The rain was biblical, and my lunch companion had just discovered she had lost her purse somewhere en route as we arrived at Rainbowls in Cheltenham.
It wasn’t an auspicious start to the comforting bite to eat we were hoping for after a morning of heavy retail therapy.
But a sublime cup of coffee calmed our nerves as we perused the menu and racked our brains as to where the purse, along with bank and credit cards might now be languishing.
The hit of caffeine cleared our minds enough to try the bus company where the lost item, intact with cards, eventually turned up the following day, but right then there was nothing else for it but to dive headfirst into choosing from the tantalising variety of dishes on offer.
The concept of eating the rainbow for good health has been enthusiastically embraced here with the prettiest looking range of Acai bowls with names like Totally Tropical and Mango Melody.
It’s like ordering sunshine in a bowl especially against the grey backdrop of weather enveloping Cheltenham that day.
The Poke bowls and buddha bowls are equally as bright but more savoury with salmon, tuna or tofu or Teriyaki chicken, falafels and Quinoa, as the centrepiece, along with an array of salads and wellness drinks.
The food is presented like works of art with pretty patterns and seasonal variations that offer additional comforting rich flavours in the winter with the addition of cinnamon and pumpkin spice for warmth.
The business was launched in March 2023 by former Deer Park School pupil Jessica Peters from Cirencester and Dutchman Kasper Roelvink.
They have since opened two other cafes in the South Wests in Bristol and Worcester all with the same ethos of offering top quality fruit and veg as well as being on a mission to upcycle everything in the restaurant from the furniture to the décor and equipment.
Rainbowls has got a bit of a Scandi vibe about it with lots of blonde wood, natural light and it provides a relaxed and laid-back atmosphere for its health conscious aficionados.
There are overnight oats for breakfast, healthy bakes and myriad smoothies from Collagen Elixir to Avo Glow.
Acai bowls originated in Brazil with Poke bowls traditionally coming from Hawaii and they are so popular there you can pick them up from practically any petrol station.
Served as a single dish they can be customised to suit most dietary requirements and there is a growing buzz around them not least of all for their huge appeal on social media due to their visual appeal and bright colours.
I wanted to try everything. My companion went for the Smashed Avocado on Toast with sourdough bread, feta, pomegranate, pesto oil and pumpkin seeds and momentarily forgot about her purse predicament.
After a lot of deliberation, I chose the Rainbow Poke Bowl with tuna in soya and rice wine, Sriracha, jasmine rice and an abundance of fresh, crisp vegetables but I had to fight back a surge of food envy every time another dish passed me by for another table.
This is definitely a place where you eat with your eyes, but the actual tasting doesn’t disappoint either.
We left after Berry Bliss and Island Delight smoothies, and it might have been my imagination, but I am sure we had a little orange glow around us despite the sub-zero temperature and the threat of snow in the sky.
Rainbowls is at 64 Hewlett Road, Cheltenham GL52 6AR
Or 73 Queens Road, Bristol BS8 1QP and 43 Upper Tything, Worcester WRI 1JZ
