This place is a vibe! Honestly I'm jealous that it's in Palmer & not in Anchorage. Now that açaí Alaska is closed a good açaí bowl shop is something we're sadly lacking in ANC. The Fern is super trendy in that hippy Erewhon way, which I'm not complaining about because we don't have many places that focus on sustainable health food. This would be a cool place to hang out at with friends or even get some work done. It's definitely a restaurant that's very centered around health & wellness. If a Pilates or yoga studio opened next door it would be a booming corner. Everything about this place is instagram worthy, but it's not just picture perfect it's also tasty.
Their menu is açaí bowls, smoothies, coffee, tea & cacao. Their menu online also stated that other food items will be coming at some point, which will make this place a bustling lunch spot for sure.
For their bowls there are 3 sizes to choose from as well as 3 different bases (açaí, pitaya & spirulina). They have 5 different bowl options, or you can opt to build your own. The smoothies come only in 16oz & there's 9 well curated options with all the ingredients listed. These are truly good for you smoothies not the ones that some coffee huts make from syrup & ice.
I ordered a 16 oz solstice bowl, super berry smoothie & a 16oz iced AK chai. First off AK Chai is not widely available at coffee shops in this area even though it's brewed at Homer Brewing Co. It's my favorite type of chai tea so whenever I see it I get it. There was no up charge for alternative milk (I got oat), which was a pleasant surprise.
The solstice bowl was delicious & very filling. I thought at $13 for a 16 oz it was well worth it. The açaí base tasted very fresh & wasn't served frozen. The flavor combo was very good, and there were plenty of ingredients down to the last bite. The smoothie was for my toddler, but he didn't seem much into it so I got to drink some. It was very good.
Service was fast & friendly. It did take about 15 minutes for me to get my bowl & smoothie, but the cafe was very busy, and they prepare everything as it's ordered so a wait is to be expected. They also have a rewards program per dollars spent which is awesome! Notably all their packaging & serving ware is biodegradable & plant based from Phade Products. The straws aren't paper so they don't deteriorate while you're drinking your beverage, but are still sustainable.
The Fern is an awesome little shop, and I can't see what else they plan to do with this cafe. Everything was delicious, and this is definitely a must visit in Palmer! read more