What’s Clean
At Big Island Bowls, most of the produce is organic or organically grown. The acai is organic. The tuna for the poke bowls is wild caught and sushi grade. The chicken, nut butters, couscous, dressings, and some other condiments are not organic.
What’s Served
The menu offers açaí and pitaya bowls, smoothie bowls, poke bowls and grain bowls. Poke Bowl choices include the A-Frame Datil Sauce Poke, the Teriyaki Poke, and the Vegan or Vegetarian Poke. Buddha Bowl (grain bowls) options are the Sun Goddess Bowl and the Spicy Thai Peanut Bowl. Big Island Bowls offers 7 different Acai Bowls and a Dragonfruit option as well. If none of the above creations tempt your tastebuds, they also offer 9 different Smoothie combinations.
What I Ordered
I ordered the Tex Mex Grain Bowl. The bowl began with a base of couscous and mixed greens, then topped with organic salsa, sweet corn, red peppers, black beans, and creamy avocado. Finally, the bowl is topped with crunchy tortilla chips then drizzled with a creamy ranch dressing. Overall, the Tex Mex Bowl was pretty tasty and certainly fresh with a nice blend of ingredients.
The Vibe
Big Island Bowls is a bit off the beaten path which is a nice reprieve from the college bustle. The location is clean and quiet with a modern yet beachy chic decor which lends to its fun vibe. The interior space of the restaurant is quite large and open. Plenty of seating is available inside as well as covered outdoor seating in front of the restaurant.
The Takeaway
Big Island Bowls is a great place to grab a pretty clean fruit, poke or grain bowl in Gainesville. The atmosphere is quiet yet fun while their extensive menu is enticing. The biggest challenge will likely be deciding which yummy bowl or smoothie to order.
