Juicing—of the pricey, deep-green, master-cleansing, flu-fighting, pounds-dropping variety—is big business in New York these days. Even in a horrible economy, the thirst seems unquenchable—a fact noticed by no less a saturation-marketing authority than Starbucks honcho Howard Schultz, who recently poached a veteran juicer from East Village mainstay Liquiteria to reportedly launch a new fresh-squeezed sideline out West. With competition intensifying, the slick marketing tends to get muddled with the purported science, and much is made of juicing method (centrifugal versus cold-pressed), proprietary combinations, and celebrity followings. Here’s a look at the local liquid landscape, post-Tropicana.
The Juice Press
70 E. 1st St., nr. First Ave. (212-777-0034), and other Manhattan locations
Bold claim: Raw-foodist founders say the produce in their cold-pressed juices is 100 percent organic.
Growth spurt: The two-year-old company has opened two new locations over the past six months.
Celebrity endorsement: Liev Schreiber and, of course, Moby are fans.
Elixir Juice Bar
225 Liberty St., nr. West St. (212-945-0400), and at various Equinox clubs
Juicehead appeal: Gym rats bulk up blends with supplements like protein and bee pollen.
What’s ailing you? Citrus and ginseng go into a Mood Mender, while an Immune Booster features greens, echinacea, and ginger.
Freshness factor: Nothing sold is more than ten hours old, they say.
BluePrintCleanse
At Whole Foods stores or blueprintcleanse.com
Backstory: The founders met while bartending and swapped one liquid line of work for another.
Reputation: Once only available online as hard-core multiday cleanses, the product line is now sold at Whole Foods, and production has expanded to L.A.
Spotted drinking: Olivia Wilde, Julia Stiles, and packs of moody co-cleansing office pals.
One Lucky Duck
1251/2 E. 17th St., nr. Irving Pl. (212-477-7151); Chelsea Market, 425 W. 15th St., nr. Ninth Ave. (212-255-4300)
Culinary cred: Founder Sarma Melngailis also runs raw, vegan fine-dining restaurant Pure Food and Wine.
Technique: Certified organic produce is cold-pressed or juiced to order.
Try this:Swan Greens, a tangy swirl of cucumber, spinach, dandelion, pear, tarragon, spearmint, grapefruit, and yuzu.
Liquiteria
170 Second Ave., at 11th St. (212-358-0300)
Vibe: This old standby of the hip and health-conscious is decked out with a blue-tiled interior as bright and cheery as its rainbow-hued cold-pressed elixirs.
Signature sips: The supplement-enhanced Liquid Rx line claims to brighten skin and improve memory, among other life-enhancing things.
Celebrity endorsement: Certified health nut Russell Simmons practically lives here.
Juice Generation
644 Ninth Ave., nr. 45th St. (212-541-5600), and other Manhattan locations
Backstory: After twelve years, this recently ambitious upstart is horning in on Elixir’s Equinox territory.
Celebrity endorsement: Salma Hayek is the face and figure behind Cooler Cleanse, a juice-fasting regimen shipped to homes nationwide.
And for dessert: Açai bowls are tropical sundaes of sorts, with toppings like hemp granola and cacao nibs.
Organic Avenue
116 Suffolk St., nr. Rivington St. (212-358-0500), and other Manhattan locations
Sourcing: Fruit and vegetables are said to be certified organic, wild, or purchased from small farms.
Empire building: Five stores in Manhattan, with three more on the way.
Conspicuous consumption: The shop’s distinctive orange tote bags are suddenly as ubiquitous as Duane Reade’s.