Hearing someone say L.A., you might think of Hollywood, In-N-Out and the Griffith Observatory. Maybe your mind even goes to Alo Gym and Rodeo Drive. But when it comes to luxury smoothies, the only L.A. you should have in mind is Louisiana, where Dr. FeelGood is serving up health and wellness in Instagram-worthy to-go cups.
Functional smoothies have become popular with Erewhon, a high-end organic grocery chain based out of Los Angeles. Though the upscale grocer is only located in southern California, Erewhon made waves on social media after partnering with Hailey Bieber to trademark her custom order in 2023, now the Strawberry Skin Glaze Smoothie. Coinciding with this menu item was the launch of Bieber’s skin care company Rhode.
The allure doesn’t end with the celebrities attached to the brand, though. Most of Erewhon’s viral power comes from its exclusivity, with the build-your-own smoothie starting at $10 and the signature flavors reaching up to $22 a cup.
Though Erewhon began shipping smoothie kits to select American cities, including New Orleans, it remains largely inaccessible to the general public. Luckily, Baton Rouge has its very own plant-based wellness bar, with a rate of just $11.75 a smoothie and a similar range in flavor profiles as the L.A.hot spot.
Having once been a CBD store, Dr. FeelGood rebranded to a superfood treat supplier in 2024, and it has been well-received by the community since its opening.
In June of its opening year, social media food critic Keith Lee posted a video about the store, which garnered two million views and over 180,000 likes. Less than two weeks later, Lee visited Erewhon, and when reviewing it, he said, “We just had a smoothie in Baton Rouge from Dr. FeelGood that was just as good and way less expensive.”
For Lee, who travels internationally, to spotlight a small business in Louisiana against such a powerful chain as Erewhon is quite the praise.
And while I haven’t tried any of the $20 smoothies from Erewhon, I can’t imagine it gets much better than Dr. FeelGood.
I got the Peanut Butter and Jelly Time smoothie, which has bananas, blueberries, dates and peanut butter, with oat milk as the online ordering recommends.
Knowing that my tolerance for super sweet sips runs low, this was the perfect pick for me. The sweetness of the main jelly-flavored smoothie was well balanced with the richness of the peanut butter, and the creamy texture of the drink had me hooked from start to finish.
Since Dr. FeelGood doesn’t use ice as a blending base, the drink didn’t melt at all, which made for a long-lasting, consistent experience. This consistency is especially impressive when considering the smoothie was made with oat milk, an ingredient known for separating in most drinks.
Overall, it was an experience that I already can’t stop thinking of; as soon as I took my last sip, I immediately started planning my next visit.
Though this spot is more pricey than my average coffee order, I would say it definitely is worth the price. While it may not seem like the cost-effective option for a smoothie in Baton Rouge, Dr. FeelGood’s blends tend to be cheaper than any acai bowl close to campus, and they are being more versatile in flavor.
In a wellness culture driven by exclusivity and influencer marketing, Dr. FeelGood offers quality products at a fair price, proving that health isn’t just a fad in Baton Rouge — it’s a priority. Functional smoothies shouldn’t break the bank, and this local business is making sure that healthy foods can be accessible, aesthetic and authentic all at the same time.
