December 6, 2021

Smoothie King: Smoothies With A Purpose

CALLING ALL SMOOTHIE FANS!!! Whether you’re an avid smoothie drinker or a newbie, we have your next stop, SMOOTHIE KING! With two locations in Wexford and Bridgeville, this completely customizable smoothie shop is a must-visit. We had the chance to meet with the owners, Liz and Jeremy, and they hooked us up with all of the details (and some taste testing) so we can give you the scoop.

Whenever you hear people talking about smoothies, you hear all kinds of things. Some people use it as a meal replacement, some use it as an after-workout protein boost, and some just enjoy smoothies as a sweet treat. Luckily, at Smoothie King all of those needs are met with their lengthy menu sectioned off by what it is you’re looking for. With sections titled Stay Slim, Get Fit, Be Well, and Take A Break, there’s a perfect blend for everyone! Their whole menu marks off which smoothies can qualify as meal smoothies (10-45g of protein), make it skinny (sub Turbinado for zero-calorie plant-based Stevia sweetener), 0g added sugar, and less than 10g net carbs. Honestly, Smoothie King could not make it any easier to find your perfect fit!

When we visited we got to sample a number of their smoothies including their fall pumpkin menu (pumpkin is a limited-time only menu option and will be back next fall)! This menu features five different pumpkin smoothies blended with 100% organic pumpkin for all diets and purposes, including Vegan and Keto options. We tried the Pumpkin Slim-N-Trim and YUM! This smoothie was just enough pumpkin to give it that pumpkin flavor without going overboard on the sweetness or other spices. It also falls into the meal replacement category with 22g of protein in a 32oz cup. This protein comes from Lean 1 protein and Gladiator protein. Lean 1 is exclusively available in smoothies at Smoothie King. Although you can purchase the powder elsewhere, you won’t find it in a smoothie anywhere else. The same goes with Gladiator, Smoothie King’s protein produced by their company! This protein is only available at Smoothie King (even in powder form)! This NSF-certified protein is commonly enjoyed by local Pittsburgh IFBB Pro bodybuilder, Melissa Lindstrom. So trust us, you’re gonna wanna get your hands on some of this.

Another tasty smoothie we got to try was the Immune Builder Orange. It was light and refreshing with a bit of tartness, which we loved. Smoothie King uses Valencia Oranges among its other fruits and veggies free of syrups or artificial ingredients of any kind, including colors or flavors. They only use whole fruits and juices, organic vegetables, athlete-friendly proteins, and other whole ingredients. This is all so important because it’s no secret that this time of year is cold and flu season. Healthy ingredients are KEY! Luckily at Smoothie King, they recently released three new smoothies under the Immune Builder subcategory! If you aren’t one for orange, mixed berry, or veggie superfood, you can add the immune support enhancer to ANY smoothie and it doesn’t alter the taste.

Other enhancers that can be added to any smoothie are Muscle Builder, Joint Health with Collagen, Probiotics, and Pure Recharge. Pure Recharge is caffeinated, but they do also offer a non-stimulant Energy boost. If you’d rather get your energy with some added flavor, cold brew coffee can be added to any smoothie as well. Naturally, someone says coffee and we have to give it a try! We ordered the Almond Mocha flavored Coffee High Protein smoothie and added peanut butter for a little extra something. This might have been the favorite that we tried. The cold brew, dates, almonds, protein, nonfat milk, and 100% cocoa paired perfectly, especially with that added peanut butter. This smoothie is also classified as a meal replacement and a delicious one at that!

Next up we had some of the fruitier smoothies, the Mango Kale, Pineapple Surf, and Banana Boat. A lot of people think of the typical fruity flavors when they think of smoothies so we had to try out some of these classics. The Mango Kale is vegan and was our favorite of the fruity ones. Sunwarrior Tribe organic plant based protein is a part of the Mango Kale which qualifies it as a meal replacement! Again, Smoothie King is completely customizable so you can order smoothies appropriate for a vegan diet, keto diet, or to fit around any dietary restrictions, nutritional needs, or allergies. As a bonus, the entire menu is gluten-free! Almond and oat milk are available as substitutes. The Mango Kale didn‘t have any milk itself, but other vegan selections include Califia Farms oat or almond milk.

The other two fruity smoothies we tried fall under the Take A Break category, meaning these don’t have any sort of specific nutritional goals but are more for fun! If you’re a peanut butter banana fan, a must is the Banana Boat with added peanut butter. There is vanilla frozen yogurt in this one so it gives you almost a milkshake feel, but healthier! A 20oz of the Banana Boat is only 450 calories and still comes with 10g of protein (plus the protein from the peanut butter). The Pineapple Surf is super fruity with flavors like pineapple, strawberry, and kiwi. This was by far the most refreshing smoothie. This is a drink by the pool or after a long day at work smoothie. It tastes deliciously fruity and is super light due to there being whole strawberries with added sugar, pineapples, and dairy whey blend mixed in. If you want to make the Pineapple Surf a more low sugar option, Smoothie King has two types of strawberries. One with added sugar and then the regular, unsweetened strawberries. Choose the unsweetened for less sugar.

While you’re visiting your local Smoothie King, you can also pick up some exclusive brand snacks like their Dark Chocolate Cashews or Greek Yogurt Trail Mix. As the winner of Best Smoothie and Juice Bar Category in Pittsburgh City Paper’s “Best Of Pittsburgh” 2020 and 2021 reader’s poll, you really can’t go wrong with whatever you choose. They even cater events for the University of Pittsburgh sports teams! And if that isn’t enough to convince you, Olympic Gold-Medalist, Gabby Douglas even endorses this nationwide company!

Now RUN to your closest Smoothie King franchise right here in Pittsburgh and create your perfect smoothie! Even bring your pup for a sweet pup cup frozen yogurt treat. Oh, and don’t forget to sign up for their loyalty program. You receive free samples and coupons with new releases! The app also allows guests to order ahead for pickup or delivery and both locations have a drive-thru (Bridgeville is drive-thru-only).