Owner Kristie Carta opened North Star Nutrition in 2021 after many of the same recipes you'll see…read moreon their menu helped her on her own weight loss journey. The nutrition club is one of about a dozen in Central New York, with a staff focused on improving customers' health and wellness with teas, meal replacement shakes and smoothie bowls.
Recently, I really wanted a fresh smoothie for breakfast before work. There aren't a ton of places making fresh smoothies in Syracuse, especially open at 7AM. I was in the area, and North Star popped up as near me, so I decided I'd give them a try.
The small space is located in the same North Syracuse plaza as Thrifty Shopper and Corso's Cookies, but is tucked off on the side and not easily seen from the street, or even from inside the plaza itself. It is clean, bright and nicely decorated.
There were 2 employees who greeted me and offered to answer any questions I had. The menu is quite large, so there's a lot to look over. I found they didn't have smoothies, but smoothie bowls, but I decided to grab one anyway. I chose a green smoothie bowl with pineapple, mango, topped with fresh banana, and some other ingredients.
There were no prices on the menu and I was pretty shocked at the price tag when I got rang up - $19 for a smoothie bowl. But, I was already there and didn't have much time before getting to work, so I paid and waited.
I was then informed, after I'd already paid and waited about 10 minutes, that they did not have any fresh banana to top my bowl with, as it is on the menu. They asked if I wanted any other toppings, and when I asked what they had, I was told they had no fresh fruit at all. That was definitely disappointing - a place such as this, you'd think there'd always be fresh fruit available, and again, for the price tag, it was upsetting.
I got my bowl and was surprised at how small it was - again, with the high price tag. When I got to work and started eating, I also found it EXTREMELY sweet, almost overbearingly sweet, as if too much agave was put into it.
While employees were friendly, between the high prices, the small portions, lack of fresh fruit, I don't think I would return.