Village Food Garden - Cedar Knolls

The Village Food Garden, located inside of the Shoprite in Cedar Knolls, is by far, one of the best quick go-to places for an amazing juice or smoothie! My favorite place to grab a freshly made juice is from the Juice and Smoothie Bar located in the Village Food Garden. I've been to ALL of the juicing places around this area including the Juice Caboose in Summit, Jungle Juice in Morristown and Grassroots in Denville and this small yet succulent place inside of the Shoprite is the BEST, hands down! I've made it a habit to run in here several times a week to grab a fresh juice and wheatgrass. They have all kinds of yummy combinations. My boyfriend doesn't even like juicing and he, too, has admitted to loving their juices and smoothies. All of the workers there are extremely helpful, attentive, and sweeter than pie! If you ever need advice, just ask for Cathy or Sahara! But again, everyone there is quite helpful and you won't be disappointed! Most importantly, the juices always taste fresh. I've been to a few places where the juices were overprices and didn't taste half as fresh as the ones served here. If I had three thumbs, I'd be raising all of them up to the Village Food Garden's juice bar!!

When they're open, this place is fantastic! They offer high-quality fruits and vegetables for your juices and smoothies. It's also really convenient to grab something before you go shopping. My only complaint is that their hours can be inconsistent.

I absolutely love the açai bowl! Aside from that, the food is your standard buffet-style selection. The yogurt bar is quite pricey, charging about eight dollars per pound. I also tried the sushi, which was decent—not extraordinary, but it's a nice spot to stop for a lunch break.

The issue with a place like this handling juice preparation is that the staff often lack an understanding of proper juice recipes. This juice bar, like many others, simply throws together the ingredients listed under each juice name and blends them without thought. For instance, combining a handful of spinach with an entire cucumber does not create a balanced or flavorful drink. And when there's only one stalk of celery available, it's not a solution to just compensate with an extra piece of ginger. Overall, it was quite disappointing.

This restaurant was fantastic before the renovations, but now I wouldn't recommend dining in. The new setup is uncomfortable and impractical. Staff members take breaks in the dining area, occupying tables that should be available for customers. Additionally, the space isn't accessible for individuals with disabilities, which is a significant oversight. While the food is still excellent, they frequently run out of basic items like forks and lids. I hope they address these issues because this used to be my favorite spot for a meal when I didn't feel like cooking.