I just moved back to the bay area from LA, and I am having terrible withdrawals from pinkberry, does anyone know of anything even remotely similar here up north? I'd REALLY appreciate it.
vinoveritas
May 25, 2007 12:21AM
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I wouldn't hold my breath. When Bay Area foodies find out it's just plain Yoghurt mixed with powdered flavorings (PB has been forced to admit as much), I doubt there will be a rush to support outlets.
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/400603
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi...
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It's not yogurt:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/400504
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That's not clear from any the citations; it can't be called "FROZEN" yogurt, but the company still maintains they start with plain yogurt and add unspecified stuff to it -- Kool-Aid, perhaps ;-)
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Fresh yogurt contains live cultures. At Pinkberry they reportedly start with fresh nonfat milk and add yogurt powder. There are only two flavors, plain and green tea.
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Yes, pinkberry is NOT yogurt. My friends opened up a VERY similar (basic identical) shop and they said that its just powder, not real yogurt. On the other hand, it's still overpriced yumminess!
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I live in LA. I find Pinkberry just bleah.
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This article seems to suggest that Cafe Aroma in Santa Clara might be Pinberry-esque.
http://www.ucsf.edu/synapse/content/42607/koreanfood.html
Here are some photos on Yelp:
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/tyih1x...
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You might try Yogurt Park in Berkeley.
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Another thread on this board actually pointed to a store just across the street from Yogurt Park...can't remember the name, but they have a product called "Mangoberry" that comes pretty close to the Pinkberry experience.
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michelle's
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/398553
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I tried it last week and thought it was pretty good. I've never had Pinkberry, so I can't make a comparison, however, I can say that it had the yogurt flavor in the background (more so than most common fro yo places). It was a bit sweeter than I would've liked, though.
While not fro yo, I did like the flavor of Naia's natural yogurt flavor (it had a definitive Greek yogurt taste to it), but they don't have all the fresh fruit to go on top
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I hope it's not too late for this reply--
Maybe you've already tried it and found it, but Fraiche in Palo Alto is just like Pinkberry ... reportedly :)
www.fraicheyogurt.com
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Blasphemy! Fraiche is so much better, and it's made from real food not powders. They also have a greek yogurt bar and delicious chocolate chip cookies.
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I finally had Pinkberry, and agree that Fraiche is much better. The frozen yogurt I had at Pinkberry (Santa Monica branch) was icier, sweeter, less tangy, and less creamy than Fraiche's.
Even better than Fraiche, though, is the yogurt flavor gelato at Gelato Firenze in Oakland.
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Missed Pinkberry during our summer trip to L.A. but got to taste it this past weekend at the Beverly Hills location. Really don't know what the fuss is about. I agree that it is sweeter, a fake sweetness, and much colder than Fraiche's. I actually didn't order, my 9 & 11 yr old girls did & they too agreed that Fraiche is MUCH better!
Also, we noticed a looong line down the street which turned out to be Sprinkles. Hopefully, that cupcake is better than the hype as I read on CH that it is coming to Palo Alto.
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In Palo Alto tonight and had a chance to try Fraiche. Yep, it's really good. I tried a "junior" size with half chocolate and half natural topped with raspberry sauce. I liked the subtle tones of the chocolate and especially the silky texture. While the natural was good too, I like Harmony's just a bit better with its tangier finish and softer texture. I noticed that the milk out for coffee drinkers was Clover organic, so presumably that's what's used to make the yogurt. Even though it's a very cold night, the place was really busy with lots of kids. I appreciated being able to take a seat inside, and how well-heated the space is.
644 Emerson St, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA
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Yes they do use clover organic milk according to the owner. At least as of this summer.
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Thanks, I was almost tempted to top off with a hot chocolate, but deferred that to another visit to Palo Alto.
Adding more Place links:
1400 Grant St San Francisco, CA
1515 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA
2430 Durant Ave Berkeley CA
1054 Kiely Blvd Santa Clara, CA
3488 El Camino Real Santa Clara CA
42 Elm St Los Gatos CA
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Just before Xmas, I walked up from the office to have lunch at Medicine. On the bottom level of the Crocker Galleria, where Bath & Body Works used to be, there was a "coming soon" sign for a place called So Green Yogurt. It didn't have a grand opening date, but it did list a webpage that doesn't really have any information
http://www.sogreenyogurt.com/
Judging by the name and graphics, I'm assuming it will be comparable to Pinkberry.
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Do keep us posted on its progress.
Another link:
2510 Channing Way Berkeley CA
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I contacted SoGreen Yogurt and the targeted opening date is Feb 14, Valentine's Day.
50 Post Street, San Francisco, CA
2380 Telegraph Ave Berkeley, CA 94704
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It's not exactly like Pinkberry's, but pretty close: Yogurt Bar at Union: www.yogurtbarsf.com
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I second the recommendation of Yogurt Bar on Octavia near Union, it's creamier and better than Pinkberry. There's also Harmony in San Carlos.
Some pics:
http://foodbrood.blogspot.com/search/...
1226 Arroyo Ave, San Carlos, CA 94070, USA
2760 Octavia St San Francisco CA
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I tried Yogurt Bar last night for the first time. Nice tang to the frozen yogurt and big portion, but I didn't like the powdery finish. I like Harmony's product much better.
Next I need to try Jubili on Fillmore,
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/449560
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Heard some compare Papamingo in Berkeley on Channing Way to Pinkberry. Haven't been myself so I can't confirm.
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Saw some American Express commercial (Plum Card) on Pinkberry. I think it will be in San Francisco soon.
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There is a great place in the fillmore district called jubelii in the san francisco. They have a few flavors and a great selection of toppings. Its right behind The Fillmore. Great place to see a concert. I hope this satifies your withdraws...
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