A Thirst for Freshness – Thirst Juice Co. opens in Downtown Boston

The time has come, my friends. That dreadful moment when you realize fresh produce has become a thing of the past. That is, until spring. Items dwindle at farm stands, unless you’re in the market for parsnips and pumpkins. You would give your kingdom for a tomato that isn’t mealy, and you dream of a time when blueberries were plump and juicy.

Have no fear. There’s a new juice spot in the heart of downtown Boston sure to quench your thirst for fresh fruits and veggies.

Thirst Juice Co. offers made-to-order juices, incredible smoothies, and they’re very own acai bowl concoctions. You can get all this (and more) at their new 44 School Street location.

The founders, husband-and-wife duo Heather Stevenson and Chris Roche, tossed their careers in law in favor of their love of staying active and good food. As avid runners and exercise enthusiasts, they’re familiar with the whole “juicing” world. But they know not everyone is savvy to healthy drinks that taste good. So took their time crafting recipes that would appeal to both newbies and expert green juice drinkers.

Consider this where to go to try green juice for the first time. Most of the menu isn’t basic kale and cucumber with carrot thrown in for good measure. They have eight flavorful mixtures (four of which are available in bottles) that boost your love for green goodness. There’s Green Dream, which adds jalapeno to kick up the cucumber, pineapple and kale refreshment; and Melon Ball with cantaloupe, kale, apple and ginger that gives a wonderful snap finish. If you do want a basic blend, try the Kale-idoscope of kale, spinach, carrot and pineapple.

Then there are smoothies, not typical treats at juice bars. The most popular of the eight available is Bad Monkey, which co-owner Stevenson describes as “like a milkshake but good for you.” It’s a divine blend of banana, almond butter, cacao nibs, cacao powder, dates and coconut milk. You also can’t go wrong with the tropical Coco-copia (coconut water, coconut flakes, coconut oil, strawberries, mango) or the Pink Unicorn (strawberries, mango, banana, almond milk and protein powder). Pump up your smoothies with boosts such as vegan protein powder, Spirulina, chia seeds or flaxseed oil.

You can also dive into an Acai Bowl, which channel the power of acai in a thick and creamy dessert-like frozen treat. And you guessed in. They come in a bowl. Choose from Peanut Butter, Pear and Spinach, or Coconut, but we found true love in Chili Chocolate Acai Bowl – cacao powder, cacao nibs, chipotle chili powder, acai, almond milk, banana, dates and agave, topped with granola and hemp seeds.

When the winter winds call for something heartier, they also offer daily small-batch hand-made soups. They even give you a small seed mix to coordinate with each piping bowl. Depending on the day, there’s curried cauliflower, Moroccan lentil, smoky tomato and roasted butternut with a finishing kick that’ll warm you from the inside.

If you’re a morning muncher, try their steel cut oatmeal, coffee from Massachusetts’s Barrington Coffee Roasting Co., hot tea, and a selection of grab ‘n go snacks. Many of Thirst’s products, including its juices, soups, smoothies, acai bowls and oatmeal, are also vegan and gluten-free.

Thirst Juice Co. is open seven days week, which means we obviously can fuel our thirst for fresh fruits and veggies a little easier this winter. So drink up.