Best Smoothie Bar '98

Best Smoothie Bar--TIE

Ultimate Smoothies
2751 N. Campbell Ave.

Juice Rave
7063 E. Speedway Blvd.

READERS' PICK: Long before blenders were big business in the Old Pueblo, Ultimate Smoothies was making the fruit fly faster than an angry mob at a vaudevillian sideshow. Protein powders, bee pollen, vitamin C, wheat germ--you name it, they'll throw it in there with your favorite citrus, berry, dairy or non-dairy concoctions. Once the only game in town with multiple locations, the enterprise has scaled back to only one outpost on Campbell Avenue near Glenn Street. But they're still the ultimate in our readers' eyes.

Hey, dude, there's going to be a rave--in your mouth! Located in the strip mall on the northwest corner of Speedway and Kolb Road, a couple of doors down from Zip's, Juice Rave is our readers' pick for smoothies. A fine assortment of the icy juice drinks, from Citrus Kiss (peaches and pineapple) to the Guava Yo' Mama (guava, mango and pineapple), are made to order while you wait (always a short one with the number of blenders they've got buzzing at this bar). The menu offers 30 different smoothies, with nine non-dairy entries, and tea or soy substitutions available on request.

READERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: Yummy! Fruitissimo (751 N. Park Ave.), the tiny stand tucked into a triangular corner of a building on Park and University Boulevard outside the UA's main gate, has got to have the fruitiest smoothies in town. They make smoothies with all frozen fruit and fruit juice--there's no yogurt or sherbet to blur the boundaries between the blocks on the food pyramid. Their drinks are light and refreshing, and not too sweet. The tiny work space doesn't make for particularly fast service, but the location is great for walkers and bikers, and there's a TV on the counter to distract you from the wait.

CLUE IN: Caribbean Squeezers, 845 E. University Blvd. This new, shiny store in the University area features sweet, dessert-style smoothies that make a nice after-dinner alternative to ice-cream. Most of the smoothies here are made with frozen yogurt or sherbet and fruit, and the selection is close to endless. Tropical selections are prominently featured, of course, and the servings are huge. They have those really long straws, too, so you can slurp down every drop.

1997 Winner: Ultimate Smoothies