Update: Monja has unfortunately closed. More details here.
Walnut Creek, California – There are plenty of places in Walnut Creek to get a smoothie. But if you’re ready to ditch the Jamba Juices and generic smoothie chains of the world, there’s a new place you should check out: Monja Café and Smoothy.
No, we have no idea why they decided to spell “smoothie” that way. But what we do know is that the smoothies here are excellent!
I stopped by Monja Café to grab a smoothie before taking my kids to soccer. The store has been a smoothie bar for a while, but a staff member said that the owner decided to part ways with the previous chain they’d been affiliated with and started an independent smoothie shop. Monja has existed in its current form for about 2 months.
The inside of Monja Smoothies is clean and minimal, with a nice black-and-white aesthetic. Everything feels crisp, which probably is meant to emphasize the freshness of the ingredients.
Behind a glass barrier, you’ll find all kinds of fruit and other ingredients to blend into very healthy smoothies.
If you don’t know your way around workout-oriented smoothies, the menu at Monja can feel a bit overwhelming. Lots of drinks are laden with protein powders and trending ingredients like açaí, and some smoothies even feature cold brew coffee.
One has something called “MCT Oil.” I’m not sure what that is, but feels serious!
For those who prefer a more classic option, you can build your own smoothie—which is what I recommend. I made one with oat milk, strawberries, bananas, and honey, which was delicious and also something I could share with my kids.
The quality of the ingredients really shines here. A lot of smoothies are made with frozen, nearly tasteless fruit or—gasp!—artificially flavored, fake fruit purées.
Monja does things right, using real, fresh fruit. You wouldn’t think it would make such a big difference once everything is all blended up, but it genuinely does.
The café element of Monja Café is a bit overstated. Yes, they do have cold brew coffee in addition to smoothies, but you won’t find lattes or the other kinds of caffeinated drinks that the “café” term might suggest.
As with many fancy smoothie places, prices are steep. A 16-ounce smoothie will set you back about $10. That said, I was able to share one with my kids, and the fact that it was quite thick and clearly full of fruit and oat milk made it satisfying. I wouldn’t have wanted to drink more than what I had.
Monja also serves wraps and flatbreads, which I didn’t get a chance to try.
The store is located in the Orchards shopping center. You can check them out at 2850 Ygnacio Valley Road or online at https://monjacafe.com/
Yes, it’s a lot to pay for a smoothie. But the quality is such that I’ll definitely be coming back. It beats sipping on a Coca-Cola while watching a soccer game!
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