K2 Roots is just one of many shops that have opened in downtown State College over the last year. Located at 109 S. Fraser Street, the new juicery offers an abundance of smoothies and cold-pressed juices.

So, how does K2 Roots stack up against Jamba Juice and Playa Bowls? Naturally, our staff ventured over to check it out.

Mackenzie Cullen: Thin Mint Smoothie

I’m a sucker for a good smoothie and, thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed by the Thin Mint smoothie from K2 Roots. It definitely tasted more like a mint chocolate chip ice cream than a smoothie, which I’m not mad about at all because it was so good. In my opinion, it was also the perfect consistency — not too thick and not too thin. If you’re looking for something more fruit-forward, though, the options are endless and range from smoothies and smoothie bowls to cold-pressed juices.

Completely unrelated, but Penn State wrestling legend and Olympic gold medalist David Taylor is a co-owner of K2 Roots along with his wife, Kendra, which is pretty cool if you ask me. Overall, it’s safe to say that I’ll be stopping by K2 Roots pretty often.

Anna Wiggins: Paradise Smoothie & PB Bliss Bowl

I got both the paradise smoothie and the PB Bliss bowl. The bowl was super ~ aesthetic ~, with a fan of banana slices, peanut butter drizzle, and a sprinkle of cinnamon on the top. Bananas and peanut butter are in my personal top tier of snacks, so I was really excited for this bowl. It was sweet and had a good texture due to the granola, chia seeds, and cacao nibs. It also wasn’t super heavy. It was a bit pricey, but not the most expensive smoothie bowl in State College.

The paradise smoothie was the winner for me. It was super bright and refreshing. I was also a huge fan of the thickness of this smoothie. It wasn’t so thick that you couldn’t get it through the straw, but it also wasn’t watery and bland. This is a textbook smoothie. The layer of coconut on the bottom and top of the smoothie was a fun touch, too.

Ryan Parsons: Revive Juice

I decided to go with a classic cold-pressed juice on my visit to K2 Roots. I picked out the “Revive” juice from the seasonal section of K2’s refrigerator. While I was a bit hesitant about the vibes of this place heading in, the juice was actually really good. It featured lemon, lime, agave, blue majik (even after a quick Google search I still don’t know what this is), and lavender.

The flavors went together well, and the juice was quite refreshing on a hot day. I will say that the upper-single digit price is quite expensive for juice, but if you just count it as a meal, it kinda cancels out. I’ll definitely be back to try out some other flavors of juice. Maybe a juice cleanse is even on the horizon.

Alex Pepe: Vitality Green Juice & Açaí Bowl

K2 Roots is a good local healthy eatery. There is a big menu with juices, smoothies, bowls, and more. After inspecting it for far too long, I decided to go for the Açaí bowl and the Vitality juice.

I’m going to rate the bowl a 7/10. It was good, but not worth it for $11, in my opinion. There is a lot of fresh fruit, and the açaí was creamy, but it’s nothing you haven’t seen before.

On the other hand, the juice was very good and actually pretty filling (for juice)! The Vitality is a green juice with a nice refreshing and healthy taste. I will definitely be getting it again.

I’m especially happy because fresh-pressed juice is hard to find in State College. Food aside, the atmosphere in K2 Roots is what really makes it. It is spotless, the workers are nice and helpful, and there is a really nice feel to it. I sat and ate my bowl while working on my accounting homework. It was as enjoyable as could be.