Pres

Bury New Road, Prestwich

Pres is a modern juice and smoothie bar serving up fresh produce made from the finest local ingredients. With appetites for clean eating and veganism increasing by the day, there are all sorts of health food shops and restaurants popping up all over the place, proving that eating healthily does not have to mean eating bland, boring foods. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

Pres has a large menu, catering for breakfast, brunch and lunch. There are healthy breakfasts, colourful salad bowls, freshly pressed juices and smoothie bowls, the majority of which are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

You know me well enough by now to know that I love indulging in really good food, so a health care never been high on my list of priorities. But, I firmly believe in the mantra ‘if you don’t try, you’ll never know’. Boy, am I glad I gave it a go.

Inside, it’s nothing special. No bigger than a shop unit, it’s a casual, quick-stop bar with minimal seating – just a couple of tables and a breakfast bar running the perimeter of the shop floor. As somebody who’s frequently out and about on their own, it struck me as the perfect kind of place to eat alone. There’s even a selection of books tucked away under the units.

The brunch options are served all day, so, even though it was lunchtime, I ordered the breakfast bruschetta; the healthiest version of a Full English that I’ve ever encountered. There were two slices of sourdough toast, smothered in smashed avocado and loaded up with turkey bacon, two fried eggs, sundried tomatoes and feta cheese.

Smashed avocado is the trendiest breakfast option of the time and, despite not being a fan of the fruit, I do really like it. Turkey bacon was also a first for me. Controversially, turkey is my favourite meat. Whilst it may not have been obvious to taste that these rashers were made from the traditional Christmas favourite, they were lean, crisp and less salty than proper bacon – a lovely texture.

Eggs, I love. Fried eggs, I’m generally not mad keen on. However, even these won me over, as they were cooked to perfection. They managed to avoid the plastic texture and were perfectly runny in the middle, oozing out over the bruschetta when cut into. The sundried plum tomatoes, with their delicious bitter, salty flavour, and the sprinkles of feta cheese, added depth and texture to the dish, making every mouthful deliciously satisfying.

Breakfast Bruschetta

One of my dining companions went for the Hippie Bowl, a giant salad made up of avocado, smoked salmon, asparagus, sliced beetroot, crispy kale, tomato and cucumber with added halloumi, drizzled in balsamic vinegar. It was a hearty and healthy salad which looked like it could satisfy even the largest of appetites. 

Hippie Salad Bowl

My breakfast bruschetta was £7 and the hippie salad bowl was £8, so it’s reasonably priced and the portions justify the cost.

For those of us with a sweet tooth, there’s an intriguing selection of smoothie bowls, which are essentially what the name suggests: giant smoothies in a bowl. They’re served up like a bowl of porridge, topped with fruits, nuts and seeds. The peanut butter and chocolate one sounds especially appealing.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Smoothie Bowl

There’s also a selection of vegan cakes which change daily. I’ve seen plenty of photos of these knocking around on social media and they always look delicious. Sadly, on the Saturday I popped in, the cakes weren’t very inspiring, so I’m hoping to back and try them another time.

If healthy eating is your mission in 2018, then Pres is the place for you. It’s not the cosiest of places, but in terms of food, it’s certainly the cleanest and greenest. 

Find them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/presjuice/