Sweet Upgrades: Açai & Yogurt in The Elm

Big things have been happening in the Elm. Fruity, fresh, and fantastic things. After our return from winter break, Yale’s underground eatery underwent a tropical transformation and welcomed two new stars into the dining point lineup: açai and yogurt bowls. 

As a lover of fresh fruit, light lunches, and the perfect pre-dinner snack, this addition was nothing short of life-changing. These bowl options have revolutionized Elm dining by offering students something a little sweet, a little crunchy, and quite different from the sandwich, fries, and sushi scene that the Elm is known for. 

If you’re dreaming of a warm escape from New Haven’s icy sidewalks, dark skies, and looming blizzards, the Elm can’t give you that. But starting this semester, they can give you four impressive vacation-esque topping selections for either an açai or yogurt base. 

Here’s my rundown of which topping is right for which base, and which bowl is right for you.

The Signature Bowl:

This classic is likely what you picture when you hear açai: strawberries, blueberries, granola, and drizzled honey. On both bases, the fruits are fresh and the textures mix well. But, the plain yogurt base wins here, bringing out the fruit flavors without being overwhelmingly sweet. If you like to keep it simple, this might be your new staple.

• Açai Base: 9.0/10

• Yogurt Base: 9.2/10 

The Tropical Bowl: 

This choice features some unique offerings you won’t see at a standard dining hall breakfast. With freshly chopped bananas, bright pink dragon fruit, mangoes, granola, and coconut flakes, this option feels like a summer treat. It’s exciting and different, but not quite right for a yogurt base. The softer, sweeter textures pair best with the rich açai base. If you want to switch it up (or pretend like we haven’t been buried in snow since January) you’re going to love this bowl. 

• Açai Base: 9.5/10

• Yogurt Base: 7.8/10 

The Sweet Bowl: 

Nutella on Greek yogurt is just wrong. I said it. This arrangement offers bananas, strawberries, coconut flakes, and chocolatey nutella—fantastic on an açai base, but mismatched on the yogurt. It's sweet and rewarding, but could use more crunch and is definitely missing some granola. If you have a sweet tooth, it's a must try. 

• Açai Bowl 9/10 

• Yogurt Base: 6/10

The Power Bowl:

Peanut butter and chia seeds enter the equation for the Elm’s last combination. With the yogurt base, it delivers an impressive 32g of protein (11g more than the açai) and feels like a full meal. This was tailor-made for anyone who cringes daily at dining hall breakfasts just looking at the overly sweet yogurt bar. If you love classic toppings and hitting your protein goals, look no further, the Elm is finally answering your prayers. 

• Açai Bowl 7.5/10 

• Yogurt Base: 9.6/10

The new bowl station in the Elm is an undeniable hit. After a busy opening few weeks, the layout has been revamped to have a self-service ordering kiosk and a Starbucks-style pick up counter, eliminating the daunting lines that once stretched across the entrance. The wait time will still run you about 10 hangry minutes, but is well worth it for a refreshing taste of the Elm’s at its best.