If you’ve been looking for a new place to enjoy fresh smoothies, juices, and healthy options, Kali-O’s Juice Box just opened its third location, in Point Pleasant Beach.
Kali-O’s was started by sisters Kerry and Alli O’Neill. They are from Point Pleasant and are thrilled to bring their business to their hometown. The sisters worked for many years at their family’s bakery, so they have plenty of experience with food service. At age 19, Kerry moved to Hawaii and spent several years surfing and traveling. She says her nomadic lifestyle often made it difficult to find healthy food options on the go. During her travels, she sampled the food and fruits of far-off places and wanted to bring what she learned back to her hometown. She asked Alli, who studied business in college and was also interested in wellness and healthy food, to go into business with her.
They opened their first business in Lavallette in 2012, followed by a second Ortley Beach location in 2015. The Point Pleasant Beach spot opened this month (April). The first two locations are seasonal, but the newest shop will be open year round.
Their goal is to serve great food and share their knowledge of healthy eating and wellness with the community. They stressed that “healthy [food] can also be really delicious.” Nothing on the menu contains added sugars—only what occurs naturally in the fruit. They do offer honey and agave if you want to add some additional sweetness.
Kali-O’s bowls are among their most popular items, and definitely the most Instagrammed. The sisters said that many customers take photos of their bowls before consuming them. I can understand why–they are very pretty. Kali-O’s describes their bowls as “a frozen smoothie base” made with organic unfiltered apple juice, banana, and either unsweetened acai berry puree or unsweetened pitaya (dragonfruit) puree. They offer several topping options including chopped fruit, granola, coconut, and honey.
Their other menu items include fresh juices, smoothies, and ever-changing snack options. Most of what they serve is vegan, and they have a student special during the week. They also have a refrigerator case with kombucha from Fine Health Kombucha in Bradley Beach, water, chia pudding, parfaits, and other grab-and-go items.
The bowl I tried contained pitaya topped with bananas, strawberries, pineapple, kiwi, blackberries, and granola. It was a refreshing combination and the granola was a great textural element. I visited on a chilly day, and the smoothie bowl was a welcome taste of summer. It was fresh and light and, yes, sweet!
Kali-O’s is decorated with bright pops of orange. It’s inviting and fun, with wood all around, and clean and bright. Most of the wooden furnishings in Kali-O’s were constructed from recycled materials local to the Jersey shore and were made by Taylor Kissling and Alex Barlow of Broken Board Builds.
The Point Pleasant location will hold its grand opening event on Saturday, April 23, with tastings and giveaways. Fine Health Kombucha will be on hand with samples of fermented teas and Broken Board Builds will be there as well. Throughout the day, Kali-O’s will give away t-shirts, hats, stickers, and prize packs. The main event will be the raffle for a beach cruiser.
Many people come to the Jersey Shore to enjoy indulgent boardwalk treats like taffy, custard, pretzels, and cheese fries. Kali-O’s gives visitors and locals a healthy choice that still is delicious, satisfying, and summery.
Kali-O’s Juice Box
627 Arnold Avenue
Point Pleasant Beach
