“Everything” Bowl {Courtesy TropiBowls)
By Agrippina Fadel
From country clubs and fine dining to avocado toast and acai bowls: the co-owner of TropiBowls, Natasha Teague, found her calling when she opened the healthy food joint during the pandemic.
The company’s new 1000 sq. feet location on 8154 North University Drive in Tamarac opened earlier this week, and the locals seem to love it — the restaurant was so busy on its first day that it ran out of food and closed a couple of hours early.
Oakland Park resident Teague is a five-diamond pastry chef and has previously worked in country clubs in Boca Raton and Boynton Beach. During the pandemic, when part of the dining industry took a hit, she decided to open her own place.
Together with her husband, Daniel Mederos, and the couple’s longtime friends, AJ and Mayte Vazquez, she opened the first restaurant in Oakland Park in March 2020. The local franchise has since extended to another brick-and-mortar store in Pompano Beach and a food truck inside Markham Park in Sunrise.
The new Tamarac restaurant is the fourth location for the business, and they are hoping to branch out outside the county and state eventually.
Teague said her goal was to offer a healthy, fruit and vegetable-forward menu, something she found hard to find in the area. TropiBowls’ vibrant offerings proved popular with the residents.
Known for its acai bowls, the restaurant also offers smoothies and cold-pressed juices, rice bowls, salads, avocado toast, pastries, and coffee. Teague said Pesto Chicken Wrap and the “Everything Bowl” with granola, banana, kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, peanut butter, and coconut are absolute bestsellers.
“We had a huge turnout at the opening and got a lot of great feedback. People loved the menu and said the food was “on point.” A few guests shared how happy they were that they don’t have to travel outside the city limits anymore to find healthy and delicious food,” said Teague.
She added that the company prides itself on providing excellent customer service. The staff is trained to treat guests like family and embrace everyone with open arms, ensuring everyone feels safe and happy about where they are getting their food.
“What sets us apart is how much we care about our customers. Our stores have more of a local feel as opposed to a corporate chain. We hope to build a community in Tamarac and work closely with local teachers and nurses, the fire department, and the police station,” added Teague.
The Tamarac TropiBowls is open Monday to Friday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. The restaurant is closed on Sundays.
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