Choice Juicery

While the Ale House is pouring bison burgers and Raul's Shack is rolling burritos the size of your forearm, Choice Juicery is doing something none of those spots can touch: breaking a three-day water fast with a smoothie so good a regular drove here specifically for the occasion. That's not a wellness pitch — that's a loyalty signal worth paying attention to.

The differentiator here isn't just that everything's plant-based. It's that the execution is precise enough to make skeptics shut up. The protein powder doesn't leave that chalky aftertaste that ruins half the smoothie joints in San Diego. The açaí bowls are genuinely solid — not the kind that coast on frozen fruit and granola as filler, but the kind that actually taste like someone made a decision. And the gluten-free avocado toast? Multiple reviewers flag the texture contrast specifically, which means someone in the kitchen is thinking about the plate.

The Creamsicle smoothie bowl has become a go-to for a reason — it's the kind of thing you order once on a whim and then find yourself craving on a Tuesday. The staff energy here is worth noting too: not performatively cheerful, just genuinely helpful with suggestions in a way that makes the whole thing feel less transactional.

Practically speaking: the outdoor seating on this stretch of Coast Highway is solid for a post-beach decompression, and the spot handles families without chaos. Prices run moderate-to-steep for what's essentially a bowl and a smoothie, but this is Encinitas and the coast doesn't come cheap. If you're driving down from elsewhere, yes — worth the drive, specifically for the avocado toast and the Creamsicle bowl together.