve had. The juice tasted like, well, healthy juice; you can interpret that however you wish. If you have the extra money, and dread eating food that’s good for you because it tastes like crap, then you’re in for a pleasant surprise with Vitality Bowls.

Really fresh, really healthy, and really friendly. The gal up front was very patient and thuorough when explaining these options for the bowls. I had a tough time deciding, but once I did I settled on a great choice for a if I remember correctly, warrior bowl. They also have other healthy options available; smoothies, panini’s, and salad’s. I also wanted a glass of water, the gal told me they would bring that to me.
When they brought out the water cup it had green stuff on it, but I’m sure that it was healthy and nothing to worry about at all. The other super fruits they have are acerol, and pitaya, and several other’s, just not sure if I’m spelling that correctly. As for the restrooms? Well…
Yes!!! They meet my standards of cleanliness.
I’d had a medium size bowl which turned out to be quite filling an a whole lot of food. This was also my first time at Vitality bowls. Also they have some comfortable seating, and have been open since Memorial Day Weekend.

Haven’t tried a bowl or smoothie yet. Went in there for the veggie panini and was quite happy with it. Service was great from the gentleman who took my order. When the panini was ready it was delivered in a wax pouch, which kind of threw me off. Thought there could be something more decorative to hand me my panini in. I know they’re known for their bowls and smoothies so I guess it’s not worth presenting their paninis like they do the rest of the menu. I was given some coupons and a to-​go menu for the next time I visit.
Location is in a decent area. Close to my work for something quick.

Delicious and healthy fruit bowls, salads, panini sandwiches, soups, and juices. So far, I’ve tried the dragon bowl, the desert bowl, and the turkey panini. All menu items are made fresh to order so don’t expect express pre-​made service.
Counter order, and then they will bring it to your table. Lunch can get busy and parking can be limited, but it’s worth it! The space is new and clean. The staff is friendly and helpful. I was greeted immediately and received my order within five minutes.
Child-​friendly space and menu. Within walking distance of the Lafayette Library/​Learning Center. I even received coupons today for my next visit — yay!
They now have a nutrition breakdown for every item available to review at the counter. ‘m hoping they will post this nutrition info online. Hoping they will add outdoor seating in the future.

First time yesterday and wow, the tropical bowl is yummy!!! Was reluctant to try this «hype?» but curious… and now I’m hooked. Can’t stop thinking about it, haha. Pricey but makes a nice, refreshing treat!
Service was nice and friendly, probably 15 mins wait for the order to come. Place was about ¾ full, they’ll do great here in Lafayette!

I was so happy when this one opened up because I live right up the street, it’s much closer than the one in WC. I’ve been a fan of acai ever since I visited Brazil in 2009. I ate it frequently there and was thrilled when it made its way here. The Warrior Bowl with peanut butter is awesome, the Nutty Bowl, and I love the Hulk smoothie with of course peanut butter added. I love to fatten it up. These are great for a snack or a light meal.

Found a rock in the food, read below for the rest of the ordeal.
Showed up 5÷25÷15 at 10:15AM, there was no other customers in the store. The front counter was without an attendant as three staff workers were in the back preparing food (seemingly for the day), and one lady (presumably the manager), was sitting down at a computer in the back as well.
The man who assisted us was quite kind in walking us through the variety of options and making suggestions. Although halfway through his explanation the phone rang and he immediately picked it up (odd that neither of the other three folks were able to assist in that matter, but ok). Then it became apparent that he was not in charge of whatever the person on the phone was requesting so the manager and one of the prep chefs came out to handle the phone issue.
We ordered and were told 20 minutes till it would be ready. At this point I am thinking back on experiences at other Acai Bowl shops and Jamba Juice and how quickly they are able to provide you the food (5 – 10 minutes, tops).
Within 15 minutes our food came out but it was just the two bowls, missing the third that we ordered. After some back and forth and dismay on their part that we had actually ordered a third, I was asked to produce a receipt to show them that I did in fact pay for 3.
5 minutes later we had our bowl and we were on our way.
After getting home I opened the bowls and realized that they forgot to add bee pollen to one of the bowls (fine, my fault for not checking, but after a series of frustrations it was hard not to be upset).
When we began eating the now soupy acai bowl (probably our fault for not eating at the store), my mom Unilocaled as she bit into something hard. She pulled it out of her mouth and realized that she had just bitten into a rock. Thankfully her teeth were fine, but something like that could result in a $ 1600 bill at the dentist and is the result of extreme carelessness on behalf of Vitality Bowl in the quality of their controls around food prep or the quality control of their ingredients.
All in all I am incredibly disappointed with my trip, and will not ever return to one of their establishments. I get the «new shop» kinks argument, but this was just too much.