1:11 Juice Bar is a unique and special place. They replace any misconceptions you might have about juice bars. With a warm welcome, great conversation, and an unpretentious attitude, their goal is to make healthy food accessible to everyone. Everything the juice bar in Pittsburgh serves is organic. They have items to please vegans, carnivores, and anyone in between. Aside from various juices pressed in-house, they offer smoothies, wraps, soups, salads, and snacks.

The Story Behind the Juice Bar in Pittsburgh

In 2020 Bruce Thornton, along with his cousin Duane McNeil and their wives Emily Thornton and Cinddy McNeil, started planning to open their own juice bar in Pittsburgh. As for the name, Thornton said that the inspiration came from a combination of the Jay-Z song/album “4:44” and the Bible verse Genesis 1:11, which reads, “Then God said, ‘let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.’ And it was so.” Thornton said the “various kinds” also refers to the mix of ethnicities and backgrounds of fellow owners, employees, and chefs.

What to Order From 1:11 Juice Bar

1:11 offers a vast list of freshly pressed juices, ranging in color, ingredients, and health benefits. Simple, kid-friendly juices are available, including orange and apple, but what kid wouldn’t enjoy the vibrant, magenta-colored Unicorn Juice? This juice drink has apple, beet, lemon and pumpkin seed mylk. It’s the perfect combination of tart and sweet. 

Another one of their aptly-named green juices is “Gimmie da Loot.” It’s simply apple, kale and lemon. A drink perfect for the summertime is “Peaches & Cream,” with peach, mango, apple, golden beet, lemon, and pumpkin seed mylk. Creamy, sweet but not too sweet, and refreshing. Whatever you choose, know that the flavors will be perfectly balanced, fresh, and will make you feel healthier instantly. Truly! As Thornton said, the juices feed your cells and not just your stomach. The nutrients are more readily available and reach your bloodstream sooner in liquid form.

The owners chose pumpkin seeds as the base of many of their drinks due to the elevated protein content and high nutritional value, and the fact that people with common allergies, like nut allergies, can most likely drink it. You can enjoy this beverage as pumpkin seed mylk, with only pumpkin seeds and water, or switch things up with a matcha latte with pumpkin seed mylk, matcha, water, maple syrup, vanilla, and sea salt. Try it in a protein drink, which comes in standard but never boring flavors of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry.

“Nipsy Blue” has pineapple (which helps with inflammation), apple, lemon, lime, and spirulina, the last of which is a superfood. Spirulina is an excellent source of plant protein and aids in muscle restoration. Get the Baby Blue instead and enjoy the added benefit of their pumpkin seed milk, high in protein and an essential nutrient, magnesium, with some additional high-quality protein powder added.

The soups, salads, and wraps at 1:11 are the perfect meal to round out your diet. I ordered the chicken Caesar wrap and, to be honest, initially thought the portion size was rather small. However, once I sat down to eat, I realized how filling and nourishing it was. And can we talk about the Caesar dressing? Creamy, cheesy, salty, with a hint of lemon and garlic, it was probably the best Caesar dressing I’ve ever had. A fellow customer who has been ordering the same thing regularly thought so, too! Their vegan “donuts” are a nice little treat and have a texture similar to a granola bar, sweetened with organic maple syrup. 

1:11 also offers a few different cleanses, some with just juice and some with food and juice, depending on your goals and needs. 

Going to 1:11 Juice Bar Has its Rewards

Make sure you sign up for 1:11’s rewards program, where each dollar spent is a point, and once you reach 100 points, you receive $10 off. Bonus: Return your glass bottles and receive five points per bottle.

Are you thinking about juice bars a little bit differently now? I hope so. Remember that 1:11 Juice Bar is a place where everyone is welcomed and where healthy food and drink are available to all.

When asked what he wants people to know about 1:11 Juice Bar, after a long pause, Bruce simply replied, “That we care about other people.”

South Side hours: Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Downtown hours: Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.