Roots Juices in Atlanta: Where to Go, What to Expect, and How It Fits Into the City’s International Food Scene

If you’re exploring international cuisine in Atlanta and keep hearing about “Roots Juices,” you’re probably trying to figure out what it is, where to find it, and how it fits into the city’s dining landscape.

In Atlanta, “roots juices” usually refers less to a single brand and more to a style of juice bar or café that focuses on:

• Fresh-pressed juices
• Root-based ingredients like beets, carrots, ginger, turmeric
• Global flavor influences, especially from Caribbean, African, Latin American, and Asian cuisines

Below is a practical guide to how this concept shows up in Atlanta: what kinds of juices and snacks you’ll typically find, where in the city these spots tend to cluster, and how locals usually incorporate them into everyday life.

What “Roots Juices” Usually Means in Atlanta

Across Atlanta’s international food scene, roots-focused juice spots typically emphasize:

• Root vegetables: beet, carrot, ginger, turmeric, sweet potato
• Fresh fruit: pineapple, mango, citrus, berries, watermelon
• Global spice and herb profiles: mint, cilantro, basil, cayenne, black pepper, lemongrass
• Minimal processing: cold-pressed or freshly blended drinks

You’ll often see menus that reflect influences from multiple cultures, for example:

• Caribbean-style ginger and sorrel drinks
• Latin-inspired blends with mango, lime, and chili
• African-inspired hibiscus-based beverages
• Asian-influenced juices with ginger, turmeric, and citrus

In Atlanta, this puts “roots juices” squarely within international cuisine rather than just a basic smoothie shop experience.

Common Roots-Based Juices You’ll See Around Atlanta

While each shop has its own twist, certain combinations show up again and again in the city.

Typical root-focused blends include:

• Beet + Carrot + Apple + Ginger
  • Earthy, slightly sweet, with a spicy kick from ginger
• Carrot + Orange + Turmeric
  • Bright and citrusy, often described as a “sunrise” style juice
• Ginger Shots
  • Concentrated ginger, sometimes with lemon, cayenne, or honey
• Turmeric Citrus Mixes
  • Lemon, orange, turmeric, black pepper, and a touch of sweetness

Many Atlanta juice bars also offer:

• Green juices with kale or spinach plus root add-ins like ginger
• Seasonal juices using local or regional produce when available
• Custom blends where you pick your own root and fruit combo

Where Roots-Style Juices Fit into Atlanta’s Food Culture

Atlanta’s food scene is heavily shaped by immigrant communities, Black-owned businesses, and Southern produce traditions. Roots-based juices often show up in three main ways:

1. Inside International Restaurants or Cafés

Some Caribbean, African, and Latin American restaurants around Atlanta serve house-made juices that align with the “roots juices” idea, such as:

• Ginger-based drinks
• Sorrel or hibiscus beverages
• Carrot or beet blends with local twists

You’re more likely to encounter these in neighborhoods with strong international food clusters, such as sections of:

• Clarkston
• Buford Highway corridor (Doraville, Chamblee)
• Parts of Southwest Atlanta

2. Dedicated Juice Bars with Global Influences

You’ll also find standalone juice bars and cafés that:

• Highlight root-based drinks on the menu
• Integrate spices and flavors from multiple cuisines
• Offer bowls or small plates influenced by international cooking

These types of shops tend to cluster around:

• Midtown and Old Fourth Ward (mixed-use, walkable, popular with health-focused diners)
• Downtown and Georgia State University area (serving students and office workers)
• Westside / West Midtown (growing restaurant scene, mixed demographics)

3. Farmer’s Markets and Food Halls

Some vendors at Atlanta-area markets and food halls rotate in and out but regularly offer fresh juices, often including root-based recipes:

• Freedom Farmers Market at the Carter Center – 453 Freedom Pkwy NE, Atlanta, GA 30307
• Atlanta State Farmers Market – 16 Forest Pkwy, Forest Park, GA 30297
• Krog Street Market – 99 Krog St NE, Atlanta, GA 30307
• Ponce City Market Food Hall – 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30308

These can be good places to find small, locally run vendors experimenting with roots-focused, globally influenced drinks.

What to Expect on a Roots-Style Juice Menu in Atlanta

Here’s a simple overview of what you’re likely to see and how it’s typically presented around the city:

Most Atlanta juice bars and cafés post ingredients clearly, and staff are generally used to answering questions about what each root or spice contributes in terms of flavor.

How Atlanta Locals Usually Use Roots Juices

People in the city tend to work these drinks into everyday routines in a few common ways:

• Morning stop on the way to offices in Midtown, Downtown, or Buckhead
• Between-meeting pick-me-up near business hubs or coworking spaces
• Post-workout drink near gyms, fitness studios, or the BeltLine
• Weekend treat while exploring markets, food halls, or neighborhood festivals

You’ll notice these spots are often near:

• MARTA rail stations
• The Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail
• University areas like Georgia State or Georgia Tech

This makes it relatively easy to fit a juice stop into a normal commute, a walk, or a transit-based outing.

Tips for Ordering Roots Juices in Atlanta

When you’re at a juice bar or café in Atlanta, these approaches can help you find something you’ll like:

1. Start with your flavor comfort zone

• If you like sweet and fruity, ask for beet or carrot blended with apple, pineapple, or orange.
• If you prefer spicy or zesty, look for ginger, cayenne, or black pepper in the ingredients.

2. Ask about cultural inspiration
Many Atlanta spots proudly reference global influences. Good questions include:

• “Is this recipe based on a traditional drink from a specific country?”
• “What’s your most popular ginger or turmeric drink?”

3. Consider portion size
Roots-based drinks can be:

• Light and sippable (e.g., carrot-orange juice)
• Very intense (e.g., straight ginger or ginger-turmeric shots)

If you’re unfamiliar with strong spices like ginger or turmeric, you might start with a small size.

4. Check for added sweeteners
If you’re trying to limit added sugar, many Atlanta juice bars will:

• Let you skip added sweeteners
• Adjust recipes to rely more on fruit like apple or pineapple for sweetness

Price Range and Payment in Atlanta

Across the city, prices tend to fall into broad ranges, though each business sets its own:

• Small wellness shot: usually at the lower end of menu pricing
• Medium to large juice: often somewhere in the middle to higher range
• Smoothies or bowls: typically on the higher side compared with basic juices

Most places that focus on international-style juices in Atlanta:

• Accept major credit/debit cards
• Often accept mobile payments (like digital wallets)
• May have loyalty programs or punch cards, especially in busy intown neighborhoods

For markets and pop-up vendors, it can still be useful to have a backup card or some cash, though more and more are going fully digital.

Finding Roots-Style Juices by Neighborhood

While businesses open and close over time, certain Atlanta areas are reliable starting points if you’re searching for internationally influenced juice spots:

• Midtown / Old Fourth Ward

  • Near the BeltLine, Ponce City Market, and major office buildings
  • High chance of finding juice bars with root-based drinks on the menu

• Downtown / Georgia State University area

  • Mix of students, office workers, and tourists
  • Cafés and grab-and-go spots, some with international-style juices

• West Midtown / Upper Westside

  • Growing restaurant scene with creative, globally inspired concepts
  • Potential for juice and café concepts with more experimental menus

• Buford Highway / Doraville / Chamblee

  • Known for international restaurants and markets
  • Look for Caribbean, Latin, African, and Asian spots with house-made beverages

• Clarkston and nearby Eastside communities

  • Strong international presence
  • Smaller eateries and cafes may offer traditional root-based drinks as part of their menus

Practical Things to Know if You’re New to Atlanta

If you’re visiting or recently moved to Atlanta and want to explore roots juices as part of the international cuisine scene:

• Transit access

  • MARTA rail lines through Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead, and Decatur make it possible to visit several neighborhoods without a car.
  • Many juice bars and global eateries are within walking distance of rail stations or bus routes.

• Parking considerations

  • Intown neighborhoods like Midtown, Old Fourth Ward, and West Midtown often use paid decks or street parking.
  • Food halls (like Krog Street Market or Ponce City Market) usually have dedicated parking areas with posted rates.

• Seasonal and weekend events

  • Pop-up juice vendors may appear at festivals in Piedmont Park, along the Atlanta BeltLine, or at neighborhood block events.
  • Farmer’s markets are most active on weekends and can be prime spots for discovering smaller juice makers.

How to Use Roots Juices as a Gateway to International Cuisine

If your goal is to explore international food in Atlanta, roots-based juices are an easy entry point:

• Start with a juice bar or café that lists globally inspired drinks.
• Ask staff which of their juices are based on Caribbean, African, Latin American, or Asian traditions.
• Use the flavors you enjoy—like ginger, hibiscus, tamarind, or chili—as a guide to nearby restaurants serving full meals from the same regions.

In many parts of Atlanta, especially along Buford Highway, in Clarkston, and in intown neighborhoods, a single stop for a root-focused juice can quickly turn into a broader tour of international cuisine just a few doors away.

By keeping your search focused on these key areas and looking for menus featuring beet, carrot, ginger, turmeric, and global spices, you’ll be able to experience what “roots juices” really looks like in Atlanta’s diverse restaurant scene.