Business of the Month: NoHo Juice Bar, 208 Mercer Street

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Every nook and corner of NoHo offers eclectic architecture and often one-of-a-kind shops. Many New Yorkers are keen on knowing where to get food at an affordable price to keep them going whenever they’re out and about. One place that should be prominent on anyone’s list for great places to get good food at any time of the day is NoHo Juice Bar at 208 Mercer Street, just off Bleecker Street, our March 2021 Business of the Month.

Since 2007, this humble storefront has been serving local NoHo residents, NYU students, tourists, shoppers, local workers, and film connoisseurs attending shows at the nearby Angelica Film Center. Like everyone, they’re struggling in the COVID-19 era, and have to cope with NYU’s mammoth new building being constructed across the street. So stop by and show them some love!

Chandler from the NoHo Bid made sure this great local shop was on the Village Preservation radar with his nomination. As he pointed out to us: “This special spot has been tucked away on a quiet block of Mercer Street on the edge of NoHo for years.” I spoke to Mohammed, a manager there since just after the shop opened, led by a local NYU security guard who saw the space become available and wanted to help provide healthy and affordable fare to the neighborhood.

The staff is from Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and the Dominican Republic, just to name a few places, and their menu often is inspired and influenced by this diverse mix of backgrounds.

Before every new poke or acai spot, there was NoHo Juice Bar! Chandler continued his high praise: “They offer salads, juices, and tons of health foods for an affordable price. Inside you’ll find all kinds of elixirs and other goodies; they are a true old school health spot.” Personally, I used to stop by for a green juice after a quick brown rice and veggie patty lunch at the old DoJo around the corner on West 4th. When that institution closed, NoHo Juice Bar because my spot for their delicious falafel platter option (don’t worry, I still visit Mamoun’s too!)

On Yelp they have 4.5 out of 5 stars from over 100 reviews — amazing!

Vance says:

Such friendly staff! That has to be the first thing I say for a place in NYC. Truly a gem! The guys that work the counter here are kind and truly appreciate your business (and from what I can tell they’ve been like that for years!). The food is good and very reasonably priced! It’s nice to find healthy options near SoHo (where I work) that I can actually afford! I’m a big fan of their grilled chicken platter which is a Mediterranean-style dish for less than ten bucks that is just packed with yummy healthy foods! They’ll even give you a pita with it if you ask!

Mohammed comes to work off the subway and likes to get a coffee at Brooklyn Bagel and Coffee on 8th Street. He visits Washington Square Park nearly every day. He knows many of the longtime residents that visit the store for their morning bagel or egg and cheese that live nearby.

NoHo Juice Bar also offerered Middle Eastern fare in an area largely devoid of those options. Chandler noted: “And it’s not just falafel and other fan-favorites, they serve real deal cuisine like Koshary and other street foods.” Koshary is one of the most traditional dishes for any meal in Egypt. It consists of rice, lentils, pasta, and onions, layered and covered in tomato sauce. It’s eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! Yum.

Steve says:

A classic but modern juice bar and deli. It’s kind of hidden from the main streets so it’s usually not that crowded inside…The menu is mostly healthy, with lots of choices for vegetarians. For a place close to NYU, they could get away with charging a lot. It’s surprising they don’t do this. They actually have reasonable prices for things like smoothies and wraps.

The team at NoHo Juice Bar, like every small business in the pandemic, are working to stay alive and thriving, responding to the current needs and demands. On the one hand, they’re meticulous about cleaning and safety precautions; at the same time, they’ve noticed an increased appetite for old school comfort foods like cold cut sandwiches, and have filled that niche accordingly.

Samantha says:

Quality deli with quality service and food. They have my favorite tuna sandwich of any deli. Their sandwiches are a step above your average deli for the same price. Great place to pick up a lunch or snack, variety of options to please anyone. 

Savannahah says:

You can’t get a cheaper lox and cream cheese bagel anywhere!

The winter has also brought great demand for their hearty warm soups. What will spring bring?

The Juice Bar falls within the bounds of the NoHo Bid, whose street team helps keep the area extra clean and has been providing support to small businesses like this to access PPE and to provide signage — needed now more than ever.

Stop by and say hi to Mohammed and the rest of the crew at NoHo Juice Bar at 208 Mercer Street. They’re way more than juice, but they are our March 2021 Business of the Month.

What special small business would you like to see featured next? Just click here to nominate our next one. Thank you! #shoplocalnyc

And here is a handy map of all of every Business of the Month: