Rooted Juicery & Kitchen — Restaurant in Cincinnati

Let me start out by saying that I have from time to time bought organic produce from Whole Foods. I watch Chef’s Table (the French version in its original language, not the inferior U.S. version). I own a public library card. None of this could have prepared me for the organic co-op fair trade nirvana that is Rooted Juicery & Kitchen.

My main interest the day I wandered in was a simple smoothie to refresh and replenish, but little did I know I would be entering a store that could fundamentally alter how I view the world. The mission of this young professional Mecca is to provide 100% organic plant based foods, locally sourced when possible. Why provide this valuable service to the greater Cincinnati area while ostensibly giving back more than they take in? It’s right there in the core values painted in large letters along the wall. Be Real. Be Responsible. Be Grateful. I knew I’d entered a place of like-minded individuals from the moment I walked in the door.

The store is a pristine white, with polished cement flooring and a wall of brightly lit juices in varying mixtures and quantities meant to treat certain ailments brought on from our daily exposure to toxins in the small amount of time we are not physically present in the store. The line extends the length of the store, families and individuals fresh from long runs or volunteering ready to carefully select from the dizzying array of menu options. Aloe water, goji berries, and almond butter are entry level ingredients. Advanced customers order smoothie towers topped with hemp seeds, chlorophyll, spirulina, and cacao nibs. I’m completely outmatched when I approach the counter but quickly order a Power Trip smoothie with no modifications from the base menu. The cashier shrugs in disapproval.

As I wait 10 min for my health creation to be completed I was able to take in more of the ambiance of the environment. The clientele is a good mix of young professionals and older, more established Cincinnati social elite. Almost everyone is wearing some item of technical gear from North Face, prAna, or Marmot. Macbooks light up the corners of the restaurant with aspiring screenwriters and novelists busily typing. Lifestyle brands dominate in this space: the Hydroflasks, the Sperrys, the Garmin/Fitbit devices. I’m not sure I’ve ever felt more at home at any point in my life.

I browse the selection of vendor material arrayed near the juice wall. Multiple items are marked “ethically sourced, cruelty free” and I nod my head approvingly as I inspect each one. There’s organic coconut activated charcoal pills and rose & ginger ointments here but the real star is the juice wall. Rooted generously offers a multi-day juice cleansing program which consists of a selection of 5 juices and some combination of a nut milk, a vitality shot, or a raw food item. Their website explains even when being strict about drinking filtered water and eating organic produce, there’s still risk of exposure to toxins through the air and stress activators. The best news is the 7-day program is only $380. It is important the program and its claims cannot legally be deemed “medical advice” but surely a quick consult with a medical professional will validate their approach.

I received my smoothie and entered into a near comatose state of inner bliss, the cleansing power of the goji berries and warrior protein almost instantly breaking down my body’s toxic barriers. What do I want from a $12 smoothie? I want to feel like a corporate entity has my back. I want to feel like sometimes it’s ok to judge someone wearing last season’s Patagonia styles. I want to be loudly opinionated about my local community’s main issues but never show up to vote in municipal elections. I want to justify eating Chipotle daily by taking in a 500 calorie sugary fruit drink.

I am happy to report that as I left the store the sun was brighter, the birds were cheerier, and I had somehow lost 5 lbs. I cannot recommend Rooted Juicery &...

I’ve been to this spot many times over the years but in the last year or so it’s become more and more disappointing. Of course I love that the place is mostly vegan and plant based (besides honey in some things) but the quality of the food and the service has declined dramatically. Often the counter help is not very friendly and has some attitude like they’re so special because they’re working there and you owe them something (tips) when they haven’t done much. I got a juice this morning and was sooo disappointed because it tasted like it was half water. I’ve been juicing for years- I know what a good juice tastes like. I called to ask if the produce was even organic because it didn’t say so on the label and was told that no, their produce is not all organic. 😳 Seriously?!? They’re charging $9.50- $10 for 12 ounce juices that aren’t even organic?!? I’m sorry but they are not entitled to charge that much for sub par product just because they have a cute little shop in downtown Oakley. I don’t want to drink pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers from non-organic produce while I’m trying to nurture my body and my health. Geez…🙄 The last time I took my kids in for some food we got the nachos, which were fair but still disappointing compared to a couple of years ago, and a quesadilla and it was absolutely gross. It tasted almost burnt. The kids wouldn’t touch it after one taste. They used to have several desserts without refined sugar that were delicious but nowadays their dessert case is filled with sugar bombs. So sad. Maybe they’re just trying to cater to more mainstream tastebuds. Who knows… I’m not one to leave negative reviews unless they are truly deserved and I think Rooted deserves this one. Don’t think I’ll be returning to see how I can be...

I used to love this place! I want to still love it but it’s becoming increasingly harder to do so. Over the summer of 2022 my husband and I went and noticed the portion sizes were much smaller than what they used to be. Food was still good but we left hungry still on food that used to make us satisfied.

After our previous bad experience we decided to go again today. We both ordered our own quesadillas to go. When we got home we noticed they no longer come with the cup of delicious pico de gallo :( It also doesn’t come with the avocado crema but instead just mashed up bland avocado. The only thing that remains the same with the sauces was the cashew cheese.

The quesadillas had very minimal filling which was incredibly disappointing (see photos). They also just seemed more bland. Honestly it felt like something I could make myself at home.

Despite the fact that the portion sizes are smaller, food is more bland, and there is no more pico de gallo they increased their prices! The quesadilla used to be $11 and has now increased to $13. I totally understand that things are going up in price and that’s ok. What’s not right is that portions are smaller and the price still went up.

The website also needs to be updated as it’s still showing the old prices and descriptions. This is all so sad to me- I used to love this place but now I just can’t seem to justify going back and telling...